SHARING THE SHOWS
Why’d I suggest this again?
That was the thought going through my foggy brain as I had finished another annual round of scoring AP essays in humid yet sunny Tampa. All I wanted to do was eat some mass-produced slop, courtesy of the College Board, and watch cat videos on YouTube. But I had bought the ticket and proposed the idea to Charlie and Jaclyn, so I was committed. The slop Charlie and I consumed consisted of brisket, pulled pork, mac and cheese, and green beans (it was actually decent). We met up with Jaclyn outside of the Tampa Convention Center and made our way to Jannus Live. I had been to downtown St. Petersburg once before, when I soloed to the Dali Museum a couple of days before my first year scoring AP exams. I don’t remember it being this lively; the partiers were out in full force, which motivated me. The venue was just as colorful, and in general, people were happier than I’m used to in the DC scene. I had a nice chat with a young lady named Brittany, who was following Lettuce around Florida with a group of dudes. And another guy named Nicko, owner of Nicko’s Pizza & Subs in St. Petersburg. If I’m there again, I’ll definitely consume some pre- or post-show pie. I also saw a cool variety of T-shirts. I tallied a Black Sabbath, a Godsmack, a “Grateful Dude,” a “World’s Greatest Cat Dad” (though I think I could give that one a run for his money), and one that read “Bronx Party Animals,” which is, ironically, a California-based punk band. And now the show. Three bands graced the stage. The first, Makua Rothman, had an upbeat jazz rock feel, and man did I dance out all that energy from the grading. A highlight was their cover of the Eagles’ classic, “Hotel California.” Jaclyn insisted on busting “Hotel Marriott Tampa” as that’s the hotel all three of us were in (Charlie and I in one room, Jaclyn in another, so get your head out of the gutter!). The moment reminded me of my old fraternity; at the end of a night of mass consumption of fermented hops, we’d all scream “Living it up at the hotel Theta Gamma” as that tune played on our house’s loudspeakers. The next group was a band called Steel Pulse; I hadn’t heard of them, but when I pulled them up on my Spotify app, I learned they’d been around since the 1970s, and they very much had a 70s era reggae sound, much like Bob Marley. And, to my surprise, John indicated he’d seen them and Bob had some of their LPs. Of course, Pete knew who they were too. I’m glad to know that I can always learn more about music history and grateful for people from whom I can learn. By that point, it had gotten crowded, and I migrated toward the back, where it’s typically less crowded, hence, more room to dance. I was also near the water cooler, which was a plus. Lettuce came on at 10:40; to be honest, I’m getting tired of bands that start after 10 p.m. and just go on and on (i.e. the Drive-By Truckers show back in April). That being said, they still rocked, I still danced, and they seemed to be wrapping it up at 11:30ish, right when the ticket said they would. We had to navigate through a windy hill of a parking garage trying to find an elevator to Charlie’s car, but we eventually made it, and we had a nice view of the water on parts of the drive home. After getting back to the room, I indulged in a (non-slop) brownie I had snagged from the Convention Center. As I write this, I’m sitting in the same exact seat as I did when I wrote about the show that capped last year’s reading. The spot: Bay Coffee & Tea Company at Tampa International Airport. The show: Uncle John’s Band with Charles, Jaclyn, Mark, and Kevin. I didn’t see them this year, which is totally fine, given my attempts to cut down on shows and the fact that as much as I love Dead cover bands, they are a dime a dozen. And I had plenty of other low-key good times: dessert with Liddy and Sage one night, dinner with Joey another night, two meals with Mark, flaneuring around Ybor City and Sparkman’s Wharf, and of course, some much-needed alone time. Scoring essays from 8 to 5 really does tire one out. So going back to my original question: why’d I suggest this? Because scoring essays from 8 to 5 really does tire one out, and music gives me a perspective on why I do this. And it’s thanks to this music that on June 8, 2023, I was awarded tenure at my university, a rare feat these days. I spent many hours planning lessons, researching, writing (including my book, How to be a Happy Bachelor), and doing the tedious work of putting together my promotion and tenure packets at Hampton and UDC, respectively. The sounds of Phish, the Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic, String Cheese Incident, Rush, Led Zeppelin, and countless other musicians permeated the air as I grinded away toward this goal. In fact, I remember spending one late night in my Hampton office putting the finishing touches on my promotion portfolio (i.e. sticky notes with page numbers) as a Lettuce show played on my laptop. This blog also propelled me into the writing habit that made my book, and several other articles, possible. In turn, tenure happened. I’ll pivot from my humble brag and remark that it’s amazing how things connect. At this point, I’m ready for a two-day nap. Good night, and cheers!
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