FIRST REAL ENTRY-The Music Community

Background info:Roughly two years ago this really awesome pop punkesque band from Ohio called The Sidekicks was on tour with another really awesome band, Ghost Town Trio(R.I.P) and played a sweet show at Volume Record Store( also r.i.p). Any who, after the show all the guys from each band came and hung out with a friend and I and we had a huge sleep over- to say the least a was a really fun night that lasted into the wee hours of the morning. The Sidekicks had a temporary guitarist, Max, who was touring with them for the summer.

Anyway....Max messaged me on good 'ol myspace a few months ago while I was still at VCU, asking if i could set up a show for his new band Signals Midwest. So longish story short I made it happen! Even though I really really wanted to get them a show where they could play electric, I couldn't make it happen. Recently in Norfolk and VB there has not been a lot of houses/places for all ages free electric shows. But regardless, it's a show. I of course wanted one of Rusty's bands to play..ideally Folk The System, but Daniel was out of town living it up in Florida. So I got this awesome guy, Bennett, to play some Rain Over Battle songs and then another awesome artist Todd Webb. If any of you don't know, Todd is a cartoonist a really good one at that (toddbot.com) and he will draw you for a dollar!Almost every one I have seen has been accurate.They're awesome.okay back to the music community...I ended up getting Pinball Locomotive to play too. All are really great LOCAL musicians. Not to mention Fairgrounds let me have the show there and even though it is not the best venue it is such a great place for shows...intimate, close, familiar, homey..it's just perfect. It makes the audience more like friends rather than just an audience and I love that. I love the feeling that being in a community gives you. It doesn't have to be necessarily a music community. It could be anything: brawl, skateboarding, vegetarian, a race, anything! It is all about being a part of something and being with people who share your interests. It truly brings people together.

I cant count so many different experiences on more than two hands (probably) where I have poured my heart out or just genuinely talked to someone who I had only met a few hours before hanging out and if anyone knows me well enough I am not one to pour my heart out to just anyone especially a "stranger".

Just hanging out with Max and his band mates was absolutely awesome. I feel like I can call them friends now and I just met his band mates Loren and Steve yesterday.It is seriously amazing, especially since a lot of the shows I go to now aren't just shows anymore. They are like hanging out with my friends and listening to music/watching them play. I love it. Music and communities are a great combination.