Vesperteen
This past week, I went to a Vesperteen concert at Lincoln Hall, in Chicago, and it was a gift.
A gift to my ears, my eyes, my soul, and my mind.
But, if you’re reading this, it’s likely you weren’t in the crowd next to me, so I’ll re-set the stage.
Above, is Colin Rigsby, both the lead singer and the drummer. How he keeps such strong beats while simultaneously and effortlessly holding the melodies he’s created, I’ll never understand.
This is Andrew Lee, the brilliant, beaming, boss bassist. I witnessed him do the splits with a fan after the show which just adds to his awesomeness.
Here, we have Jesse Cale, keyboardist, smoothie enthusiast, and a lover of cats. Watching him perform was a journey in itself as he went from propelling his whole self into the chord progressions to playing softly in his own little world.
Before for Vesperteen came and blessed the stage, a band named August Hotel opened. They pumped up the crowd with their jam, Valentine, that y’all should go listen to.
The second opener, Bonelang, caught the crowd by surprise with their mixture of poetic rap over strong bass. The crowd, then, caught them by surprise when we all learned and sang the chorus of their song, Mushroom Moon. I recommend looking that song up too.
Witnessing this whole night happen was pretty incredible. Watching each person pour out so much of their passion for the music they create was inspiring.
Sometimes, I think I can consume so much music that a song can be simplified by my brain into a few words and a few chords.
But, I also think that’s the beauty of live music. To remind yourself of the layers, the energy, and the soul that it takes to make good music and to realize music is so much bigger than a one dimensional piece of art.
In short, I’m thankful for music and the musicians that make it come to life.
Okay, you can go listen to Vesperteen now.~kj