Memory-making

You know, I’m not a big bucket list kind of guy or anything, but I’m a believer in making memories. This has been something my wife and I have tried to do throughout our marriage for one another and for our kids. Sometimes, one has to take risks in order to get the reward.

Originally, I wanted to go to Chattanooga to see my favorite band, Rival Sons. My eldest wasn’t finished with his semester by that time, so we looked at Nashville. Now, I’m not a fan of driving, and I’m really not a fan of traffic, particularly big traffic like Nashville. Regardless, he had some things he wanted to accomplish in Nashville, and I wanted to see Rival Sons. (He enjoys them, too, by the way.) Nashville for us is about 3 hours away. That’s 6 hours driving. We left early in the morning, just past traffic here, got breakfast and gas, and made our way West. I successfully navigated traffic.

It was interesting to me because I interned in Nashville at a men’s prison. It’s changed so much. The Walls, AKA Tennessee State Prison, was horribly damaged by a storm. That’s too bad, too, because that’s where parts of Dead Man Walking and Green Mile were shot. As an intern, I sat in the prop electric chair on a tour of the prison. The officer leading the tour said that place was partially responsible for prisoner’s rights. I could literally reach across a cell that supposedly houses two men. We toured Riverbend, a maximum security prison and saw Ol’ Sparky. Chalk it up to youth or shock factor, but I sat in that one, too.

So, we finished my son’s tasks and had time to kill. That left us seeking food. So, we found a restaurant, had a decent burger, and then had plenty of time left over. We went to Opry Mills, which is fine for what it is. Count me as an old geezer who doesn’t really enjoy mall any longer. It served its purpose although it was rather warm for a mall in the South.

We made our way over to the venue. It was at Marathon Music Works. That area was interesting. Apparently, there was an auto manufacturer near there. We walked around, saw some sites, and checked out a few shops before I had to be at the VIP event.

Normally, there is absolutely no way I would do something like a VIP experience. It was basically my birthday gift. I found myself nervous leading up to it, which is interesting. Instead, as it got closer to time, I became more excited. These guys are my favorite. I wanted an opportunity to thank them personally for their music. I’m not sure if this is how most VIP experiences go (probably), but we lined up, were let in after getting checked, and lined up again. Finally, we went back to the area with very little explanation or instruction. I basically followed others. We lined up again where the meet-and-greet took place. These guys are rock stars, so it wasn’t exactly on time, but it was timely enough. We got our VIP items, which included a guitar pick, a backpack, a sticker, a poster, and a special t-shirt. We went through, and I got to say my thanks to Dave, Todd, Miley, Scott, and Jay. It turned out really cool because Miley remembered meeting my family and I in Knoxville. We got our things signed, and then, we lined up again. This time, we got a photo. For the value, it was epic. Truly.

My son didn’t do the VIP, so we reconnected and then waited for the show. The venue itself was great. Really great. I liked how wide it was inside. There were places to get drinks (yes, even nonalcoholic), food if one wanted, and there was even a bathroom attendant. Really cool. Huge ceiling fans added to it. It was confusing to me which ticket to use because I had a QR code for the VIP experience, and we had separate tickets. Once inside, there was no returning if one left. Admittedly, we both were really tired. We got some soft drinks and sat at the table and waited a bit till the show.

There were two bands plus Rival. The opening band started early, which was good. Their mix, however, was not. You could only hear the singer when she screamed or cursed us. The guitars were loud enough; she was not. Maybe if I were 20, I might have enjoyed it more. Now, I just enjoy good sounding live music, which this was not.

The next band started at 8. They did a good job. You could hear everything fine. I used that as an opportunity to people watch a bit. In doing so, I noticed the lead singer of another band I enjoy and her rock star hubby. They mingled and interacted with a few people. I did not approach them. I thought they deserved peace. I will say this, though: It was very cool watching rock stars watch rock stars. Eventually, they landed right in front of us for Rival.

As Rival’s crew got set up, I had the opportunity to thank their sound engineer, Neil. This guy does an amazing job. Yes, Rival Sons is my favorite band. Yes, I understand their music may not fit everyone’s tastes. They are, however, just an incredible live band. My favorite. Watching them perform this show was exhilarating. Preshow, during the VIP, Jay said, “We’re going to have some fun tonight.” There was an energy, an enthusiasm prevalent that evening. They simply have the ability to work a crowd, large or small. I literally visualized them performing in much bigger venues. They’ve done it for others, but I’m talking about for themselves. They’ve got the ability. Best singer on the planet. Their new album drops in about 2 weeks, and thanks to that show, I’ve now heard 75% of it. I so greatly appreciate how they give Jay the space to treat his voice like an instrument. It’s just powerful. When your favorite band drops new material and you imagine those songs performed live? Yes, please. The new stuff was mesmerizing, really. That’s the word I’ve been using.

So, while I’m not a bucket list kind of guy or a VIP experience kind of guy typically, I’m really grateful my son and I got to knock some things off our “love-to-do” lists. Although we got in at about 3:30 AM and although I had an appointment early the next morning and my son had work, I don’t regret for a second the exhaustion and ringing ears or even the Nashville drive and traffic. We made memories that day.

If you find yourself with a choice to do something you’ve considered, ask yourself, “Why not?” Then, set out to make your own memories. The drive, traffic, and costs were small prices to pay for an epic day.

#rivalsons #darkfighter #nashville #royalrange #epic #makememories #VIP #risks #rewards #livemusic