Is that what you call a getaway?

I love Brand New. They are a band that has grown with me and shaped me since I first began to really listen to music.

I was 15 and my friend was driving us back to school in a beat up Taurus when I first heard 70 x 7. I was blown away. Fast paced pop punk with a break down so raw and emotive I couldn’t slow my heart back down. They became my first favorite band. The one I shared with everyone and anyone that would listen. This continued for years through every new record release. Deja Entendu (on Spotify) was a love-sick high school dream. The Devil and God are Raging Inside of Me (also on Spotify) was my college self discovery. Daisy (listen) was me being an adult and having no idea what that meant. I could write a novel about how intricately each record wove into the various important parts of my life, but the short of it is this: I love Brand New.

So I went to see them in concert recently in Oklahoma City. The venue was the Diamond Ballroom with 400-500 person capacity in the middle of nowhere.

It’s been years since I’ve attended a smaller ballroom show and I was pumped. The line was out past the fence of the property (at least a quarter mile) and I hopped in an hour early ready to make friends.

I met two guys, one was a driver for Frito Lay and the other was a graphic designer that looked like the singer for Bastille. They were both hilarious and we talked about all the shows we had been to and which bands were the best live. I’ve always enjoyed this part of a concert. The nervous apprehension shared between a few hundred people waiting for the same thing is palpable and energizing.

We make our way inside and my new friends go their own way, so I pick out a spot kind of close to the stage after grabbing a surprisingly affordable water bottle.

The opening act was loud and fast, but not my taste.

Circa Survive, was amazing. I don’t listen to them but loved Saosin (an earlier project of Anthony Green) in college. They were engaging, talented and weird. Green is an odd guy with some strange stage antics, and vocals that were consistently on point. Screaming to singing he didn’t miss a note. It was an impressive set.

After they left, the push to the front started in anticipation of Brand New. I wound up next to a cute girl, her friend, her friend’s boyfriend and two guys that thought I was cool for driving 4 hours to get to the show. I’ll take it.

We all talked about what we were hoping to hear and favorite albums. Really just trying to fill the air before what was bound to be an incredible set.

Side note, the air conditioner didn’t work. This marks the second Brand New show I’ve been to in Oklahoma without air conditioning. I don’t like it.

The cute girl was named Marie and we talked about her friend’s boyfriend being one of those douchey people who spill their beer on the crowd and bonded over favorite lyrics and nerdy music things.

The show started.

They opened with their new single Mene and continued to play almost every song you’ve ever wanted to hear at a Brand New show. Including 70 x 7. We jumped and sang together for over an hour of GREAT music. Anything from their first record bringing out a wide eyed look of “Oh-my God” before jumping  up and down and singing along again. The crowd was engaged and filled in the backing vocals wherever they were needed. The set closed out with a solo piece by Jesse called Sealed to Me and Soco Amaretto Lime. Sealed to Me is a new favorite of mine and the lyrics were handed out at the merch table when I picked up a poster.

The lights came up and I invited all my new friends to grab drinks but they had work and college the next day, so we all just sort of shuffled our separate ways after sharing such an incredible show together. It was kind of a let down and accentuated the loner part of my solo trip.

Shows should be shared and talked about later into the evening as the adrenaline and excitement are still running hot in your veins. I enjoyed every part of my short trip. The people I met made it even more surreal. It was just over too soon for my taste.

The whole thing made me realize how much I’ve missed live music. I want to make it to more shows. Very few things are as inspiring to me as watching the passion and energy of a band doing what they love, and doing it well. So I’ll chalk that up as a goal for 2015 and beyond. More music, more trips, more chatting with strangers. Even at 27, a brother needs to mosh.

tl;dr: Ballroom shows and day trips bring out my inner highschooler. (“start your own band” -Jesse Lacey of Brand New)