I've said (mostly to myself) several times during these recent months of the pandemic how much I miss live music. It is something that absolutely fuels me. This has been the longest 'dry spell' I've ever experienced in my adult life and it is wearing on me. I didn't realize how much until this afternoon.
Two years ago I spent 48 hours celebrating a good friend's birthday in Colorado, watching The Revivalists perform at Red Rocks for the first time. Awesome experience, obviously. Thinking back on that experience today, I thought it would be a good idea to listen to a 2019 recording of a show while I was hanging out with Ruby. The first few notes unexpectedly hit me pretty hard. I was overcome with a really heavy feeling in my chest... like grief, which is kind of crazy, right?
That stinks.
Music is something that always lifts my mood, especially live music, especially from New Orleans, but listening to it today had the opposite effect and I'm not sure how to reconcile that. For as long as I can remember (maybe with the introduction of kids into my life), live shows have provided a bit of a release for me. Regardless of what is going on, while the music is playing, I'm able to unload it all at the door: no parental worries (even when and maybe even especially when they are with me), no responsibilities, no anything other than being present in that moment. I'm such a responsibility-wearing-uptight-type-A that being 100% present is hard for me. So today I'm mourning the last seven-ish months of missed music, including my beloved Jazz Fest.
I know live shows will return, andI know they will be better than ever, but right now that release is not here and I think I need it more than I realized.
Last night an abbreviated version of the band Eli is in (99' Corolla) entered the Eddie's Attic Songwriter's Open Mic Competition. If you don't live in Atlanta, Eddie's Attic is a small venue where great talent comes through on a regular basis, whether they are known recording artists or just starting out. (John Mayer was an 'open mic' starving artist here once upon a time.) The boys did an acoustic version of two of their songs (each competitor had 10 minutes - there were maybe 20 competitors?). After that, judges chose four finalists to do one more song and then they picked a winner. The boys were one of the top four! I can't express enough - the talent present last night blew me away. So many acts from Nashville and Atlanta, and all much older and more experienced than Eli and his friends. The fact that the boys not only held their own, but were recognized as one of the top four is just crazy. I've seen all three of these boys play music in the church since they were in elementary school....also crazy.
Eli and his band, '99 Corolla (not HIS band, but the band he is in), released an EP this week on iTunes. Four original songs for the public's listening pleasure. To commemorate the event, they hosted an EP release party over the weekend. at said party, they performed about eight songs, only one of them not their original material. (Long live The Meters.)
I keep saying it, and I hope that I keep saying it: I love the opportunity and experience that Eli has in regards to '99 Corolla. The work ethic, the integrity, the passion, the collaborative effort, the friendships...it has all been in the black. I could not have picked a better 'first band' experience for him if I tried, and I have to believe that having the baseline experience set the bar so high will help with Eli's expectations for himself and those he works with in future endeavors.
Words can't even describe how full my heart is right now. Our weekend was full of stuff: events, work, sports, music, but we were together for all of it, which made it so so fun for our family. Two fo the highlights for us included our favorite band, The Revivalists. We've had tickets for four of us (minus Ruby) to see their concert on Saturday night forever. This last week, however, Maddux thought maybe it would be too late and she'd rather stay home with Ruby and an older friend. We obliged, but not without trying (unsuccessfully) to sway her up until the hour before.
Eli, Lehr and I had a GREAT time at the show, obviously. The front row tickets helped a lot; long gone are the days where we used to arrive 30-60 minutes before their show and hold the front row without much pushback. Their set was a great compilation of all of their albums, giving us many 'old school' gems. We got high fives from Rob (sax player) once he saw us, and near the end, David (lead singer) put the microphone in Eli's face and asked him his name and age, then told the audience to 'give it up for Eli!' Then, "give it up for his PARENTS!" (We won't let Eli live that down any time soon.)
