From a young age music has always been an outlet, a source of expression but above all else a way to escape.
As a child my parents played their music on records and 8-tracks. We had this amazing stereo system that played 8-tracks, records and the radio all built in as one unit. It was furnished with a wood panelled roller lid that hid everything when not in use. It was quite the show piece. The records were stored in a leather bound footrest with a flip top lid, hidden away and filled with treasures. I was lucky enough to have a few of my own stashed away in this secret little footrest. While not as cool as my parents records, I recall having Anne Murray’s, There’s a Hippo in my Bathtub and Sesame Streets, Sesame Street Fever.
As I grew, my passion for music never waned, eventually getting my very own ghetto blaster to play tapes on, I would spend hours listening contently in my room. The music taking you to a place of freedom and expression. Getting lost in my tapes, a regular past time, at the time my collection ranged to include Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Dream Warriors, Madonna, Paula Abdul, The Cure, Bon Jovi, The Pointer Sisters, George Michael, C+C Music Factory, En Vogue, and eventually included Pearl Jam. The list of tapes could go on, but these are the ones that are top of mind years later.
As I entered my high school years, my music horizons broadened, being exposed to new types of music, new groups, going to garage band rehearsals, concerts, and clubs. My first concert ever, and so memorable to this day, Prince. I saw Prince perform with one of my best childhood friends (and friend to this day) with her older sister as our chaperone. I recall watching him race around on stage and entertain us, both visually and lyrically with his musical genius. I remember at one point watching him stumble ever so slightly with his platform shoes, but he never missed a beat, and most I’m sure didn’t even notice because his beautiful words carried on.
My older brother, has introduced me to so many new music genres, and bands I may have never had the luxury of being introduced to, had it not been for his exquisite taste in music and his patience for his little sister wanting so much to be as cool as he was in her eyes. He helped me embrace the eclectic taste in music that I still enjoy today. I recall him taking me to see Femi Kuti live at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto. What an experience! Opening my eyes and ears to the melodious sound of Femi Kuti, experiencing the rhythm of the Afro-beats, I recall quickly thereafter adding his album Shoki Shoki to my collection. His songs full of passion and literal purpose, linger with me to this day.
It has been some time since my last concert, Coldplay at the Rogers Centre in Toronto in August 2017 for their A Head Full of Dreams tour. I attended with my now hubby, my best friend and her man. It was a great concert for getting lost in camaraderie and sing along. I look forward to my next concert, whenever or whoever it may be, it will be long overdue. Perhaps now is a good time to start researching and planning my next concert experience.
To list a few of my more memorable concerts, I would have to briefly include Lenny Kravitz (with Blind Melon opening), Pearl Jam, D’Angelo (private Sony HQ concert), Joe (private Sony HQ concert), Incubus, UB40, and the Toronto leg of the Up in Smoke Tour. Listing these past concert experiences makes me miss the adventure of live music immensely.
When not attending at a concert, I try to play music every chance I get. The music genre varies depending on what I am doing or what mood I need to set. When writing, I always have my ear phones in and music blasting, the sounds and rhythms make the words flow more fluidly from my fingertips. When cooking or baking, our kitchen speaker is always playing something to get me lost in the moment. When working from home, my phone is always playing something soothing to keep me focused and lower my stress. When I am running or riding, music plays in my ears to keep me energized. When my kids want to dance, we crank the tunes and move the kitchen table out of the way so there are no obstacles to impede our movement or expression. Music is a way to unwind, a way to feel and a way to express.
How do you Feel the Music?