Making The Most

So, a few weeks back my wife and I headed out on the road. She had a conference to attend in Phoenix just a couple of days before rehearsals were scheduled to start in LA for Alex G's CD release show at The Mint. So, as we are so often wont to do, Mrs. Burns and I concocted a fairly last-minute plan and did our best to make the most of what could have been separate trips, weeks apart, and, for me, the potential frustration of being stranded away from home with no transportation and nothing to do.

Instead of going alone, we went together. Instead of flying, we drove. We cobbled together an itinerary that consisted of six different room accommodations over the span of two weeks, threw everything we would need for both work & leisure in the back of our car, and headed out on a rather impromptu road trip
adventure.

And, after 3,200 miles and close to 48 full hours of drive time, I can confidently say - IT. WAS. AWESOME.

What a memory. What a collection of memories, really, but the trip as a whole was definitely the kind of thing that can define a year or encapsulate recollection. It most definitely prompts me to encourage you, whoever you are, to seriously consider the following: don't forsake an opportunity to travel should you ever come across it (especially if it involves traveling with the people you love). As I am so fond of saying to my bandmates on the road, it is important for us, as a generation, to remember that - through the advances of technology and infrastructure - most of us have been afforded incredibly unique opportunities to see the world that at least 95% of the history of humankind could never have even imagined. If you can land a job that will allow you to travel, seriously think about taking it. But, if not, spend some time in thought about just what you will recollect and reminisce about in your waning years and whether or not having taken  opportunities and spending money in order to see the world might be part of that equation. Plenty of us have already seen more of the world than even the kings, presidents, or royalty of yesteryear. And what a gift it is.

So, with that out of the way, let me relate to you, dear readers, what a great experience I had being part of Alex G's show in Los Angeles. As some of you may or may not know, 2014 has been for me a fairly difficult year in both personal and professional ways. Through all of the ups and downs, however, my love for music and performance has not waned in the slightest, and so it was with a rather intense sense of gratitude and excitement that I rejoined forces with both Kurtis Keber and Joey Barba as well as new compatriots Elliot Schwartzman (on keyboards) and Torri Horness (on acoustic guitar & vocals) to form the band supporting Alex.

With a fairly limited amount of rehearsal time to get ready and a major national holiday (Thanksgiving) interrupting the flow of time leading up to the show, there was more than the usual bit of pressure on us to quickly solidify as many musical details as we could. Fortunately enough, things came together nicely, and despite some obnoxious sound issues during the opening two tunes, the show can only be described as a success. And, of course, the most important part of the success was Alex G herself, who has grown in leaps & bounds in regards to both her artistry and her performance ability in a very, very short amount of time. It was not too long ago that Alex - adept at solo performances and singing rather softly over her acoustic guitar - still struggled a bit when fronting an entire band. (And it was not too long before that that Alex was terrified to sing in front of anybody anywhere for any reason!) At times, I am astonished at the depth of musical gifts some people possess that wait to bloom until later on down the road from most of us. There really are no equations and watching the exceptions that prove the rule come into their own is a blessing in itself.

It is with a most sincere sense of thankfulness that I write this blog, having gotten a chance - once again - to  perform with such a fantastic group of gifted & wonderful people. I think I can speak for us all when I say that we cannot wait to see what the future holds, both for Alex G herself as well as our band as a unit, and I find myself perhaps a bit too eager to get out on the road with all of them and bring our little show to as many people as will come to listen.

But I want to conclude this post by reiterating all that I was talking about when I started: getting to be a part of Alex G's show was amazing by itself, but the entire time that surrounded it helped to shape a memory for me and my beautiful wife that we will never forget. Without boring you with all of the details, we were able, by the grace of God, to see and experience so many different things (in a relatively short time) that brought smiles to our faces and joy to our hearts. The world is so jam-packed with wondrous opportunities and sights to see that I might never forgive myself for not encouraging as many people as I possibly could to seize any opportunities you can to make the most of what's set in front of you. With just a little bit of outside-the-box thinking and a willingness to spend some of your hard-earned money, memories can be made, experiences can be lived, and life itself can find some flavor too often times missed out on by living the formulaic life.

The crew.

So, get out there. Do what you can to see the wonder of all that's around you. Fly by the seat of your pants from time to time and realize that life consists of more than routine. Build memories. Share your life with people you love. Make the most of it all.

Or, as Alex G herself might say...

...Make your move.