I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I had viewed the Red Rocks Amphitheatre website, but the thought of 20,000 people at a concert was outside any frame of reference I’ve ever experienced. I also had never been to a tailgate party.
Apparently, early arrivals always plan on a picnic of sorts before the venue. I was surprised at the number of folks already parked when we arrived. Some were sitting in lawn chairs behind their vehicles. We fell in line and followed suit. It wasn’t a half bad way to invest some time.
We finished our sandwiches in time to make it into the amphitheater way ahead of schedule. In fact, the row of seats where we were assigned was almost vacant. We were not in the nosebleed section, but located about mid-way between the stage and the back of the venue. As I said, “We were early and there were lots of vacant seats ” By the time the performance began the venue was actually packed.
A lady was sitting in the seat next to Mike. I introduced myself to her and then introduced her to Mike. Her name is Lori. I told her if I said her name three times, I would remember it. Consequently, I repeated her name three times. There are some people you meet and intuitively you know they are “salt of the earth kind of people” and people you’d like to get to know. That was true of Lori.
After introducing myself, I asked: “So, are you from Denver?” Lori said: “No, we are actually from Raleigh, NC”. As we talked, I discovered she and her husband had travelled to Denver on Thursday for the expressed purpose of seeing the Avett Brother’s in concert. In addition to last night’s concert, they also have fourteen tickets for tonight’s performance. Their best friends from Raleigh as well as additional extended family members are joining them.
Lori talked about Seth and Scott, the Avett brothers, like they were long-time family friends. By her own admission, she doesn’t really know them, but based on their music and they way they present themselves, she feels like they have a connection.
She stumbled upon a flier about one of their concerts in 2007. Thinking it might be interesting, she purchased tickets for herself and her husband, Jim. It only took one performance and Jim was immediately hooked. In fact, last night’s performance was their fifteenth time to hear the Avett Brothers in person.
When it comes to music, Jim has become one-dimensional. He listens exclusively to the Avett Brothers. Lori said: “He knows the words to every song they sing. In fact, I’ll have to tell him to stop signing with them once they start singing”. Jim joined his wife a short time later and we got to meet him as well. He, too, was very personable and clearly a big fan of the Avett Brothers.
As I looked around the venue, my mind wandered momentarily toward today’s blog. Sure, I could write about Red Rocks and make it interesting and favorable. However, once the concert began, the grandeur of Red Rocks paled significantly in contrast to the music. I don’t have the words to adequately describe the music other than say the words of the songs resonated with that which is familiar and deeply personal.
John Steinbeck once said of writing: “Unless one’s story is everybody’s story, it won’t last”. I think the same must be true of songs. The Avett Brothers have the gift to put in writing and express through music the profound stories and thoughts associated to everyone’s pilgrimage. In the process of sharing their own stories, they prophetically script those of men everywhere. Most people never stop long enough to craft the thoughts and find the words for themselves, but once they hear the lyrics expressed, it becomes their story because it is their story.
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My primary interest in hearing last night’s concert was tied to the song: “No Hard Feelings”. I had no guarantee it would be included in the performance, but I really wanted to hear and see them sing the song. I obviously didn’t know what I didn’t know. Once exposed to their broader repertoire of music, I found myself figuratively lost in a thousand and one thoughts that came my way. Powerful is the best word I can find to describe the experience.
The Father’s Day card the General thoughtfully gave me on Father’s Day came to mind during the song, “Murder In The City.” My wife’s words written on the card were loving, affirmative and kind. She thanked me for being an exceptional dad to our children.
I’m remembering the lyrics to “Murder In The City” differently from the way it is scripted on the reference I found through Google. The lyrics go: “If I get murdered in the city Don’t go revengin’ in my name One person dead from such is plenty No need to get locked away… If I get murdered in the city Go read the letter in my desk Don’t worry with all my belongings But pay attention to the list Make sure my sister knows I love her Make sure my mother knows the same Always remember, there was nothing worth sharing Like the love that let us share our name Always remember there was nothing worth sharing Like the love that let us share our name”
In my memory, “make sure my sister knows I lover her Make sure mother knows the same” was sung “make sure my daughter knows I love her Make sure my son knows the same”. Who knows, I could have it wrong, but the song reminded me of the kind note that came my way on Father’s Day.
That is only one example of many that came my way through the evening. The sound of the Avett Brother’s music is incredible and the lyrics resonate with one’s soul.
The concert ended without my hearing the song “No Hard Feelings”. I had the thought, “It didn’t matter. I had no hard feelings. I had received more than I ever imagined”.
When the band came back out for an encore, Mike said, “I told them to sing ‘No Hard Feelings as their last song’”. I smiled with the thought. They announced that they were going to sing a couple of more songs. The two songs were incredible, but they were not “No Hard Feelings.” I was both surprised and grateful when they added a third. They closed the performance with “No Hard Feelings.”
All My Best!
Don