Flashes of Panic

The most amazing experiences I’ve had with bands have generally been with bands I was previously unaware of taking me by surprise. I don’t go out of my way to see bands I don’t know anything about any more, so typically this happens when there’s a band I know and like playing the same show as one I’ve never heard of. Probably the most amazing weekend I’ve ever had musically was when my wife and I travelled to Columbus, Ohio, to see a friend’s band play at a weekend-long party thrown by their label. Of course, we knew my friend’s band’s music. And I knew the music of the Ass Ponys, but had never seen them live, and they were incredible. But I was utterly blown away by at least two bands I was previously unaware of that weekend. Moviola did a country rock kind of thing that really grabbed me. And The Handsome Family just had me gobstopped with their modern take on the Appalachian death ballad tradition. Totally floored me. I hadn’t heard of them before that weekend, and I walked away a gibbering fan boy.

I would have to vote for unknown but screened performers - I didn’t know anything about them before but checked their website, reviews, etc. to see if their music was something I would generally like. I have gone to shows by unknown-to-me and unscreened people and wished I had stayed home and put my head in the oven instead. On the other side, I have gone to see people I already was a fan of and had confirmed that this was someone I really liked and was cool but wasn’t blown away by it.

In a middle path, I went to a show by a band I had never heard of but was playing at a convenient venue and time. I checked out some of their music online and liked it and then went to their show and was totally blown away. Similarly, I went to another show not knowing anything about the group but a friend knew one of the performers and I was similarly amazed and impressed.

We’re so lucky to have so many free, open venues here that I rarely have much to lose by going to check someone out - it’s an excuse to go sit out in my lawn chair and drink beer and check people out. It’s great since most of the live shows are of the singer-songwriter variety, which I like best, but I probably miss out on other types of music that I’d like and the real concentrated (what a lame word - I can’t think of a better one, though) sound that comes from an indoor venue. But if I’m going to pay a cover and brave the smoke, I like knowing what I’m getting into, too.