It's time I got back to the Good Life.

So I have recently taken up volunteering for an amazing organization called Open Space Alliance, whose main objective is to preserve open spaces in North Brooklyn while doing community outreach based programs. I get with it the benefit of being able to see live shows on the waterfront with a heart stopping view of the Manhattan skyline. Thus far this summer I have been able to see Against Me!, Weezer, Faith No More, and a number of other great bands. This is like candy to a toddler for a music junkie. The most recent live show that I was privy to was Weezer. Weezer is a band that I have grown up loving. But like the ex-boyfriend you still love in a mostly platonic way many years after a break-up you aren't really that attracted to them anymore. However, seeing them brings back a lot of memories. I was reminded of being nineteen and moving in to my first apartment by myself. I was delivering pizzas at the time and living with a roommate who was encouraging me to become a bartender because I "have such an amazing personality for it." I used to drive around the city, smoking pot in my car and listening to My Name is Jonas, wondering what was in store for me next. I was contemplating college and living out the life of every naive nineteen year old who owns their own car and is suddenly imbued with the independence of not having a curfew in light of signing their life over for their own space away from their parents.

River Cuomo ran around the stage with a frenetic energy that you miss in live shows in an age where bands stand in the center of the stage, looking mostly apathetic to a crowd afraid to dance because they might look less "cool." You endure this because you love the band, even if you hate the pretentious douchey-ness of their fan base. It was electrifying. I bopped around like a middle schooler at their first dance with the cute boy from their American History class.

Songs about drunken nights sung by River Cuomo lulled me into some of my first all night drunk parties where we played Asshole all night and ended up with seven people crashing on my floor that started a life of partying and fun that I do not regret. Seeing them live again for the first time in almost ten years was an amazing awakening and a welcome reminder of my past. Weezer is ubiquitous with every music nerds initial foray into the world of dorky rock. They take us in with Buddy Holly and we are forever their slaves. While we may move on to the National and Devotchka, we never forget our roots. That moment when we first saw them all dressed in suits playing instruments in a scene that was nostalgic of Happy Days. The nineties were an amazing time to be exploring Americas rekindled love of good ol' fashioned rock n' roll.

All of this was coupled by running into one of my favorite people to hang out with, Dave, amidst the enormous crowd. It was a random meeting, almost kismet, and I am overjoyed to have spent the evening together smoking a little and bouncing along to Say It Ain't So with a fellow rock geek who was looking to relive a little slice of our youths. The show was absolutely spectacular and one of the best I've seen in New York. It was also the show that made me realize that when bands play in NYC they bring it in a way that I've never seen in Florida. I've only seen two bands up here that I was also able to see back home and the energy level is noticeably different. Having worked the VIP list for one of the shows I know that some of the most well-known names in music show up to concerts in New York. This means that the biggest magazines and music outlets will be present and reporting every minute detail of every show. Knowing this, the bands perform to a level that they probably do not bring when they play to smaller venues in other towns. Wow. The pressure of NYC affects even the biggest monsters of rock and roll.

If that's the case then what the hell do the rest of us do?

Tomorrow I start a temp job 9-5. I have not worked that type of schedule in a long time and I am very nervous. Thankfully, my best friend and to the end of my life partner in crime will be sitting right next to me, guiding me through it. I am scared. But I feel that it is time for change and this should be an exciting new development in an otherwise mediocre life. Let's just see. I would post pictures of the show but I forgot my camera. Because I suck.