There is such a thing in music and concerts as being so overwhelmed by the experience that one wants to clutch it tight to your breast and hold on to it for all its worth.. the feeling that if you share it, or try to explain it, it won’t come out even half as coherent and forceful and poignant and ‘feeling’ as it truly was and that might cheapen it.. or that if you share it, you will lose a piece of that special-ness that is what still gives you the shivers and bursting heart days later.
Such it is with seeing The Glorious Sons a few days ago.. the usual mundane descriptives about it being a week night out in a smaller secondary market town etc etc won’t matter because it was all of those and so what… any band worth it’s salt will leave their blood on the stage to make the show a success.. and so these guys did. But that’s not the story.
The band finding out it was a ‘dry’ venue an hour before doors, and singer/front man Brett Emmons tweeting that he was ‘rattled’ about fans not knowing until they got there, and not being able to enjoy a beer, is part of it. But because of the no alcohol policy, it became an all ages venue. Seeing fans as young as 6 all decked out in Glorious Sons beanies and hoodies was magical. Little girls with sparkly boots and mini jean jackets, pre-teen boys in ripped denim emulating their rock heroes, and people bringing their kids to share in the experience – that was part of what made this show special. Being in a sit down theatre is always dicey- venue staff/volunteers often are told to keep people in their seats especially if people behind them complain about not being able to see – so we tweeted the band on the off chance they would read it telling them – if YOU get us off our asses, the venue staff won’t make us sit down. It worked haha.. Emmons (Jr) came out and in the intro of the first song, looked long and hard at the entire audience and said, “Get off your asses people! This is a rock show.” That’s all it took! Everyone up, people invited down to the gulf in front of the stage by Brett (including me), and on with a long, sweaty, incredible show.
Hard to call it a show though! Sam Roberts calls it a two way communion when things click and the audience gives back more than they take – and tonight was just so. From singing ‘Mama’ at the top of our lungs, to the anthemic ‘Sawed Off Shotgun (SOS)’, to the softer ballads and of course ‘Josie’, ‘Lightnin’ and ‘Everything is Alright’, we strained our vocal cords like nothing else. The band was lit – smiles and furrows of concentration, fairly beaming from the love.. the thought running through my head often was, “holy crap and this is only the FIRST show of the tour!”
The moments of truth for me though, were having two brothers beside me tight up against the stage the elder about 14 with his arm around the younger’s shoulder.. it seemed to echo what was on stage with Emmons often slinging his arm around brother Jay (on guitar), or Chris Koster (also on guitar). Koster played up to the kids and their wide-eyed shining faces were everything and more. Brett Emmons doesn’t often play to the front row (instead trying to win over the rows behind who might be lacking in enthusiasm) but tonight, he took the boy’s head in both hands, and gave him a gentle head bump which just put the kids into a tizzy. Emmons fist bumped a few in the front row, stole a ‘Wayne’s World’ cap and wore it before slapping it back on the head he borrowed it from, and even crouched on the stage with ear monitors out listening to us singing back at him. One could tell that we’d not only met, but far exceeded his and the band’s hopes for the evening. With two encores – they obviously didn’t want to leave- and the bonus of a sit down theatre (if there is any bonus!) is that even with everyone standing, it allowed the band to see Every . Single . Face in the crowd! I feel so fortunate to have had a chance to see The Glorious Sons in an intimate theatre because from here on out – they’ll be playing arenas they’re that good and only getting better.
I took no photos (too busy dancing and singing for a cell phone)… I went home tired and shaky, and hungry, and spent. I bought a tee (support your artists!) and I’m still on a high. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
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