Life, looming death, and music

Mosh pits are scary. I should know--I was nearly crushed by a burly, large, drunken man yesterday on the outskirts of one at a Flogging Molly concert. The show itself was fantastic. It was full of Irish anthems for the recovering Catholic, with titles like Rebels of the Sacred Heart driving the largely Catholic-raised, tattoo and piercing covered crowd to rowdy dancing and pushing. A good time was had by all. But as I was sneak attacked by the drunken mass of sweaty man, I thought--Is this really just the practice round?

It's the practice round because a Flogging Molly concert isn't nearly as rowdy as the Dropkick Murphy's concert I'll be attending next Sunday. And, I wasn't actually pushed into the full madness on my first outing--a jump I've promised to try and take next week. So, if my first rowdy concert experience is any indication of what's to come, it's inevitable that this is my last week on earth. I will most certainly be crushed by a rogue crowd surfer.

With the impending doom looming, I've decided it's only fitting that I would die at a concert-- nearly crushed and taking a kick to the head during a raucous Irish jig. My life can be mapped with music.

Laura-- the early years

The first song I remember loving was Hazy Shade of Winter by the Bangles. I remember buying a 45 for my Fisher-Price record player at the Disc Jockey. I was so proud of it, and I got to show it off to my second grade teacher Mrs. Dunn, who just happened to be in the store at the same time. I think I listened to that record repeatedly for at least a year.

Other important songs of my elementary years included Kokomo by the Beach Boys, Walking on Sunshine by Katrina & the Waves, Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffet, and Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi.

Once I reached middle school, it was cool to like music--being that I was a weeble shaped child and not very cool, this is when I went through my country phase. I did love the New Kids on the Block and Vanilla Ice (mainly because you HAD to in those days), but I was deeply enamoured with Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Clint Black, Wynonna Judd, and so many more. A highlight of the country years was a 7th grade trip to Rupp Arena with my friend Amanda to see Clint Black and Wynonna during their Black and Wy tour. In a first experience with rowdy concert-goers, a drunk woman sitting behind me proceeded to braid my and Amanda's hair.

By 8th grade I was exiting my country phase and enjoying Salt-n-Pepa (yes, I still know all the words to Shoop), Aerosmith's Get a Grip album, and Warren G's Regulate the G-Funk Era.

Creating the Laura of Today

High School marked an important shift in my musical taste. It's the time I discovered some of my all-time favorites and learned about the joys of classic rock. During these years, Stone Temple Pilots, Smashing Pumpkins and Garbage reigned supreme, with smatterings of Led Zeppelin (Over the Hills and Far Away is still my all time favorite song), Pink Floyd, Janice Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. High School was the gateway to a tendency to explore the bands less known-- a tendency that lasts even today, and makes me want to attend numerous concerts at the South Gate House and 20th Century Theater.

I don't know exactly when I discovered my one true love--Jeff Tweedy and Wilco, but we've been together ever since, and I can't wait for the new album Sky Blue Sky to come out on May 15. Wilco is chill, mid-tempo indie rock music. The concerts fit my personality and my concert going style of absorbing sounds and dancing in my own space without touching others. I've been to concerts of all types over the years. I love live music. It's only fitting that a concert will be the source of my demise in more than a financial way.

If only I could see Wilco perform one last time. Start preparing your online tribute to my wonderfulness now. My estimated time of death is 10:45 p.m., Sunday, March 11.