QOTD: Favorite music memories? • Page 4

the first time i ever heard the National's Boxer was one of the best listening moments ever for me. it was completely unlike anything i listened to at the time.
I downloaded it before a long road trip. I was going to be traveling with some friends for about 17 hours in the car. I remember when i stuck my headphones in, we were in the middle of nowhere. It was night time and i was in the backseat looking at the stars. I was completely mesmerized by every single song on the record. Man, i wish i could re-live that experience. I just felt like i was on a different planet while i listened to that album for the first time.

 

The Room's Too Cold show, my first time in Philly. I shed tears during "A Mountain Range In My Living Room"

My first listen to I like it when you sleep, which helped change my perspective on things in a way that will affect me for a long time I think

 

Hard to say overall. But in the last year my favorite was probably seeing Autre Ne Veut in October. It was the day I finally saw a doctor and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and was my first attempt at meds. I felt utterly defeated that day but finally seeing that show was so cathartic, especially finally seeing Play by Play live, which is probably in my top 10 songs ever.

 

seeing circa survive twice in one day. before their live show, they played acoustic at a record store. i got to meet them, and they signed my bag, and my copy of blue sky noise. this was six years ago.

 

listening to lonerism by tame impala non stop at my lake house last summer, 2015, getting away from all the stress and anxiety that was running my life into the ground at the time. it really reinvigorated me and while that record had always been one of my favorites ever due to a personal connection from a few years back, last may-june it became even more of a record im completely attached to. ill never forget how it made me feel those weekends.

 

When I was 19 and in an unhealthy relationship I was struggling internally with my self worth, but I was also beginning to find feminism and was off on my own for the first time, and was struggling with who I was, what I stood for, and what I deserved out of life. I decided to play Xtina's Stripped. It wasn't the first time I listened to it but the stars aligned and the record just dealt with everything. It is the perfect coming of age album and I'm so glad I revisited it because without the inspiration and courage it gave me idek where I'd be.

Oh and also the first time I heard Fake Plastic Trees was like a revelation tbh

 

Seeing Crucial Dudes two nights in a row in September of last year. I hadn't been to any shows in over a year prior and I haven't been to any since. I was going to see them in 2012 but they broke up a week before the tour started in July. I was devastated because they had become one of my favorite bands.

Over the next 4 years they became the most important band to me. They helped me through so many rough times and I listened to their discography more times than I can count. The band became everything to me so when I found out they were reuniting last year I freaked out when their one show was in Philly just a few blocks away from me. They then announced another show the day before the Philly one in Jersey. I bought tickets to both and went to both and it was hands down the best experience of my life. Something I had waited almost half a decade for and getting to see the most important band to me was something I'll never forget. Especially since they've done nothing since then and show no signs of doing anything else so I'll always treasure what is most likely a once in a lifetime event.

 

Oh god... first time I saw Fall Out Boy, and just the way I felt when the curtain dropped. Also felt 15 again when Patrick held my hand at my meet and greet.

Standing sidestage for Secondhand Serenade. Fucking cried through every song he played from his first album because those songs were the first songs I learned how to play when I was teaching myself guitar.

Having lunch with Josiah Leming, catching up on life and talking about the friends I've made through him before interviewing him. (First in-person interview of my career also!) Then him making direct eye contact with me before playing my favorite song during the encore.

Seeing Beyonce live. Meeting Janelle Monae at a protest.

Seeing Anberlin play their second to last Atlanta set at Warped in 2014.

Winning tickets to Shaky Knees and seeing Brand New for the first time with the bragging rights of saying that I saw them for free.

 

I just like the way memories can attach themselves to the music you were listening to at the time

 

Cody Bonnette saved my life once. Don't really feel comfortable sharing the story yet but I'm forever grateful for that.

Watching Kanye play "Runaway" in 2013 is up there too. I don't think I've ever felt an emotional release like that in my life.

And every time I hear Lauryn Hill's "To Zion" it reminds me of the day I held my second child for the first time.

 

Three things come to mind immediately:

1) AFI is the band that got me into punk when I was 11 years old, but I never got to see them live because they don't tour that often/I never had friends who liked them/I didn't get a car until I was 21. So a few years ago, I finally got to go see them on their Burials tour, and I went by myself and stood right in the front, singing the whole time. Afterward, I met their drummer, and he said, "You were stage left during the show right? I saw you. You knew every word." And then I died.

2) The first time I saw the Wonder Years play. It was Riot Fest in 2013. We didn't know who they were and only caught their set because it was raining and they were playing where we stopped to stand under a tree. We read the schedule wrong and called them a different name for the rest of the day until we figured out what they were actually called. But I had totally fallen in love with them in the meantime.

3) About two years ago, I drove an hour and a half away to see Against Me! play in Columbia, MO. Was totally a last-minute, spontaneous decision, but I ended up meeting my boyfriend at that show, so it will probably always stand out as the most "important" show I've ever been to.

 

Wrecking Ball 2016

 

1. Seriously getting into music with Fall Out Boy's Infinity On High and all of the shows/bands I got into from that time period (07-08ish). I still have a lot of love for The Academy Is... especially from that time. So many memories from their music/shows over the years.

2. Scattered albums that were just emotionally significant to me at various times. Even the ones that remind me of bad times. Mainly just the idea of a release meaning that much to me makes me feel all fuzzy.

3. My first Brand New show in 2013. The show originally sold out before I could get tickets and I wasn't going to go but I paid for a ticket on StubHub a few days before. Said show ended up being the first in the string of shows where they played Deja Entendu in full and we had the live premiere of Noro (i think?). Definitely one of my more emotional show experiences overall.

4. Seeing P!nk during her tour in support of I'm Not Dead at the House of Blues which in retrospect is a tiny place for her. I was like 11 or 12 so my mom took me, waited in line with me, and stood in front/at the barricade with me. The security guy gave me a drum stick that fell between the barrier and stage at the end but I don't know what happened to it.

 

When Kanye came out at OVO 2013 and also when Drake played The Motion which I doubt I will ever see again and is probably my fave track of his

 

I met Jim Adkins at his show last summer (which was only attended by about 20 people, damn good show). I stole his setlist and have it hanging in my room.

 

Pretty much all of Osheaga last year. Death Cab and Radiohead are playing this year and I know I'm gonna cry of happiness through their whole sets.

 

First concert, Thrice and Dear Humter in Grand Rapids in 09. Thrice blew me away.

 

The Gaslight Anthem in September 2009. They played the Legacy Room at Pop's, which basically is a small ass stage to the side of their main stage. Was mere inches away from the band the whole time they played (did the same for Murder By Death) and they played almost every song off The '59 Sound that night. Arguably one of the very best performances I've ever seen, what I would give to go back and see them again at that moment.

 

I met him at Summerfest a few years ago. Nicest dude ever.

 

Playing a gig with balance and composure