Can’t Breathe…but I NEEDTO

There are times when you go to concerts to get your face melted off, or perhaps some may go for an evening of fist pumping and dancing like your auditioning for a spot in Showgirls. Now me personally, I am more of a rock out, sing at the top of your lungs like you’re alone in your car, and dance like a hippie at Woodstock type lady.

I’ve been to a lot of concerts over the last 15 years and my music choices have changed quite a bit over that time. (Thankfully!) The past three years have been really great but the past 12 months have been unexplainable.

Last year on this same day ( well now it’s late so technically yesterday), September 29, I saw NEEDTOBREATHE play at Soulquest in Bangor, Maine. There were several other artists at the festival as well including Brandon Heath and Peter Furler. It was cold and rainy so there wasn’t too much of an audience left after a couple of hours. You know – some folks are just not that hard core…we… Are way hard core. It was getting dark, I was getting tired and chilly, and after like 8 cups of hot cider to thaw my fingers I was becoming a bit uncomfortable. I just wanted to see NEEDTOBREATHE – not expecting to be blown away! They were such a blast! Every ounce of energy they could muster was belted out through their voices and their instruments. It was very apparent that they perform because they love it and want their fans to have a blast. I’ve seen bands that I really liked on CD but when watching a show – it was evident performing was for the money and the fame and not for the love of the music and the artistry. After seeing them live, I had a whole new deeper appreciation for NEEDTOBREATHE’s talent.

May of this year I saw NEEDTOBREATHE again, at the House of Blues in Boston. Now it was inside obviously so it was a smaller venue then a public park area. They were so passionate and real in how they played. I had such a great experience and left anxious to see them again. Oh and a random girl ran across the stage at one point and Bear (lead singer) got totally distracted by the disturbance and made a hilarious comment like it was his mom or something. Having fun and being a real person is so important. We might, possibly, have potentially stalked their tour bus trying to meet them – maybe. It didn’t work…

I also saw them at the Alive festival in June in Mineral City, OH. One of three of us that went bought us all VIP passes for that day which was an unexpected but pleasant surprise. It meant that we could be closer and out of the direct sun for their show. Yet again-ridiculous good!!! Standing right beside a photographer was a little frustrating…dodging photo shots and camera lenses.

Tonight was the first NEEDTOBREATHE show of three that I am excitingly attending for The Stomping Ground tour. It’s such a fantastic idea for them to go back to the smaller venues they played from years ago. Lucky for us in New England they are playing several shows in the Northeast. Seth if you happen to read this – notice I corrected “east coast” and used Northeast 🙂

Today it was a 4.5 hour drive to Burlington, VT. That’s nothing – Ohio was 15 hours. It flew by because we were so excited to see them again. This tour is going to be such a blessing and so much fun that we want to attend whenever/wherever we can! I just love their music, their sound, their messages and their ability. The show tonight was out of control. It absolutely filled every inch of satisfaction for me. I rocked out, sang at the top my lungs like I was alone in my car, danced like a hippie, and also smiled so much my cheeks are sore. There was such an awesome mixture of songs and tempos – and it was so much more personal in that small venue. The last song: icing on the cake. I don’t want to give too many details in the event someone happens to actually read my blog and plans to see them on this tour.

We did wait after the show to see if we could get an opportunity to chat with the guys before they headed out. Fortunately they did stop and share some time with us. By this time hypothermia had set in from the cold Vermont air but well worth it. Our buddy Seth there – he’s quite the thinker, a particularly intellectual specimen you might say. He was extremely genuine about hearing our feedback and our stories and was really engaged in conversation. Bo sounds EXACTLY the same when he talks as he does when he sings. Bear appears somewhat timid, very humble, and very appreciative – which was all really endearing. If I had met him and spoke prior to seeing him perform – I would NEVER have expected the power and strength that comes out of him when he sings.

I could probably write a whole piece on all of the silly things that were said during our 45 min of discussion but I will sum it up with subtle references: being on their tour, Pics with Drew, lanyards, South Carolina being on the east coast, ladies before men, uhhh ummm managing bands, creating set lists, being a stalker aanndd Wayne’s World 🙂

Thank you and goodnight!

Handsome little man

My son makes me feel like I’m on top of the world.

My son makes me smile like I’m seeing him do everything for the first time.

My son makes me laugh like I’m not a grown-up or a mom.

My son makes me want to try harder.

My son makes me pause.

My son makes me spend more time in prayer.

My son makes me appreciate things more strongly.

My son makes me challenge myself more intently.

My son makes me look at it all much differently.

My son has unknowingly forced me to see past all the “stuff” that happens and into the part of people that holds the person they really want to be. As parents we sometimes let our kids get away with things, as people call it – things that other parents may not allow. As parents we also sometimes nag and nag so much that we waste TONS of energy on trying to make sure they don’t do something – that it causes them to do it more. Well…why not… that catches our attention right? If we just let our kids do some things they shouldn’t and try some things we think they can’t – our kids just might learn some things that we didn’t.

Being a single parent forces me to take on the role of two. There is no good cop/bad cop, no push-over vs meanie. Its a constant battle of being lenient enough to be the cool mom and tough enough to be the disciplinarian. Too much of one or the other can leave the household a crazy mess. My son has taught me that if I spend less time trying to constantly teach the right way to be – and more time SHOWING him and spending genuine time loving who he is – things go much more smoothly.

Handsome little man

We have struggled – my little guy and I. Its been a real battle of the wits at times. I have never left him feeling, though like he isn’t loved or cared for. Every move I make and every consequence he gets – he understands its out of love. He has been through a lot (they both have) and had to deal with some things a little guy shouldn’t have to deal with. It’s been a learning experience for me  – to stop acting like his behavior should be the same as mine. His young mind doesn’t work like mine.

I have also learned to stop focusing on the behaviors that aren’t great – and to focus on the things about my little handsome man that are beautiful. Things like his innocence, compassion, inquisitive nature, competitiveness, and his awesome sense of humor. I have learned to stop listening to what everyone else might suggest, assume, and diagnose. I have done two major things: spent time appreciating who he is and praying.

My son makes me…me.