The Airborne Toxic Event

A few days ago I listed the famous people I've met in my life. On that list was The Airborne Toxic Event. And since Blue Lipstick Samurai asked about it I will tell the story.

There is only 1 song I remember exactly where I was the first time I heard it. My husband and I were driving into Baltimore for our Anniversary dinner. Sometime Around Midnight came on my Sirius Radio, I told my hubby to shut up, so I can listen. I wrote down the name of the band. A few weeks later Hubby, Daughter and I were going to John Hopkins Hospital because something was "wrong" with daughter. My daughter was six months old. The last song I heard before walking in was Sometime Around Midnight. We got daughter's diagnosis, and in the scheme of things, it wasn't that bad. Really not big deal. But at the time I was devastated. Sometime Around Midnight came on as we were pulling out of the parking lot. I realized that lots of people come out of John Hopkins with much worse news and this was pretty minor. Six months later she was perfectly fine.

I wanted the CD but when I went to Amazon I couldn't buy it, mostly because it wasn't out yet. I wrote down the release date and waited for it to come out. I was a complete idiot. The CD was already out and I looked at the LP release date. *shakes head in shame*

The CD is amazing, the songs all sweeping and epic, catchy and poetic. There's a freaking viola in the band. Come on! Amazing isn't the right word but I'm a crappy speller so that's what I'm going to have to go with. The CD is a little depressing but for good reason, the lead singer was writing a novel (I love him already) and in one week he found out he was very sick, his mother was sick and his girlfriend dumped him. One of these things seems like it could have been delayed for a few weeks or so.

I listen to them and I was pretty sure I was the only one who did. Mommihood put a damper on my concert going experiences. Until one day I saw they were doing a free show with The Gaslight Anthem (I LOVE THEM) and the Bravery (meh) in Boston. Boston-- that's pretty far away from Baltimore but it's also where my friends live.

I did my first truly selfish thing as a mother, I bought a plane ticket and flew to Boston for a free show, abandoning my child and husband for 72 hours. My flight got delayed like 5 hours I didn't get to sleep until 3 am. It was still one of the best weekends of my life.
I won't go into the details of hanging out with my friends but it was like I had known them my whole life.

Then the concert. It was in a plaza and everyone was hanging out on one side, the other half of the stage was empty. We pushed our way up to the second row.

I watched the bands get ready back stage, I saw Brian Fallon of Gaslight Anthem and I thought, "Oh my god, he has a backpack, I have a backpack too. We're so cool." <-- I was 30 when I had this thought. I also took the most Rock and Roll picture EVER. It does look better when it's viewed the right direction.




Then The Airborne Toxic Event came on the stage. No. Words. In. The. English. Language. Can. Do. It. Justice. Mikel Jollett climbed the towers holding up the stage, Anna crowd surffed, it was sweaty and loud and art and perfect. AND THEY WERE DOING A SIGNING! I geekishly got in line afterward. Geeked out with all the fans, "You've met them before. OH My GOD are they cool?" I asked that of the 19 year old girl behind me who was debating if she should pee before or after seeing them again. I watched the joy ooze out of a the guy who just got his CD signed, he was on the verge of tears. Then It was my turn. I had be practicing what I would say, "I flew up from Baltimore to see you." Mikel stared at me, "But just played DC a few days ago." "I know, but it was at the 9:30 Club and I didn't want to get shot... somehow I thought going to a strange city would be safer." Their manager asked if I wanted a picture. I said, "I screw up (I used a different word) every picture I'm in." "I'm sure you'll be fine." She took the picture. She looked down at the screen and frowned. "YOU look excellent, its everyone else that, um." Anyway I moved down the line, got my signature on my CD, told the rest of the band about the story about my daughter and thanked them for being such amazing artists. They seemed genuinely moved by this.


Anyway that was my brush with fame. Awesome. They have a new CD coming out soon. I'm super excited for it and they wrote a song for Nada Speaks.