Category Archives: Live Shows

Thoughts and experiences at live shows.

“I need to feel the breeze of a new day’s dawn…”

Posted on by
6

For six years now, I’ve ventured out on an annual musical adventure on the high seas called The Rock Boat. The company that puts on this fabulous event, Sixthman, markets it as “The World’s Largest Floating Music Festival.” It’s true – it is. 4 days. 25+ musical acts. Lots of adult beverages. It’s a giant party.

But it’s become so much more.

In 2003, I went on “The Boat” with a group of friends that I no longer see that often. I had a blast. I saw more music than I thought possible. I met Cary Pierce on my very first night (and nearly DIED – CARY PIERCE, are you kidding me?). I met Brian VanderArk. I discovered Alex Woodard. I made new friends. But perhaps the biggest thing for me was finding a community of people that were, by and large, just like me. People who live and breathe for the music that colors their world. I felt accepted – and I was hooked.

I went back in 2004, sans my big group of friends, but with an acquaintance from Charlotte who I knew through a band we both went to see on occasion. I knew she was a fan of one of the bands going on the Boat that year and asked her, on a whim, if she’d want to go. She didn’t hesitate and today, Michelle is one of my closest friends, and I credit The Rock Boat for bringing us together.

That story can be repeated over and over and over again. Christy – met her because of The Rock Boat. Gail – met her through Annie (who I met through Brad…who I became better friends with because of The Rock Boat). Cory, Erinn, Liz – met through Scotty on The Rock Boat (who I met when I was at the beach with Michelle and Gail). The Pruitts – met through Annie, became friends because of our music connections and the Rock Boat. Stacy, Mindy, Jen, Kim, Nikki, Lee, Peter, Josh – all Charlotte friends that I never would have met had it not been for The Boat in some way or another. There are dozens of other friends I’ve made on The Rock Boat, and with each of these people, I share a rabid, insane love for music that not too many other people in my world can understand.

There’s just a kind of communion that happens on The Rock Boat…and you can’t know it until you’ve been through it. You can be given the stories, and understand watching musicians that don’t normally play together rock out a cover of a Bob Dylan song, or think you understand being in a room of 300+ people singing along to the same song – and overtaking this as-of-yet relatively unknown band while they watch from stage with total awe as the crowd sings their song. But until you’ve been on that Boat, you can’t understand it. You just can’t.

I had decided prior to going that this year’s Rock Boat would probably be my last – for a host of reasons that I need not discuss here. So, needless to say, I set out with an intent to make this Rock Boat special. And it totally lived up to my expectations. From spending quality time with those friends I only get to see once or twice a year to amazing, intimate musical performances, it was a great ending to the year (err, or maybe beginning to 2010? One or the other!). The weather decided not to cooperate, but honestly, who cares about the weather? Yeah, it would have been nice to have some sun and shows on the Lido Deck…but none of us were there for the weather. So Sixthman shuffled lineups, we adjusted, and the music played on….

And for four days, my world was perfect. Surrounded by friends and music I love, floating away from the “real world.”

I’m a little sad to be back.

So, to mark a week of being back on dry land, here’s my list of my Favorite Musical Moments of TRB X – in no particular order:

Green River Ordinance’s First Candelight Lounge Set: Last year, I saw the GRO boys live for the first time, after being a fan for almost two years. It was awesome to see them play, meet them and hang out with them – and they were the hit of The Boat! So it didn’t surprise me when their first set in the “small room” was packed to the gills. Nor did it surprise me when the WHOLE ROOM sang along with the boys when they sang “On Your Own” – sans microphones. It put a huge smile on my face watching their faces – they were NOT expecting it, and it was a truly magic moment. Can’t wait to watch these boys rocket to super stardom this year! (And as a little aside, huge congrats to GRO’s lead singer, Josh Jenkins, who just tonight got engaged to his sweetheart!)

The Songwriter’s Panel Getting Giddy Over Will Hoge Singing “Baby Girl”: One of the things I adore about The Rock Boat is that a lot of the artists are friends. And if they aren’t already friends, they have this insane respect for each other’s work. Sixthman tries hard to give the fans unique experiences, and this year, they put together an all-star songwriter panel – Marc Broussard, Pat McGee, Jim Bianco, Stephen Kellog and Will Hoge. We all know my love for Will’s music, but watching the other artists on the panel gush about Will and his song “Baby Girl” was just downright … affirmation … of my love for the man’s music. Oh, and singing him sing “Baby Girl” wasn’t too shabby, either. More video for ya…listen to Pat McGee and Stephen Kellogg go on about the song and dancing with their daughters. It’s adorable.

