Light of the Moon

Ok, here is the follow up to last weeks blog. Sloan was awesome. Live Music is the best and really loud. I can’t believe how I just sort of forgot the feeling of a concert over the course of 2 years, and how loud they are, but it felt so great to be out and to be part of something again. It was a bit different. I have never had a chair at the Phoenix before but I was glad that the audience was well spaced out, I didn’t feel nervous or anxious once. No one got too close and I kept my mask on the entire time. But about halfway through the first song I just sort of forgot about all that stuff…it was surreal in a way. I was so happy to be there and to be there with my brother that everything else just sort of faded away. Live music is so amazing.

You know, there is this crazy feeling when you are at a show and the band is playing. The music is so loud that it vibrates in your chest and you stand there feeling the music knowing that everyone else is feeling the same thing. It is one of the coolest feelings in the world. You are part of something that is bigger than you. These songs that mean something to you and you have listened to a million times are the same for this room full of people. Then you are all standing in the same place having this music vibrate through you, it’s a sort of magic. This feeling really overtook me last week and I felt so good that all I could think was that we are going to be OK. 

It is difficult to put into words the feelings that I had. In the end it really felt like one of the most normal things that I have done for such a long time and the fact that it felt normal made it extraordinary. I really hope that everyone gets to have one of these moments

Anyway, Sloan was awesome and they played all the songs that I wanted to hear. My brother had the best time. Sloan is one of his all-time favourite bands and let me tell you when my brother loves a band he is the best hype man ever. He knows all the words and will sing along as loud as he can, he knows all the band members names, he will tell you little facts that you never knew you needed to know, and he will make you feel like this night is the best of your life. 

Here is a story from that night. Last week in my post I had mentioned that I had seen Sloan play a in-store at Sonic Boom, my brother and I started to talk about that show and he seemed to remember it differently then I did. He said that they didn’t play in the basement but they played upstairs on risers. I said that I has never seen anyone play upstairs and described what I remembered again. He insisted that it was upstairs and he just about had me convinced that I was wrong. Then he went to the merch table. Working at the merch table that night was a guy who had worked at Sonic Boom during the in-store in question. When my brother got back to our chairs he told me that he asked the merch guy about the in-store. It turned out that Sloan had played two different in-stores and that the one that I had attended was in fact held in the basement. I felt vindicated! To be fair they did in fact play one of the shows upstairs and that was the one that my brother was remembering. Still it was nice to know that I was right.

I don’t know about you but after a show I am always a little bit hyped up and I can never get to sleep right away. Last week I stayed up a bit and didn’t end up getting to bed until around 2am. To be fair the band didn’t go on until 10:30pm. However, I have always been this way, even if I was exhausted I always ended up staying awake a bit later then I should. Whenever I am up late after a show I am always reminded of one late night with my brother.

This story takes place a long time ago when I was in University. I went to York but would often come downtown Toronto to visit my brother and I usually stayed the night with him in his bachelor apartment. At the time my brother, being bit of a musician, would play open mic nights and shows at the bar around the corner from him. Being the supportive sister that I am I would go hear him play as much as I possibly could and this story takes place after one such show.

It was very late, we shut down the bar, and we were walking back to his apartment. We had such a fantastic night and we were a bit giddy so my brother started to sing a Joel Plaskett song call Light of the Moon. I remember smiling and feeling so happy on that walk. I honestly think that this was the moment that I fell in love with the city at night. There is nothing like walking down the street when most of the world is asleep. The streetlights guiding you home after a good night. I think that there is a little bit of that memory that flashes through me after every concert and it just makes me feel good.

Once we were back at my brother’s apartment we decided that we should order a pizza. I’m not sure why we thought that was a good idea but we went for it. The Tragically Hip ended up on the stereo and this was around the time that they had released Yer Favourites a couple of bonus songs. We listened to The New Maybe a lot that night and at some point we realized that the pizza wasn’t coming. We never found out what happened to that pizza we ordered, now it’s just a funny story that we bring up from time to time. “Wonder what every happened to that pizza we ordered.” 

Anyway, we decided that it was probably the best if we just went to bed, but we were still a little wired from the night and as we lay in the dark room someone would started to sing The New Maybe. We would both laugh and at the moment that you thought the other had finally fallen asleep “Love is the New Maybe” would bellow out across the room followed by another burst of laughter. 

Nowadays I am always alone after a concert but I still love that bit of after time. Coming into my apartment and thinking over all the really cool things that happened and looking at the merch that was purchased, can’t believe that sweatshirt is blue, it is all part of the fun. I always feel a little sad that the event is over but I always feel so glad that it happened. I like to tuck away memories for when I feel a little down. It can’t be all that bad when you have nights like these.

I want to give a small shout out to my brother because it is his birthday. I don’t know that I would love music the way that I do without him. I know that I wouldn’t have ever heard of more than half the bands that I listen to if it weren’t for him. Most of the concerts I have attended have been because he is so up on who is coming and when. He always makes sure that I have ticket to the bands I want to see and when we are at shows he takes care of me. When we hang out we have the best time and over the years we have become closer. I have the best brother and he is also one of my best friends. I feel lucky to be able to say that because I know that is not something everyone can say about their siblings. So hear’s to you Brother, thanks for being you, thanks for the music and the memories. Happy Birthday.