Another short story:
After Widespread Panic in St Augustine last year, I was pretty much all in for this year and it went on the calendar immediately after announcing it. At the same time, over the past 6 months or so I've been looking for an excuse to come to LA to see music and visit friends, etc. Many of my favorite artists (Dave Harrington, Mary Lattimore, etc) live in or have relocated to LA over the last decade and would be great to catch some of their gigs local.
(1/n)
At one point a couple months ago I actually had the very specifiic thought that it would be great if the Osees & Lattimore were both playing the same weekend, like that would be a perfect time to visit.
Literally 48 hrs after having this thought, Mary posted to her IG that she was playing this special event at a museum in LA & when I looked into the details I saw that Osees were playing too!? Like, I had somehow personally manifested this thing to happen just by wishing for it! Holyshit!
(2/n)
Checked the calendar and saw that it was the same weekend as Panic in St Aug. Not the best weekend to visit LA, alas. A decision to be made. But then! Then I noticed that I was ALREADY GOING TO BE IN LA that week for work. The universe was clearly telling me something. So, even though the conference would be over on Thursday, there was NO WAY I wasn't staying for that show! I had willed that thing into existence out of my own imagination...
(3/n)
And that is why I am still in SoCal. And that is also why I am routing back to NYC via a redeye to Jacksonville tonight, gladly missing a night of WSP for a literal dream-come-true and gladly trading in a few livemusic karma points to see two of my all-time favorite live acts on the same bill.
(4/4)
Two postscripts:
1) of course, ideally there would be a Dave Harrington gig going on in SoCal this weekend, too! and I always assumed that he plays enough in town that if I was ever in LA, there was a good chance he would be. So it is with a considerable dollop of irony that I am missing multiple opportunities to see him in NYC while out here. Can't win em all?
2) previously mentioned, but Osees front man John Dwyer was at the SML show, by chance standing more or less next to me, and my friend asked him about tonight's gig. Dwyer relayed that they'd be playing 4 pieces never played before, more psychedelic jamming (inspired by the museum exhibit) than punk rock. To which I say: fuck yes. Fuck. Yes.
On the red eye, St Augustine bound, but before taking off I have to say, I always try to get some #livemusic in on work travel and usually, with some effort, I can make something happen. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's whatever.
This trip to LA was 4 straight nights of only-In-LA awesome. Great shows in cool rooms with some unique experiences across several genres. Probably the best work trip livemusic yet, and I've gone to New Orleans twice.
Also saw some friends and ate some legit shit.
neddyo
gstratford
Kealoha