Chelsea Williams Rockin’ Out in the Elevator Bank: I caught glimpses of Chelsea’s sets on the Boat, but unfortunately, she conflicted with almost everyone I wanted to see, so I never got to see an actual full set. But I did catch a moment that I wish I’d gotten on video tape, something that truly captured the spirit of The Boat. I was walking up the stairs past a dining room and there was a crowd forming in the elevator bank outside the dining room doors. I stopped when I heard the opening chords of “Wonderwall” being played, and watched Chelsea jam out – no mic, no amps, just a girl and her guitar – surrounded by about 50 Rock Boaters. When she got to the chorus, the whole crowd of us broke into the song with her. It was just downright cool. I didn’t get this on video, which I’m bummed about…but you should all go listen to Chelsea!

Augustana’s Acoustic Set: I’m a pretty huge Augustana fan. Christy got me started on them back before “Boston” was a hit and I’ve loved them ever since. Their latest album, Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt, was definitely one of my favorite purchased in 2009. It’s a little less overdone than All the Stars and Boulevards, a little more mellowed out and my speed. And despite what you’ll hear others say about their first performance on the Boat, their acoustic set on The Boat was stunning. Particularly their performance of a new, yet-to-be-recorded song called “Hurricane” that will be on a new album later this year. I managed to get right up in the front row to watch the whole set and got some video.

Will Hoge’s Whole Second Set in the Candlelight Lounge: Having Will back for my last Rock Boat was, to be cliche, a dream come true. Will was on the ’04 Boat, which is one of my most treasured Boat experiences. And his last set on that ’04 Boat is legendary – long time Rock Boaters still talk about it. Well, I think Will and the band’s last set on this Boat is one that people will be talking about for a long time, too. The guys put on a blistering set – rock n’ roll at it’s finest. And they dusted off some gems and mixed them in with classic Will stuff. My favorites included “It’s a Shame,” which I haven’t heard in FOREVER – and Will totally shredded on the guitar during this one, which was awesome; “Sunshine Burn,” a song that has once again become a rarity in Will sets; and ending with the song that started it all for Will on TRB, “Carousel.” It was a perfect set.

Carbon Leaf covering “Born to Run”: Seriously, was NOT expecting this out of Carbon Leaf – and I love me some Leaf! The opening chords to this classic Springsteen song – and one of my all time favorites – are fairly unmistakable and when it started, I swear to you, I must have jumped 5 feet outta the booth. And then, Cory and Erinn came running over from the other side of the room, Stacy jumped up to dance with me, and Elizabeth, Jason and Traci turned around from a nearby booth to point at me as if to say, “This one’s for you!” I danced. I drank Guinness. I celebrated the moment with friends. It was a great slice of time for me – can’t you tell? (Thanks to my friend Elizabeth for capturing this on film…err, or memory card, as the case may be!)

I have to follow this whole “Born to Run” spazz moment with a little aside…after this show, I went back to the cabin to get a friend some Dramamine and was walking back to see the rest of Stephen Kellogg’s set when I ran into Mr. Hoge himself and his wife in the hallway. I was a little embarrassed and, at the same time, touched that he remembered my love for The Boss (although he was sitting only three booths over when said dancing maniac was released) – when he saw me and said, “Hey, how’d you like that last Carbon Leaf song?” I think it’s pretty funny that one of my all time favorite artists knows who his competition is for “all-time favorite.” Will, if you’re reading – I may love Bruce to bits, but you’ve got him hands down on live shows. You are my #1 reigning king for number of live shows seen. Going to cross that 60 mark this year! 🙂

I’m hugely sad that this will probably be the last “Rock Boat Recap” that I ever write….I wish I could do the event justice. I wish I could give all of you that have never had the chance to be there just an inkling of a feeling of what it’s like. But words on screen or paper could never fully capture the energy and spirit of “The Boat.” The Rock Boat is the place that for six years has brought me untold happiness, laughter, peace, love, soulmates by the dozen, and endless beautiful music. It is, and will always remain, my Mecca.

Best of 2009 Live Music Shows

Posted on by
1

Live music is a big part of my life…Here are the basic statistics in the 2009 chapter of me chasing bands around the U.S.