As amazing as the show was, Sunday was even better. Ruby's time in the hospital connected us with Josh and Songs for Kids years ago. We love the organization and have been as involved as we can in their fundraising and supporting their vision for future endeavors. About a year ago they opened up a recording/playing studio to allow for serving the kids who are still very much living with medical 'stuff' but aren't staying at the hospital so much. So they can come to the studio and get music lessons, or play with the musician volunteers, or attend mini concerts put on by musical acts that come through town. We attended the grand opening, but have been unable to check out any concerts. Knowing that The Revivalists worked with Josh in New Orleans in the past though, we knew they'd try to be at the studio, and we wouldn't miss it for the world.
I can't adequately express how cool the experience was. We've seen our boys up close and personal over the years, so as amazing as that is, that was not what put this over the top. The kids and families in attendance were all in, jumping and dancing and singing the whole time. And these kids were not shy about talking to the band or playing instruments with them - that had to be refreshing for the guys! The afternoon started with some of the SFK kids performing one of The Revivalist's songs that they'd been rehearsing. Then the boys did three songs, pulling kids in on the last one. As soon as they were done, Josh had any/all SFK kids find a band member and work with them on whatever instrument they had. It was chaos, amazing, musical, joyful chaos. Ruby made her rounds from Zack, to Ed, finally to Andrew. I tried to grab a few videos and phone photos, but honestly I just held my spot at the back of the crowd trying to take it all in.
The best (for us) was yet to come. Most of the families had left and the drums were open, so we encouraged Eli to sit down at the set (we'd told the big ones to 'back off' the whole time till now because this experience was for the SFK kids, not them). As soon as Eli did, Andrew's ears perked up and he joined in for a few measures. My favorite part was when he said to Eli, "Oh, you can really play!"
Pure heart explosion to see our favorite band of all time mashed up with an organization so near and dear to our hearts - Best. Weekend. Ever.
this is why we research. this is why we prepare for IEP meetings for weeks. this is why we document all work and analyze all assessments. this is why we overthink every scenario trying to figure out 'the best setting'.
we want inclusion, but what if it isn't the best for our child? what if it doesn't work the way we hear about it working with others? here's the truth that i know so far, at this very very VERY early stage in Ruby's life: the work, the bad days, the struggles, the fight...they aren't the whole story. sometimes there is a shining light in the black hole that feels like our efforts to remind you that some good is coming out of it all.
today we saw that shining light: ruby had her first elementary school performance, lasting almost an hour, and she. rocked. it. as in she sang the songs, stayed in her place(s), did the motions, stood still appropriately, all with no teacher or para helping her through, no assistance needed. couldn't have been more proud... lehr got a bunch of video that i condensed down to about 6 minutes. i will watch and rewatch this on the hard days.
(this video is looong, but it's as condensed as i could bear. my personal 'ruby highlights' are at 0:23, 2:37, 3:35, 5:08, 5:28, 6:05)
since you joined a band, last fall, you and the six other gentlemen that make up '99 Corolla have had this event on the calendar. for you, it was the first 'gig' you have had as a musician that wasn't tied to the church. many hours put into friday night rehearsals and saturday rehearsals and recording sessions and self practice has gone into this band (and this performance). and you wouldn't have it any other way. nor would we....even though it's a far drive, i absolutely love when you have the opportunity to hang out with these guys and work on your craft. in this band you play guitar and sometimes drums. they haven't been able to talk you into vocals yet...we'll work on it. you are the youngest, the rest of the band being made up of all high schoolers, including a senior. you guys have a few covers in your tool belt, but original music seems to be what you guys all want to focus on.
this weekend you all performed at the Taste of West Cobb, which was moved indoors at the last minute because of inclement weather. while i was worried that would affect your sound, it did not. you all sounded as solid as you always do in rehearsal. you performed five songs: three covers and two originals. one of your originals was the best, in my opinion.
oh the places this experience will take you! how grateful i am for you to have this time with like-minded musicians, some leading the way for you in your faith and your craft, all walking through this journey simultaneously.
