Early Morning Blues ~ Exile From Conformity

Sometimes even the most sane of us do some crazy things.

I've been going through this quarter-life crisis of sorts (about five years late or so), realizing that I did so little crazy things when I was younger. So little. Part of it was fear, part of it was just not knowing, but a lot of it was me just not doing it. So here I am, at 27, finally starting to do things.

I assumed when I added 'see a concert in another city' to my 27 Things Before 28 list, I'd be flying to DC to see Boys Like Girls with Eye. Turns out that they are still working on that new album and thus, no concert tour yet. Or at least no where that isn't Brazil. (Seriously would be tempted if I knew anything about Brazil).

But all was not lost. My favorite member of BLG, Bryan Donahue, has spent his time off from touring working on a few songs of his own and eventually recorded and released them off under a solo gig/band thing, Early Morning Blues. So while he was mucking around it he managed to get his little band a show, in Rhode Island, just outside of Providence (think, near Brown University). I got excited about a month in advanced and looked at my work calendar. No traveling. A quick check of google maps said it was an hour and a half from where lil brother is living in Connecticut.

Josh (lil brother) was not as on board and plead that he might have to work, etc etc. About a week before the show he realized, nope, no work. Which meant he had Tuesday night off. In a moment of eagerness, I bought us tickets, offered to help pay for gas and demanded he pick me up so we could go see Bryan play.

Super excited, I tweeted off a message to Bryan and shockingly enough he retweeted my tweet and hit me back with a response (freaked out in the airport a little folks)

Cut to the concert. Fly up to CT, spend the day with brother, drive to the concert which is a little hole in the wall. As soon as we walk in, there's Bryan, chatting on his cell phone, looking adorable and real. A little while later the drummer shows up, hugs his best friend and then Josh and I realize that there are very few non-friends and family at the show. When Bryan is at his merch table, talking to an older woman (old enough to be say... a mom) I swallow my pride and wander over, looking at stuff.

The conversation goes like this:

Mom (turns out to be Bryan's mom): You should get something from this side of the table *points at Bryan's merch*
Me: Well I was planning on it. I came all the way from Georgia to see him so yeah.
Bryan: *looks up* You came from GA?
Me: Yup
Bryan: Oh hi! I'm Bryan *shakes my hand*
Me: I'm Katy
Mom: You came all the way from Georgia to see him play? That's great. He's excellent isn't he?
Me: yes, yes he is

Seriously. I thought this was the end of the night. But no it gets better.

Bryan's set was amazing. The whole lot of them were great. And he was great. Even with just four songs (yes I traveled that far for FOUR songs), he was awesome.

After I wander towards the merch table again where two other fan girls (and mom) are chatting him up. Josh is adamant that I'm "more important" because I came farther and when there's a chance to chat with the fan girls (Bry's run off) they ask me if I'm from Mass/RI and when I say no the next question is "Are you from GA?" So apparently I'm psuedo fan famous.

I chatted with them for a while, had someone else introduce me as the girl from GA and Bryan grinning about it again. Still, no real face time with him, but it's okay, I'm having fun. Josh meanwhile is chatting up the guitarist, Danny, over at the bar. Danny's stoked about being complimented and when Josh explains that he's there with his sister who came from GA, Danny freaks.

The story goes that the EMB guys (or at least Danny and Bryan) were together when Bryan got my tweet and it went very much like "holy shit some chic is coming from GA to see me play" and then there were high fives.

Danny came over to us later after Josh came back and Josh was like this is her! My sister and Danny practically tackled me with hugs and love and adoration. "You coming means so much to us."

By this time it's getting late, still no real face time with Bryan but he's outside grabbing a cigarette and the other fan girls are very much like "tell him goodbye." So I stopped told him I had to head out and he reaches for me immediately, giving me a big hug. "So glad you came, it means so much to me." I got him to sign his Venture Guitars flyer and got a picture with him as well.

(look at him grinning!)

After we wound up chatting in a group that was mostly me and him chatting with people listening in. I got to meet his brother who was just stoked that I came that far (and I figure out was the guy staring at me half the night. Awkward). Best of all Bryan says "You're a story I'm going to tell for the rest of my life. I do my first solo gig and a girl comes all the way from GA to see me play." He hinted on a tour with EMB, hopefully coming through GA. I promised to be there with everyone I knew if he came (still waiting).

So scratch off #9 "Go see a concert in another city" Done and done.