Live shows attended: 81
Farthest traveled for a show: Vienna, VA (412 miles one way)
Artist seen the most times: Green River Ordinance (9 times, including 3 Rock Boat performances)
Runner up artist seen the most times: Tie – Gareth Asher & Sequoyah Prep School (5 times)

And, since it’s New Year’s Eve, I thought a list of my favorite/best shows of the year would be in order.

10. Boyce Avenue
Local 506, June 23
There’s something about seeing up and coming bands in grungy little college town bars that is so REAL. Boyce Avenue finally toured close enough for me to go see ’em…so I made the weeknight drive up to Chapel Hill along with my trusty roadtrip buddy Mindy to see this little band of brothers. And the 5 hour round trip was SO worth it. These kids have just got it. Perfect harmonies that only family can have. Great musical skills. A super set of originals and covers. Color me impressed.

9. Damion Suomi
The Evening Muse, December 16
I was introduced to Damion this year and have just fallen madly in love with his music, so I was pretty excited when a last minute end-of-the-year show got added at my favorite venue. Can I just say wow? Damion and his animated percussionist, Ian Little, filled that room with sound and energy in a way that most bands can’t. I have developed a serious musical crush…

8. Green River Ordinance
The Evening Muse, March 11
The Evening Muse tends to inspire artists to do shows that are a little bit different than what they usually do. Perhaps its the tiny size of the venue, or maybe its the intimate (and quiet) atmosphere it creates. Green River Ordinance was no exception this year. They stripped down and did an acoustic show on their trip to Charlotte in March, and then topped it off with a late-night Josh and Joshua acoustic campfire-circle type mini-set for fans who stuck around for awhile. We even got to hear Josh sing “Dancin’ Shoes.” It was a wonderful night!

7. Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band
Greensboro Coliseum, May 2
27 songs of glorious Boss-ness. What a flippin’ fantastic show. Bruce and the band were firing on 8 cylinders, just blowing it out. First time I can remember seeing “Johnny 99.” Got “Cadillac Ranch.” And “Hang On Sloopy” complete with house lights all the way up and the crowd singing along at the top of their lungs. Even the drunk guy who kept asking me why I was there by myself didn’t keep this from being one of the best shows of the year!

6. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
The Handlebar, June 9
I swear to God, I think Grace Potter could sing the alphabet and I’d find her mesmerizing. My 3rd GPN show was probably my favorite so far. Andrea and I got there early and were right up front. This band just SMOLDERS on stage. Three cups full of bottled lightning, indeed.

5. Carbon Leaf & The Alternate Routes
The Visulite, July 9
I’ve been a Carbon Leaf fan for a loooong time, thanks in large part to my little sister who turned me on to them years ago. I’ve seen a lot of great Carbon Leaf shows in my day, and this one was no exception. And helloooo acapella Carbon Leaf mini-set within a set? Yes, please. I’m a relatively new Alternate Routes fan, and the guys were playing as a trio on this night. Something about the combination of two Rock Boat bands, and being surrounded by a lot of my TRB friends, made this one of my favorite shows of the year.

4. Counting Crows, Michael Franti & Spearhead & Augustana
Uptown Ampitheatre, August 21
The Counting Crows are in my “pantheon.” There are some artists that are untouchable in my world, and collectively, the band is one of them. So needless to say, I will lay down a pretty penny to see them play. This summer, they came through and played Charlotte’s new uptown ampitheatre, an intimate little 5,000 seat outdoor venue, with Michael Franti & Spearhead and Augustana. The former I didn’t know much about, the latter I adore. Well, Adam (Duritz) made it clear through posts and e-mails to the fans that these shows were going to be different – and man, was that the understatement of the year. The bands didn’t do a traditional set – one band played a few songs, then the next band came out and joined them for a few songs, or all the bands were on stage together, or one member of one band and one member of another band. It was so mixed up and crazy, but it kept the show full of energy and movement and I looooved it.

3. The Rescues
The Evening Muse, August 28
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more powerful set of vocalists on one stage together. The Rescues left me in awe. I’m a little jealous of those folks out in California that get to see them regularly.

2. Joshua James
The Evening Muse, October 31
Being dressed up for Halloween in a yellow bathrobe (which you could only see through slightly, Joshua!) as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz was a ploy. Holy crap. I was expecting the Joshua James show to be rather mellow, but Joshua and his band absolutely KILLED it. Man, talk about a rock n’ roll show…hand clappin, foot stompin’, soul-filled rock. I was in love with Joshua’s music before the show, but this show made me a fan for life.

1. Will Hoge
The Evening Muse, April 23
I guess, for those of you that know me, this is one of the obvious choices for the top show of the year. For those that don’t, I’ll summarize quickly. Will had a near fatal accident in the summer of 2008. So for him to return to touring a mere eight months later was miraculous. Add to all of this that he is one of my favorite artists, and my favorite artist to see live, and you understand the emotional gravity of this show for me. The show was phenomenal, and despite sitting for the show, Will made it clear that he was back – and that nothing as piddly as a scooter versus a van was going to keep him down. Acoustic and with the band playing stripped down, at Charlotte’s most cozy (and my favorite) venue, it was a really intimate show…When added to all the other factors, it made for a magical night. I’m so glad I was there.

So there ya go, folks. My live show year in review. Here’s to 2010 and a year filled with music!

Fans & Musicians

Posted on by
Reply

So a musician friend and I were chatting today about what makes a good fan, and more importantly, what makes a good musician. Beyond the nuts and bolts of playing music, there is something else that has to go into playing music in today’s music environment – fan interaction.

I know it sounds like a given, but I think there are a lot of musicians out there that aren’t getting it. Who know they are talented and think they deserve their fans’ dollars for delivering a great product. And they do…but fan interaction is a lot like customer service. You can provide a quality service/product and not do that little bit extra that will make me a raving fan of your good product. The same goes for music.

Every fan is different. A hardcore music follower, like me, is going to have a different set of standards than average Joe listener hearing a cover band at a local bar. But when it comes down to it, I think there are a few things that today’s musicians must deliver on in the fan experience – whether diehard or casual – that can make or break them.

There are a MILLION bands out there vying for my attention, my dollars, my attendance at shows, and my word-spreading. I am not the greatest fan on the planet, but I’m a good fan. I buy records. I understand that you need to make money. I know traveling is hard. I get that this is your job. I don’t mean to sound cocky – but seriously, you should want me as your fan. So how do you make me a fan? Here’s my formula for delivering the ultimate fan experience – to me or the undiscerning casual listener.

Make great music. Now, this doesn’t mean that you have to be a phenomenal musician. Everyone has to start somewhere. But love what you’re doing. Write good songs. Don’t half-ass it. Your fans know when you put a clinker out there to fill up a record. Trust me.

Have an awesome live performance. Okay, we all know that everyone has bad days, even musicians. But do not ever take the stage and not give it 100% of whatever you’ve got that day. Just because only two fans showed up to see you doesn’t give you the right to slack off on stage. Those fans paid their money and deserve a good show. Make your shows memorable for the fans. Take the time to notice people in the audience. Call them out. Listen to their requests. Don’t be too stuck on yourself or your talents to appreciate those who see the same talent in you. That doesn’t mean you have to play your cover of “Single Ladies” every time someone requests it – because we know you get sick of playing it. But if you’re not up for that one that night, ask the fan what else they want to hear and make sure you give them something that makes them feel special. We all understand that you can’t make everyone happy all of the time…but try your darndest.

A great example of this happened recently when I went to see one of my favorite bands, The Influence. They know I love one song of theirs in particular. It’s a number that requires an acoustic guitar. They didn’t have a lot of time to sound check and skipped checking the acoustic. The lead singer called me out saying, “Krissie, I know you love ‘Corpse Song,’ but we can’t play it tonight, so I’m going to play this one for you instead.” Was it one of my favorites? Not necessarily. But did it make me feel special? You got it. And even if I hadn’t known them and had asked a new band to play a song and they had denied me, if they had said, “I know you asked for X song, but so and so doesn’t know it yet…hope this will suffice for you,” I would have been happy.

Be genuinely interested in your fans. Talk to them before and after the show. If they take the time to come out to see you, sing along to all of your songs and buy a CD or a t-shirt, they DESERVE to have two seconds of your time for you to say “Thank you” and ask them a question or two about how they heard you, if they live in town, etc. If you’re paying attention to the audience during your set, you’ll naturally have questions to ask about them individually or at the very least, about the show itself (“How’d you like the new song? I’m interested to see what fans think of it…”). All it takes is one personal question to let someone know that you really are interested in hearing about them. Yes, there are hangers on and people that don’t know when to shut up or let the next fan approach – but you’re a professional musician. This is going to happen. Be honest and just say, “I’ve really enjoyed chatting with you, but this young lady/man over here has been waiting to talk to me and I want to make sure I thank everyone for coming to my show. I hope you don’t mind if I say hi to them.” They’ll get it…because, after all, they’ve probably been the one waiting in line before. Oh and P.S. I can tell when you could care less. Don’t let me figure that out. There’s nothing worse than someone who is being fake.

Be genuinely interested in making new fans – of all types. I know it sounds silly, but this is key. If a guy with piercings and tats hanging at the back of the room doesn’t look like your “typical” fan but stuck around for your whole show, dude, make an effort to approach him. You never know when the “new person” in the crowd is going to be one of those rare finds who can get you in the door with a whole new audience. If a long time fan brings friends to a show, pay special attention to them. A few minutes with them will gain you a handful of new fans at the next show. And while we know that looks sell, don’t forget about your less attractive fans. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a musician make a beeline for a bottle blonde Playboy model lookalike at the back of the room (who, by the way, was talking during your whole set) when someone who had just seen you for the first time and was genuinely interested in buying a CD was hanging out at the merch table for 10 minutes and eventually walked away. This goes for female musicians, too. Don’t just talk to the guys. Talk to the girlfriends and the wives.

Remember me. Now, this is of particular interest to indie bands whose audiences are still small, but damn it, remember me. If I’ve come to see you every time you come to my city, try your damndest to remember me. I know you meet a zillion people. I don’t expect you to remember my name. But if I’ve consistently come to see you as your audience grows, a smile and a “Thanks for coming out to see us again” will win you a billion bonus points with me.

Make it easy for me to see you live. Play in my city more often than once every six years. Let me know when you’re going to be in town (or even close by – I will travel!) – send e-mails, tweets, Facebook and MySpace bulletins. Hang posters. Hire someone to run your social networking sites. Ask your wife or your girlfriend to do it. Use your fans (this requires having a good relationship with your fans – which goes back to some of the above points). Train your pet monkey…I don’t care how you do it, but don’t make me work to find out about your shows. If you want people to come to your shows, you need to put the effort into making sure we know about them. Don’t expect that I’ll go to your social networking pages or the venue websites of the 10 clubs in town to check to see when you’re coming. Because 50% of fans aren’t that dedicated.

Anything you do above and beyond these things is bonus, really. And let me give you a clue: it’s not too hard to go above and beyond this. That kid who has been to see you the last 20 times you’ve been in town? Give him a free t-shirt. It’s a $10 loss for you which you’ll get back 50 fold in him telling his friends and bringing them all to the next show. Got a fan who has done an insane job of promoting your music or your shows? Guest list them at the show. Nothing makes a fan – especially a loyal one that you aren’t “friends” with – feel more important than walking up to the door with a friend and being able to say, “I’m on the guest list.” Make your college buddy who you haven’t seen in six years who didn’t care about you for squat until he found out that you were a musician pay the cover charge. Notice that a fan bought six CDs on pre-order? Take two seconds to send them a thank you note via e-mail (yes, you can use the “junk mail” account to do it so they don’t have your real address). Sending out the orders of new CDs yourself? Watch the mailing addresses and if you recognize a name, put a sticky note on the CD with “Hi”, a smiley face and your name on it. Thank a long time fan on a website, Twitter or other networking site or in the liner notes of your CD – unprompted. Mention a crazy fan’s antics in a video blog. It’s the little things, gang…those little extras…that make fans for life.

Words of wisdom? Probably not. But they could help make me a fan.

What makes YOU a fan?

(Thanks to all of the amazing artists and their management teams in my life who “get” it and gave me the background for writing this – Shane and Thumbs, Wil, Josh, Mr. Hoge, Sammy and the guys, Gareth, Honor By August, The Influence guys, Swifty from Georgia, Matty…you know who you are!)

The Rock Boat Recap

Posted on by
1

Every year, I come back from my annual rock n’ roll adventure on the sea with great intentions of writing about the experience…and every year, I fail. Epically. I think I have decided that it is relatively impossible to explain it to someone who has not experienced it. Take 30 artists/bands – most of them amazing – add many of my closest friends, a dash of margarita (and other beverages), the sunshine, and Caribbean air and you’ve got a recipe for something magical.

It was a terrific lineup this year and I feel like I saw more shows this year than I ever have before… And, oddly enough, spent more time with more friends than ever before. Rather than try to sketch out a day-by-day, I’m going to tackle my highlights (these are not in any special order):

1. Finally seeing Green River Ordinance live. After two years as a fan, the ultimate high point of TRBIX was getting to see this amazing quintet from Texas on stage. They were everything I knew they would be and more… It was such a treat to chat with them and get to know some of them, too. They are all such great kids, especially that J Whiskey fella. 🙂

2. Scott Feil’s Fan Club. Seriously, Scotty has got to be the most loveable…and loved…guy on earth. And his friends are all fantastic people. Erinn, Cory, Liz, Sujka…it was awesome spending time with you! And Scott, of course. Darlin’, is it possible for me to love you anymore? I’ll be eternally grateful to Will Hoge for bringing you into my world…

3. Aslyn. I’ve always managed to catch pieces of her sets on the Boat and last year, finally managed to work in a full set. This year, three of them. Aside from having a phenomenal set of pipes, there is no singer out there who I think captures the range of emotions women go through in a truer way. I can’t stop listening to The Dandelion Sessions.

4. Tonic. Back together. On The Rock Boat. Need I say more? “Mountain”…TWICE! Kevin’s shout outs to CW on his drum kit were a touching tribute to a musician who left us too soon.

5. Carbon Leaf…in particular, covering “Livin’ on a Prayer” and the whole entire Boat singing along at the top of their lungs. I got up the nerve to talk to Carter (3 double margaritas in) on the last night. Still can’t get near Barry without going dumb.

6. The rest of the Boat FINALLY getting how amazing Sam Thacker is. And Stephen Kellogg saying (about “The Last”) “I wish I’d written this song.” Yay… Sammy’s rock star is shining bright!

7. Lee and Peter. So glad I met these two fellas at The Heyday show back in October. Spent lots of time with them on the Boat… Happy they are my neighbors in Charlotte. Lee… breakfast at Panera soon!

8. Time with “my girls” & Mr. P. Michelle, Gail and Marc..I adore you all. Thanks for understanding me and being just as crazy in love with the music as I am.

9. Trevor Hall & Tyrone Wells. Both new for me, both wonderful. Can’t wait to get to know their music better!

10. Chocolate Melting Cake. Most likely better than sex.

11. Emerson Hart. This man’s live performances leave me speechless every time. There are very few musicians whose songs touch me in the way that Emerson’s do. And live…he is just so dynamic. Sujka called it…Part concert, part comedy show, part Dr. Phil session. All wonderful.

12. Gareth on board. The only person who can instantly make me smile just by walking into a room.

13. PAVE THE WORLD! I’d lost my voice by night two…Michael Tolcher was rocking it in the very crowded, very smoky casino bar. No way that he was going to hear me hollering. So I begged Lee to yell my “Pave the World” request. Tolcher: “You know what, I’m gonna do that for you!” The only thing that would have made it better would have been Christy singing along next to me. “The aliens are coming! What? The aliens are coming….Pave the world!”

14. Hanson sing along. On the last night, at Aslyn’s show, a Hanson and his wife ended up standing next to us. Aslyn asked the girls to sing one part, while the boys were to sing another. And that little Hanson sang along, smiling the whole time. Was nice to see one having a great time without being hounded by fans.

15. Wideawake and The Kin singing together. Scott Leger with Aussie brother harmony? Quite possibly perfection in music.

16. Katey and Scott airport time. I only get to see my friends from Birmingham once a year, and we’ve made hanging out on flights to and from TRB a tradition. I can only hope that when and if I meet my Mr. Right, we have as great a relationship as Katey and Scott do.

17. Inauguration. Watching Barack Obama become the 44th President of the U.S. was going to be emotional for me no matter where I watched it. But watching it in a room full of people who shared my pride in the moment was nothing short of beautiful. Applause every time they showed Obama or Biden. I actually teared up. There’s no place and no other people with whom I’d rather share the day…

There’s so much more, but nothing that I write can do it justice. It’s truly the most amazing experience every year. And despite losing my voice, getting an average of 3-4 hours of sleep a night, and spending ENTIRELY too much money…it’s SO worth it. BEST.VACATION.EVER.

Bring on Rock Boat X.