While in Chicago, the skyscrapers and the haste of the streets allowed me to feel the importance of ambition. I told myself I wanted more! More money! More experiences! Whatever, just more, more, more!  Essentially this ambitious greed created a desire to google “how to become a different person” (I did not actually google this, of course). Sometimes, it feels I could benefit more from being a focused and driven person rather than this leafy, distracted “creative” type that I was born into. Although, I have always been happy to be me.  As a child, I remember my best friend during 3rd grade giving herself a fake play name. She asked what I would call myself & I answered, “Audrey” stating at such a young age that I liked who I was just fine. I pondered what it would be like to take on a different life. Is such an urban setting as this a place for me to thrive? I questioned these types of things, as I always do. I try to enter the mind of the local, calculating a life style that Chicago would bring me.  After all, “The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” ― G.K. Chesterton

Perhaps my recent realization of the disadvantages of a drifter city like Austin caused my mind to wander outside my city limits. I love that my city cradles unique persons from all over the globe. This city collects people, thus it seems rare to find someone actually from Austin. I continue to meet amazing people, only to hear of their moving plans shortly after. 😦 Before leaving for Chicago I was a little down on that notion of drifters that keep passing through me.  Then, I returned home. Home sweet, dripping sweat, salsa tasting, music at every corner, festival addicted, lone star brewing, cowboy boot wearing, where people don’t have cars they ride horses TEXAS.

The very night I returned I got an invite to a local band’s secret show stating in the invite to bring flashlights. Intrigued? I certainly was! A wooded landscape lay as the backdrop  with lit candles illuminating on the natural stage. People crowded round for a show set to feature three local bands. I raced my friends to hurry so we wouldn’t miss a strum, a line, or a chorus!  Funny that I am late for absolutely everything in life, but when it comes to concerts, gigs, or shows I am actually early. We can see where my priorities lie, huh? As always, Lord Buffalo is a soul releasing experience with their engaging stomps that force your head to sway to the beat. The violin places you in a trance and the thudding beat keeps you there. The pound of the drum raises your heart nearly out of your chest. On their last song, flashlights shined on the crowd and two cops approached saying, “shut it down guys” but Lord Buffalo increased their volume, projecting loudly ” go baby, go, go, go”. The cop said we all have 10 minutes to vacate this private property & those remaining will be arrested. The guy sitting in front of us turned around abruptly giving out the address of the new secret show location, Danny Malone’s house.  The crowd dispersed and only a handful showed up, making for an even more intimate gig. Danny Malone is a quirky, humorous & talented local artist that just returned from recording in a Denmark castle. “Balloons was recorded in Denmark, in a 15th Century castle called Engelsholm. The castle is widely believed to be haunted by the souls of tortured slaves housed there many hundreds of years ago, as well as those of the philosophers and Alchemists who freed the castle of slavery after buying it from the Danish King. Danny and co-producer Mattie Smith spent 10 days recording 10 songs in this castle.” – http://dannymalone.com. Another singer/songwriter there that night was Christopher Denny which up to this point is the most peculiar man I have ever met. His talent is enormous, thus comparing him to Sean Hayes or Johnny Cash is easy. Somewhere in the wee hours of the morning, each singer songwriter took their turn showcasing their work right there in the circle. I was in heaven! No, I was home. Home of the Live Music Capitol title, where I belong.

As always, I am off to listen. I listen with my ears, my heart and my soul in finding more music to love. Tomorrow night I will stand before Hanni El Khatib, and the following day I will be over the moon to see three of my favorites: Sarah Jaffe, Warpaint, and yet again Lord Buffalo!

LORD BUFFALO:

SARAH JAFFE:

WARPAINT: