Obviously my best friend got married last weekend, and while it was a beautiful event, it totally reconfirmed my belief that the only way I want to get married, is to elope. Weddings have become such a circus. It is hard enough to accommodate a handful of people, much less 100-200 people. Brides and grooms get so stressed planning their wedding, that it seems to take all focus off of the reason they are getting married in the first place. There are so many details to worry about, so much to coordinate at the same time. Plus, the past few weddings I have been to, the bride and groom barely looked at each other during their vows. I don't think it is because their love was any less sincere, but more because they are performing a very emotional and private experience in front of a lot of people. Talk about pressure. Plus, the bride and groom are so zombified by everything leading up to the actual event that I think the ceremony becomes a somewhat surreal. Don't misunderstand me, i love weddings. And I think if two people are getting married for the right reasons that marriage can be a beautiful thing. However, there is no way a big ceremony would work for me and Neil. It's just not our style. Thank goodness that is something we agree on. My ideal wedding would consist of Neil and I in a beautiful location.. like an island in Hawaii or a cliff in Greece. A handful of our closest love ones may or may not attend. Neil and I being barefoot would be nice, and I would definitely wear some flowers in my hair. Someone might be playing an acoustic guitar in the background. During the simple ceremony , I would look into Neil's eyes the whole time ( although I am quiet sure I would cry during most of or part of the ceremony) and profess my love and promises of respect and unyielding devotion to him. That's it. I guess no matter what, I really am just a hippy chick deep down inside.
Speaking of hippies, last night Neil and I went to see Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band play at Janus Landing. I am not a huge fan of an out door venue, although last night was a perfect night to be outside. The night was a beautiful cold, and crystal clear. You could see all of the stars laid out before you.
We came in during the second act , while a band named "The Felice Brothers" were playing. They were cute kids. The singer totally sounded like Bob Dylan, while the accordion player reminded me of the guy from " The Blues Traveler", and finally the drummer made me think of the lead singer from the band "Fever Dog" in the movie "Almost Famous". They performed with a certain intensity that made them very interesting to watch. Their music was a little unpolished for my taste and the crappy sound system didn't help. The Band sounded like a mix between folk, rock, and bluegrass with a little creole influence thrown in. However a handful of songs were so enthralling that I did end up purchasing their CD. One song in particular , preformed by the Blue traveler guy , actually stopped me from my conversation and propelled me towards the stage as I watched in awe. It was called "Goddamn you Jim" and it gave me goose bumps. Here is a link to a You Tube version of it, that really doesn't do it justice, but will give you an idea.
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Felice+Brothers/_/Goddamn+You,+Jim
After the Felice Brothers finished, Conor came on pretty quickly. At first I wasn't sure it was him. He looks so different now. When he first busted onto the scene, so many years ago with Bright Eyes, he was baby faced and emo looking. But now he looks older and rougher. Like the road has aged him. I would say he almost looked haggard with a Johny Cash like swagger. His hair was long and unkempt, his clothes looked worn and dirty. His facial hair was wild and sparse. When he started to play, I immediately got a gigantic smile on my face and my body started to sway with his melodic beats. I can't really put into words how beautiful the performance was. I have always compared Conor to Bob Dylan, but not so much because of his sound but more so because of his passion. He puts so much emotion into every song. You can feel the pain and pleasure in each and every note. He makes you feel so many emotions in the course of one single song and he paints such vivid pictures with his poetic lyrics. At some points during the show, it was too much to watch, and all i could do was close my eyes and let the music carry my spirit upwards.
Conor's raw talent was showcased at it's peak during the times when he alternated a song, first by bringing the song to a frenzied, chaotic, and punk rock climax; where upon he instantly dropped it down into a slow, soul touching, soft and fragile melody. It is like a roller coaster ride at night. Just thrilling. My favorite part is when he broke into his blues song, called Corina, Corina. I was not expecting that at all. His closing song was " I don't want to die in a hospital." The crowd had requested it all night, so they were very pleased that he ended with it. The song sounds more traditionally Bright Eyes to me, hence why I think it is so popular. Of course he left the stage humbly per usual. He blew the crowd a kiss while thanking us gracefully. Finally, he walked off the stage with a peace sign held high in the air, leaving me breathless. Last night was the fourth time I have seen him perform, and each performance is unique, inspiring , and far from disappointing. There are not many artists that I can say that about.
I subjected Neil to my own mini concert on the ride home. poor guy!
Although my health has been pretty good lately, I have been pushing myself too hard. I have not been resting enough and I fear it will catch up to me soon, with a big old nasty flare up. Last night I should have stayed home and rested. But there was no way I was going to miss the show, and I am glad I didn't. I made me feel young again. It made me feel hopeful and happy. It is funny that music can have that affect.
In one week, Neil and I leave for Denver. I can't say we are really prepared, and I am not sure when I am going to have time to prepare, so I may just have to wing this one.
Over all, life is spectacular.
The economy scares me. I need to loose some serious weight and I wonder about my health in the future, but as i get older, I realize worrying about what may happen is a waste of energy. You just have to let it ride and try to enjoy each and every min, because in the blink of an eye, it is all over...
after everything is said and done, all we are is dust in the wind!
cheesy but true.
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