The Avett Brothers

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I found out about the Avett Brothers coming to concert in Roanoke, about 45 minutes away. Very few good concerts come so close to Lynchburg. Most bands that are reputable tour D.C. and very seldom come within an hour of Lynchburg. This is much to my dismay, but is nevertheless the situation with living in a semi-rural part of the country. It truly is an enigma with me and somewhat unsettling that this part of the country is largely ignored. It seems that many authors, musicians, and other artist tour areas of the country that are overpopulated with avant-garde, postmodern youths who blog behind their Macbooks in local Starbucks complaining about the "Man". Don't get me wrong. I would be found in the same environment if I lived in a different context. So here I go, starting a blog about one thing and probably hopping a couple more subjects and going for something else.

We live in a society that is networked throughout the country where friendship and conversation are so easily attained by turning on a computer. I should know. This is how I remain sane while driving and being cut off by a Ford pickup covered in mud with a giant sign that reads, "Screw the environment get me my oil" (This is an actual occurrence a few weeks ago…just ask my therapist/wife) My frustration is that the connectedness of people who are likeminded in this area is increasingly difficult to find. Maybe that is why many artists don't come to this area? Regardless, I digress.

I love going to concerts. Ok, so I confess that most concerts I have been to have been Christian. Not that there is anything innately wrong with that, but it is to be noted for sure. The concert experience is always a blast wherever there are fans. The energy exudes off the stage and begs the audience to participate in the grander of emotion being expressed by the music. The Avett Brothers were masters of this art.

Everyone young and old couldn't help but to sing their refrains and stomp their feet to the music. It always amazes me that there exists this other dimension in concerts. I am not trying to make a concert more than it is, but I think all concert goers can agree that where there is good music, there is often community. Before the concert got started, it was pretty cool to overhear a few people talking about their favorite song. Emily sat by a group of people who said that this concert will be their fifth time hearing them perform. The audience on Friday night was so engaged with the band that at one point before the concert, one of the stage hands came out to tune the guitar, and having a beard much like Seth Avett, people started to cheer really loudly. The guys from the band remarked several times that they were truly grateful for the warm welcome from the audience.

There always exists for me this disappointment after a concert. It is the great sadness that overshadows the show that I just saw. It happens when I get in the car and try to play the music that I heard. It is never as good as the show, no matter how great the album is, it can't capture the feeling. I wonder if it has anything to do with the audience or maybe the musician's elation with performing to a crowd rather than in a studio in front of a producer.