The Sounds of Summer

The Sounds of Summer

In January of 2006 I had just finished a church mission and was returning to Logan, Utah to go back to college. I loved many things about serving a mission, but one thing I sorely missed was good music. I like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as much as the next guy, probably more, but there’s a limit on how much of that someone can take. Even worse were the absolutely awful Especially For Youth soundtracks from church youth summer camps that were really popular with the missionaries. Imagine super cheesy soft rock ballads about reading scriptures and being chaste. (Both good virtues, mind you, but that didn’t make the music any better.) There was this one song with synthesized bagpipes, it still makes me cringe when I think about it.

Back at college I was hanging out in the apartment and chatting with one of my new roommates. He was listening to some music I hadn’t heard before. When I asked about it, he generously burned me a copy of the album. It was by some band named OAR. I thought it was strange that the band was named after a paddle used to propel non-motorized watercraft. Nevertheless, those guys rocked, silly band name notwithstanding. Many of those songs became an anthem for that stage of my life as I adjusted to being a “normal” 20-something.

Fast forward to spring of 2010, I had just finished school, and we had welcomed Cooper into our lives a full month ahead of schedule. The doctor’s bills were starting to pile up and I was in full job search mode. I had come here to Colorado to interview. I had an afternoon to kill after the flight since the interview was the next day. According to Google, one of the must see sights is a little place called Red Rocks Amphitheatre. I went on a little hike there and had a good feeling about this place like this was somewhere we could belong.

In a great alignment of the stars, last weekend Audrey and I pretended like we were young again, dropped the kids off at a babysitter, and went to an O.A.R. concert at Red Rocks.

Partying on the Rocks
Us jamming out*

It was a lot of fun. On the way there we were worried that we were going to be too tired and just wish we were at home watching something on Hulu and going to bed early. (After all it was Saturday and we had spent the entire day up to that point doing yard work.) However, the band was happy to be there and their energy was contagious.

O.A.R. on stage at Red Rocks
O.A.R. on stage at Red Rocks

The other concertgoers were generally amusing as well. My favorite were the group of “bros” a couple rows in front of us. Also Captain America. I must be getting old because the clothing styles of the young ‘uns these days makes no sense to me. My only complaints were that the no smoking in the amphitheatre rule wasn’t really enforced. Also, I think that if you’re so tipsy that you can’t hold your can of beer and not spill it, you probably shouldn’t be having another. (I’m looking at you guy standing behind me.)

Beer spillers notwithstanding, we had a great time. Since you weren’t there, this is kind of what it was like.

(That was actually from their concert at Red Rocks last year that they released on DVD because it was so awesome.)

And one more for good measure

*The guy on the screen in the upper right in the photo is Andrew McMahon, one of the opening acts. I didn’t know who that was either, but when he started playing he sounded really familiar. It turns out he’s the lead singer from Something Corporate. That was a pleasant surprise.

 

2 thoughts on “The Sounds of Summer

  1. We try to act young sometimes too, but sometimes we feel old. While waiting in line to see “The David”- in Italy, We saw the phrase: “If the music is too loud, you’re too old.”

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