For me, there are very few things in this world that can compete with experience of listening to good live music. Something about watching a person, band or group pour their entire selves into what they love, to produce sound, to make music is extremely good times, potato salad. If the artist or group, messes with time signatures, masters the tight formations of start and stops, involves dramatic crescendo’s to great high’s, decrescendo’s to soulful lows, is filled with rich harmony and jaw dropping vocals I’ll be hooked like a bass fish on the mighty Mississippi.

While biology tells me I hear via the eardrums, I know the music really enters my body through the fingertips, and travels up the tendons like a superhighway to the brain. While it’s on its way, the music seeps into the bone marrow of my bones… depositing little hits of musical morphine along the way. It may sound abstract. A tad odd, maybe even corny, but this is what listening to good live music does for me. To say my heart aches with good vibrations is an understatement.

Tonight I saw the band Chamberlin again with my pals T.C. and Grant Taylor. An upstart Vermont band on the tail end their first headlining tour. They played an the club side of Water Street Music Hall in downtown Rochester. The setting is intimate. The stage is small, and you are fortunate to be close to the artists. There is no hiding behind the distance for the musicians or the guests. It’s obvious when either side is not engaged, so both better bring the energy. I am fond of this band. A couple months ago I interviewed Mark and Eric from Chamberlin at 90.5fm WBER the last time they were in town. Two great guys that I would have back at the studio at any point. If you have the time, look them up on Spotify, iTunes, or whatever music outlet you choose.

This was a night I needed. I spent most of the concert with my eyes closed. Letting the live music do it’s thing. While it doesn’t truly clean my soul I will gladly take the hit of musical morphine, and survive for another day.