Have you ever been so excited to see a concert that you “prep” before it by listening to that particular artist or band?
Yep. I have. That was me prior to seeing The Secret Sisters, Shovel and Rope, and Brandi Carlile on Friday.
Sam purchased concert tickets for me to see these artists waaaaayyyy back when. My birthday is in January, so I guess you could say I had been waiting a very long time to head to St. Louis.
I’d never been to a Brandi Carlile concert until Friday. I’d never really listened to much by Shovel and Rope other than what came through while listening to one of the other two acts, The Secret Sisters or Brandi.
Let me just tell you, if you have not been to a Brandi Carlile concert, YOU ARE MISSING OUT. I have been to just a handful of concerts where the artists sound just as good live as they do on their record, their CD, the Spotify station, Pandora, you get the idea. THEY ARE THAT GOOD LIVE.
Brandi Carlile can be added to that small group.
I’ve also never attended a concert where I was overly emotional. I don’t even think I cried when I saw Harry Connick, Jr. live, but I was so overcome with emotion for a variety of reasons, seeing Brandi live, listening to the lyrics, and just really being in the moment that well, I barely took pictures, I captured a small 20 second video of the best acoustic music I’ve ever heard, and I was there with my best friend (and some other friends who made our pre-concert dinner and post-concert chat super enjoyable!).
These lyrics brought tears to my eyes. As I listened to them, it was as if these words really were about Sam and me. You see, one of our first dates was to a concert. Sam was incredibly uncomfortable and I had no idea. He was masking PTSD so well. I know he was anxious at the Peabody Opera House, but we were there together, and I realized how much we really do conquer together, as one, as a team. It was beautiful hearing these words live, listening to them again, and knowing that music can bring people together.
The Story: Brandi Carlile
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I’ve been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don’t mean anything
When you’ve got no one to tell them to
It’s true, I was made for you
Swam all across the ocean blue
I crossed all the lines, and I broke all the rules
But, baby, I broke them all for you
Oh because even when I was flat broke
You made me feel like a million bucks
You do
I was made for you
For you
It’s hiding the words that don’t come out
And all of my friends who think that I’m blessed
They don’t know my head is a mess
No, they don’t know who I really am
And they don’t know what
I’ve been through like you do
And I was made for you
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I’ve been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don’t mean anything
When you’ve got no one to tell them to
It’s true, I was made for you
It’s true that I was made for you
And there ain’t no shame
In lying down in the bed you made
Can you fight the urge to run for another day?
You might make it further if you learn to stay
But I never was afraid that it would die
You can dance in a hurricane
But only if you’re standing in the eye
