Music is so special because it can have a different meaning to every single different person in a room. Really, it’s one of the most beautiful things on earth. On a discussion board post designed to introduce ourselves in one of my first classes when coming to Drake, nearly all of the 20 people in said class mentioned some sort of music. For some, it’s entertainment and others it’s background noise, but for me, it’s my lifeline.
The Beginning of Something Special
The years 2020 and 2021 were hard for a lot of people for various reasons, mostly due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. For me, it was graduating high school but feeling like I was remaining stagnant because all of my close friends went off to their four-year colleges and became independent while I lived in my parents’ basement and went to Zoom Community College. I was left with my family and my record player, and thus began a relationship with music that hasn’t stopped growing since. I was listening to records all the time and having little dance parties in my room to Black Pumas as a way of letting loose. I would meditate and listen to the soothing voice of James Taylor to bring me into a peaceful and content mindset. My records got me through those months of semi-lockdown.
The New Age of ’21
Fast forward to spring semester, and the non-family I was closest to at the time also moved onto their four-year campus, so it really was just me and my records this time. But towards the end of the semester live, local, $10 shows started to make a comeback at music clubs in Omaha. I attended my first show back from Covid in May of 2021, but it meant so much more this time. Despite not knowing any songs from any of the three bands, it was still one of the most memorable nights of my life. That night was the beginning of a new obsession with live shows (apologies to my wallet) and that has only added onto the meaning of music in my life. That night was the first three of 61 sets I saw that year. I’ve left a list of the sets I’ve seen since that one at the bottom of this post in the case you’re looking for something new to listen to, or are just interested in what type of music I’m writing about.
The Great Frank Adventure
In the summer of 2022, one of my favorite artists of all-time (and my most streamed all-time on Spotify) played a show in each of the 50 states, but the kicker was that he only had 50 days to do it. If you don’t believe me, here’s Frank’s list of every show he’s ever played and the dates they were played on. The original plan was to go to the Nebraska show in my hometown of Omaha, but the dates lined up perfectly with my work schedule that I was able to attend three shows in two days (Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska), which turned out to be the best Tuesday and Wednesday of my life. I drove to Minneapolis for my second time seeing Frank with this show coming at The Fillmore, a block down from the Minnesota Twins’ Target Field. The show happened to fall on the same night as a home game, so that was fun to navigate but well worth it. I got home that night at about 3:30 a.m. and got on the road by noon the next day. In order to schedule a day off every once in awhile but still be able to make the space of 50 states in 50 days, Frank played a solo, acoustic set in one state and then made the drive to the night’s venue, which included the Sleeping Souls, his full band. The Minnesota and Nebraska shows both included the Souls, but the Iowa show was special. I mentioned the acoustic shows he played on this tour, but those were usually at a small bar or somewhere indoors with a stage. The Iowa show, however, was in a tiny parking lot in Council Bluffs. Here’s a link to the full recording someone put on YouTube. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever been apart of.
Here’s that list I promised above:
Hemingway
Credentials
The Zooeys
Floyd
Magū
Jack McGlaughlin (Spector Poetics)
Waxing the Gibbon
Cheesy Bandito
The Zooeys
Mr. E and the Stringless Kite
3 Son Green
Doom Lagoon
Bad Self Portraits
Garst
The Real Zebos
Drive-By Truckers
Japanese Breakfast
Thundercat
Khruangbin
The Zooeys
Wildermiss
Steady Wells
J. Crum
Bach Mai
Neal Francis
Black Pumas
Garth
Bokr Tov
Halfloves
Infinite Video
Anna Taylor/Safe Space
The Zooeys
Specter Poetics
Wave Cage
Halfloves
Jesse Ahern
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Dropkick Murphys
Notice
Alter Within
Tommy Gibbons
Sunflower Dead
Smile Empty Soul
Specter Poetics
Sweetstreak
Little Brazil
Criteria
Jackson Browne
James Taylor
Distressed Damsels
Infinite Video
The Real Zebos
Wave Cage
Specter Poetics
Anthony Worden + The Illiterati
Nowhere
Bad Bad Men
Pagan Athletes
BareBear
Breakers
2022
Jordan Suthergren
Charles Wesley Godwin
Reid Haughton
Aaron Watson
Beach House
Sarah and the Sundays
Happy fits
Ginger Root
Hippo Campus
Eli Alger
Tyler Booth
Flipturn
Wilderado
Asleep at the Wheel
George Strait
Happy returns
Bryce vine
Floyd
Jay Psaros
Gordon Lightfoot
Jake Simon
Chayce Beckham
Jade Bird
Head and the Heart
Phoebe Bridgers
Studyed
Post Animal
The Skints
Tiger Army
Flogging Molly
Catbite
Nnamdi
Jeff Rosenstock
Hurray for the Riff Raff
Bright Eyes
Anthony Worden
Geese
Pet Needs
The Bronx
Frank turner + Sleeping Souls
Frank in a parking lot
Pet Needs
The Bronx
Frank turner + Sleeping Souls
Travis Linville
Hayes Carll
HINTERLAND
Nick Shoulders
Riddy Arman
Texas Gentlemen
Sierra Ferrell
Billy Strings
Joe Pera
Yoke Lore
Petey
Goth Babe
Briston Maroney
The Aces
Turnstile
Glass Animals
Heatbox
Miko Marks
Jesse Daniel
Tk + holy know-nothings
Mat Kearney
Durand Jones + Indications
Jenny Lewis
Trampled by Turtles
Lake Street Dive
Nathaniel Rateliff + Nightsweats
Hayden Pedigo
The Kernal
Tre Burt
Liz Cooper
MUNA
Lucy Dacus
Kurt Vile
Phoebe
Hairball
Hairball
Sam Morrow
Charles Wesley Godwin
Robert Finley
Houndmouth
Greta van Fleet
The Haunt
The Struts
Johnny Deleware
Susto
Chai
Hippo Campus
