Everyone Deserves Music

I seem to have a habit of deciding last minute that I'm going to see Michael Franti & Spearhead in concert. It's a problem, because - note for the future - same-day show tickets are more money than regular show tickets (in addition to dumb processing fees).

Once again, I ventured to The Fillmore Silver Spring by myself, and once again the ticket was purchased merely hours before showtime despite the fact I had visited the website many times since the announcement. My worry in going alone and the fact that the show was on a work night deterred me for quite some time.

Could I be... I'm turning into an adult?

Maybe a little bit. Here's the thing, though: Work cannot be the only thing that fulfills you, and in no way should it be the reason you refuse yourself pleasure. I have to remind myself of this sometimes.

Because my heart desires it, I will always make time for live music. As I sat staring at my computer the morning of June 4th, I remembered the last time I'd seen Michael Franti & Spearhead perform. Last time, it was September 2013, and I was fresh blood, confused and unsure, but welcomed. And I ached for that freedom again.

Spoiler Alert: I bought the ticket.

This year, I debated fighting for the front, again, but eventually decided I'd be better off finding a spot in the back that would allow me to view the whole stage. Standing around awkwardly by myself amidst the groups of people who had solid holds on the bar had been making self-conscious and anxious.

The only thing I regret is not being close enough to interact with Jay Bowman, the guitarist. But one of Michael Franti's things is to interact with the whole audience. So no spot is a bad spot. In my case, the venue had set up a stage at the back end of the theater close to where I was standing, so I was still able to feel "up close and personal" during some very special moments of the show.

My favorite thing will always be "Sound of Sunshine," when a hundred suns swoop down from the sky, bouncing over the crowd.

This tour was called the Once a Day Tour, in reference to his new song, which I loved hearing for the first time unexpectedly and in a live setting. The song is about not taking any moment or any person for granted.

We could all use the gentle reminder sometimes.

Hopefully there will be a studio version soon, but below is a video from another performance:

Edited June 2015 from post originally published June 15, 2015 via Wordpress

#MichaelFranti #music #concert