After starting this blog, I started to feel like I had to be super consistent with producing content and playlists that people would enjoy. Though I was trying to be really purposeful about not letting that happen, I started reading into it all a little too much.
Anyways, that's not what this post is about. This post is for the people who never grew out of their side swept bangs, dark eyeliner, all black wearing stage of the early 2000s. It's for the closet emos: the Paramore loving, "fuck the system," mosh pit braving, live music lovers. I know I don't seem like the first person to jump into a mosh pit, and I'm usually not. I'm usually pushed into it and knocked around and scared I'm going to have an earring ripped out... but I always truly, honestly feel so alive at a punk or alt show. I wouldn't trade that feeling for anything in the world (even when Sarah is with me and loses her shoe and we both panic that she'll have to leave the show with one sandal.)
Some of my fondest memories of live music have been at the shows of the artists featured on this playlist. I think I've seen The Menzingers...7 times now? Someday I'll write a full piece on how amazing that band is, how their lyrics have touched me, how I've made new friends just because we both like the Menzingers. For years, I refused to go out on a Friday or Saturday night unless I heard After the Party immediately before walking out the door. (Shoutout Lucy and literally all of my Philly friends for putting up with that.) Yeah I know, I'm insane. Other artists featured on this playlist are Tigers Jaw, The Story So Far (my husband Parker James Cannon's band), No Pressure (his side project), Turnover, Pinegrove, & Tiny Moving Parts. Many of my friends know how much the music of these artists has shaped my adult life and opened me up to an entirely new freedom in feeling like I can like whatever kind of music I like - even if it's not "what I look like I'd listen to." I wanted to share that with all of you as well.
Really quickly - I have a lot of folks to thank for introducing me to these bands. Tom May, Mike May & Rohit Chandra, thank you for introducing me to The Menzingers...Tom thank you for putting me on the guest list for the SF show in 2017. I'll never forget your hospitality and how welcoming you were without ever having met me. Conor Quilty, I would have no idea who Turnover or Pinegrove were if it weren't for all of the installments of Conor CDs. I think Dizzy on the Comedown was on Conor 7 or something and I'm so grateful to you for those "playlists." I don't know how I discovered or got into TSSF but they will always remind me of Sarah and all of the nights we screamed to Proper Dose in my tiny Philly apartment. I can't wait to do that again soon.
Here's the playlist, hope you love it...and if you don't, that's cool too! We all like what we like and I don't expect anyone to suddenly jump on the pop punk/alt bandwagon just because I did 4 years ago lol.
What's your opinion?