☑ go to a concert... by myself

☑ take a photo with a band

So I knew I was adding one "new" thing to the list last night... but turns out, I was able to add one more (even better!)

Now, attending a concert is by far something new... I've had a love for live music ever since my junior high days (1998, to be exact... it was either the Audio Adrenaline/Jennifer Knapp/ OC Supertones concert... or the OC Supertones/Five Iron Frenzy/The Insyderz concert... I don't remember which came first anymore), which means I've been in love with concert-going for over 15 years now (whoa!). It started out at large concerts where i was a tiny speck in the crowd, and migrated to a love for music festivals, house shows, outdoor venues, amphitheaters in the park, and cramped theaters with standing-room only. But always, I have attended ticket-holding shows with other people. Never by myself. So when I heard one of my favorite bands was coming to town, I didn't hesitate to buy a single ticket... and made plans to go to the show... by myself.

Kind of strange to make plans to go to a show by myself. I felt like I needed to call someone up and buy them a ticket to join me. But this was somewhat exhilarating, to know that I was doing this because it was exactly what i wanted to do, and not just because a group of people were joining me. Now, to be fair, I did find out 10 minutes before the show that a friend was going to be there, so we met up and stood in line together, as well as took in the show side-by-side. But I feel like the very nature of attending the concert by myself was not altered... because I still made these plans on my own. And this show did not disappoint. I wish I could explain the exact atmosphere, but that never works unless you are actually there. I can say though, that my heart was soaring with every note that Paper Route produced.

After the show, I stuck around to chat with the band members and they seemed somewhat surprised when i mentioned that I've been listening ever since I first fell in love with "City Trucks" and that their music is in high rotation every Christmas season (because they have some of the most beautiful original winter songs i have ever heard). To that, Chad (bass/piano) glanced up at the ceiling and mentioned that perhaps they need to do a Christmas tour at some point... no argument here. When asked about taking a photo, he mentioned that they would stick around and sell some more merch first and then they would be happy to snap a group photo. So i sunk back to lean against the counter-top and take in all of the interaction and storytelling that was going on. It was not long until JT was telling stories about the photography of their most recent album (a most haunting image of a girl in a dress, knees pulled up to her chest, with wolves circling around her in the midst of the woods), and how this image was taken on a safari, with real wolves (and plenty of trainers, of course) and how they were also hanging on to other images from this series that included a giraffe, which will quite possibly be seen further down the road. I was drawn in by the animation that was used to tell these stories... as well as the gesture from JT to enter the circle and shake hands and ask my name. From there, JT called Chad over, and they were joined by Gavin, who loudly proclaimed "let's do this group thing"... and there we have it. My first group photo with a band. I'm not typically one to wait around to trouble anyone for a group photo, but I'm honored that they were so willing and eager to take a group photo for me. And with me.

So there's the story of how I added one more new thing to my list... spontaneously.