Fact about me: I save trifle things such as tickets, wristbands, and some times cute clothing tags. Every time I get home from a concert, I tape the ticket/wristband in my notebook and write what it was for. On March 19th, I collected one such wristband and with that I also brought back a used guitar pick.
I hope you’re not thinking this will be an amazing, exciting tale of seeing one of the country’s most talented bands of the decade. This is most definitely was not; yet, it wasn’t bad.
Melissa and I drove up to Club 3 Degrees in Minneapolis after eating chicken fingers from Canes, in the car… Because eating in the car is FUN! I was there to see the one band I knew, Above the Golden State, but I like to see bands I don’t know too. Which in this case were Light Switch, Me in Motion, and the main attraction Sanctus Real.
When we arrived, Light Switch was already playing. I remember seeing them play at Higher Ground Music Festival a couple years ago. They must have had their parents drive them there at that time because this night, the oldest one of the 4 brothers in the band looked about 18. The youngest couldn’t be a day over 13 (I’m probably reaching on that one). Aside from their age, they actually played quite well. I didn’t have an urge to rush the stage, but the teenage girls didn’t have a problem screaming for them.
As some of my friends know, I don’t like to watch a band from far away. I want to get the full effect. Ya know, have a good time! I do that by standing as close as I can to the stage without being squashed to death. This night, I didn’t have to worry about my mortality to get a front row position. Actually, there were a few teenagers standing against the front of the stage. I think one of them was certifiable, or maybe just deranged.
I coerced Melissa to follow me to the front once the “little boy band” was finished with their set. During that short intermission the supposed “host” man forced some middle aged people to play fluffy bunny (the marshmallow game). I felt bad for the poor woman as she spat out mushed marshmallows trying to say those futile words.
Once Me in Motion started playing, I began having fun. I really didn’t care that I had never heard of them in my life. The lead singer read some scripture from Matthew between some songs. I don’t know what other people think of that, but I adore it. Backing up your songs and stating your biblical purpose for performing is the forthcoming way for a Christian band to bring out their message clearly. I loved that even though he had the verses memorized from saying them so many times, he still got his Bible out because he wanted the audience to see that he’s not just making something up. He has a purpose. After their last song he threw his pick and I picked it up. Yes, I’m that girl. You Tube Link of Me In Motion
Next was Above the Golden State. They were equally impressive with their backdrop signs filled with scripture. Of course, I knew all their songs so it was mandatory for me to sing along. I felt like I was the only one who knew the songs, but then I spotted one other girl singing along. I just loved that in the last song, the lead singer played guitar, harmonica, and sang. No, he did not sing while playing the harmonica. That’s impossible. You Tube link of Above the Golden State
After that we were all shown a video about giving money to get clean water for people in Africa. Everyone felt guilty for being alive.
Then came Sanctus Real. To be completely honest, I liked Me in Motion better. I think I might have liked Light Switch more. They were fine, until they played 30 songs. Then I just wondered if they would ever play a last song. Everyone else seemed to be having fun as they tried to shake hands when the lead singer came down to sing in the crowd. Some kid that looked to be about 15 raised his hand when they asked who had been listening to them for the last 9 years that they’d been a band. He must have had the time of his life getting to see a band that has influenced him since he was 6. I only recognized one song that they sang from the radio, but the rest was new. You Tube link of Sanctus Real
Every time I go to something like this I have always found something I really enjoyed. If I just hang out in the back I never have as much fun. It’s better to get the full effect. Make it a good one.
That's a lot of little boy bands. I can just see you scrambling for that pick on the dark, trash strewn floor of the club, fighting off thirteen-year-old girls as they fought for the right to be the first to touch something a sweaty, guitar playing, hippy threw away cause it was worn out. Congratulations for breaking those children's hearts and grabbing up the discarded token for your memento book. Boy, will you have stories to tell your children someday!
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