“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent” – Victor Hugo. The lyrics and sounds of our favorite artists often provide a soundtrack to the stage we call life. We all travel through phases in time, applying various songs and sounds to the seemingly mundane and monumental moments we pass by. My taste is all together eclectic, just as most of us can attest to.
My personal progression is as followed: the golden days of the oldies – my dad driving me to school as a young one; the pop sensation of boy bands – middle school in the 90’s; the punk/emo breakthrough – the early teen years; the utter confusion of concerning release with dark heavy metal – turbulent adolescence; and the wholesome steel guitar of country stars of modern day – early 20’s. I can even throw in a handful of pop songs that I danced to during my many performances of my eighteen year career. Some may strike this combination as odd, but as I expand my vision of the world, I find a place for each of these stops along my continuing journey.
The strongest bond to these expressive melodies is to experience a live concert firsthand. I have seen my favorite punk band, MEST, four or five times now and each performance connects me even more intimately with their sound and lyrics. I have even seen artists of my parents’ generation with cover bands like The Fab Four, the pure and classic voice of Sting as The Police jammed in San Diego, and felt the pulse of dark drums and heavy base with In Flames in the edgy LA scene. Every single note and word somehow strikes a deep unspoken chord of self expression.
Musicians are pure artists that reach enthusiasts of every country and every culture. Music is what ties the world together and moves it to a single beat. Songs can represent generations, social movements and historical events. They can instantaneously transport us from one place or time to another as we remember the instance that first touched us with their sound. Lyrics alone are simple poems that are elevated to a panorama or atmosphere where we find our most personally hidden world. This sound garden can be shared with some of the most influential people in our lives or can connect us with a stranger halfway across the globe.
The power of Music is infinite and we have control of this universe at the touch of a button – PLAY. Just as it is up to us how to live our lives, it is our decision as to what line up we set for our show.
