High Spirits and Good Vibrations
In which Good Ol’ Schmoe writes about seeing his favorite live act and discusses the prevailing feeling emoting onto the event.
It was time for our semi-annual visit from the hardest working rock and roll band on the planet. Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers were due for their autumn show in the metro Detroit area. And this time it was back at the Magic Bag in Ferndale. I needed a good time. Who doesn’t? An RCPM show pretty much guarantees a good time and not just because of the honest effort, high spirits, good vibrations, and the prevailing beauty of the music, but because of the communal gathering between your own friends and those that are friends for one or two nights a year. It really is a beautiful thing among a throng of happy and important people.
So why was my usual happy feelings muted this time? Was it because it was a…Sunday? Searing rock and roll on a Sunday? An independent, 100% effort expending rock and roll quartet in a small bar venue on a SUNDAY? Yep. A Sunday.
Not only was it a Sunday, but for me, it was another anniversary of my father’s death. After nine years of memorial Catholic masses said in my dad’s honor, you get used to it, kind of. It is somewhat of a solemn day coupled with good times spent with the entire family from my kids and mother down through to my three younger sisters and their families. I had to switch gears and get ready for rock and roll. Sometimes that is easily catalyzed with adrenaline and beer and friends. In this case, the day was buffered a bit by the heavy hand of life. The day did get steadily more exciting, but not so fast and not so easily.
Another reason for the bit of pall felt over the events may have been that it was the first without our late good friend Greg, who died unexpectedly two and a half months earlier. I had been to Roger Clyne without Greg before, but just knowing he wasn’t just missing a show, but missing them forever while I was missing them with HIM forever was a healthy but sad emotion. Memories help. And they did. A peruse through photos of RCPM shows past with Greg put a smile back on the face and warmth in the heart. It will be OK.
Once pieces fell into place, and those pieces were a group of good friends and family members, the night took the correct turn into some place wonderful where, again, I may never come back. Roger and the boys can transport you through their music to a sonic locale of love and beauty.
Thank you for your time. And please do yourself a solid and visit www.azpeacemakers.com for more on the music of Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers. Feel free to ask questions here. You will find more than regular enthusiasm to answer and discuss.
Peace.
~Schmoe
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