Eli has long been one to tag along with Lehr during worship band rehearsals at the church. When he was a wee one, he would tag along and the older boys would tolerate play with him. When Eli got a little older, he would play drums with some of these older boys, and in recent years, Eli has joined some of these 'elders' at youth group and in the youth worship band. If you ask Eli, he will probably tell you he considers some of the 16-20 year old crowd more 'his people' than the ones his own age at church. That makes sense considering he spent a week with some of them serving at a camp last summer, and he spends countless hours each month in rehearsal with most of them.
Recently the youth group has started promoting a Student Leadership Team, to get some of the more seasoned and involved youth to work together to connect with and involve other youth in various ways. I love that Eli signed up for this team before even consulting us. We've always told him that while he has always benefited from having someone 'ahead' of him investing in him, he can (and needs to) turn around and do the same for someone younger than him.
Fast forward to this weekend when Eli's college friends wanted to make a video promoting Youth Sunday at our church. (This is an annual 'thing' where the youth run the show in the worship band, the sound controls, the lighting and production, the greeting and parking team...everything.) Eli and I brainstormed a few ideas and then he spent the day with two cool 'kids' making this video.
Today was a good day. Like, a really good day. The big kids weren't even with me very much...what made it good was what they were doing while out of my house.
Maddux is in the summer of transitions. She's about to start middle school which means new opportunities with church and sports and youth group... so much at once! Regarding church, she gets to attend FUEL (the youth group for 6-12th graders), but she is also without a 'class' during the actual church service each week. When Eli is not playing in the band for the elementary kids' service, he sits with friends (or us, if we're lucky) in the big service. Maddux has already found a home, serving in the preschool area any time they will let her. Since we are always short on volunteers, they let her every week! She has such a heart for kids, especially the little ones, so she loves doing this. I asked her last week if she would ever come sit with me in the big service and she kind of wrinkled her nose and said, "Maybe one week, but only if we were here for both services so I could still work with the kids." Not at all a shock since anytime I try to find her at church, she is under a pile of kids on her lap, reading books and engaging them in songs.
Today my girl served with some littles (maybe 2-3 year olds?) alongside a family friend. I didn't know the friend was in there with Maddux until she ran up to me after the service. She could not stop raving about Maddux and how great she is with all of the kids, not getting frazzled when they are upset, but instead calmly meeting them where they are. She reminded me of all of the amazing ways God has blessed Maddux with the gift of serving others. "It was an honor to work with her today." There are so many times I see her with Ruby and think the same thing...
Maddux does not get this from me: our social IQ's could not be further from one another. I honestly feel it is an absolute God-given gift, the way she is able to connect with people and make them feel at ease. I saw it last week also when I drove her and a friend to camp each day. Maddux and her friend hadn't had many opportunities to hang out in many months, so I wasn't sure if the conversation would flow on the first day. But Maddux never missed a beat, sitting in the middle seat with her friend instead of the front (as she would prefer), asking her friend all kinds of great, specific and intentional questions about her summer, helping her to feel comfortable. I seriously drove the whole way with my jaw on the ground, in absolute awe at her social ease and intelligence.
On to the boy... It's no secret that music is something Eli loves. He's been playing drums since age two, and he's picked up the trumpet and guitar in the last two years. Even though he only started with the electric guitar just over a year ago, it's where he spends most all of his free time these days. This week he was listed as the lead guitar for the Sunday morning kids' services for the first time. He was SO excited. And when he went to rehearsal on Thursday night, Lehr said he was shocked at how well he had prepared himself and how well he played.
So this morning, Eli was at church by 7AM, rehearsing and then playing guitar in two services. Then he returned to the church about an hour later to set up and rehearse for the next week's camp. (At this camp, he'll be playing drums with another worship band.) In total, he was at church for about nine hours, worshiping with two different instruments and two different bands. His passion for those instruments right now is impressive. And in a house where music is king, it warms my soul to see him working so hard on it and holding his own so well.
Ever since Eli was a wee one, Lehr and I have seen advertising for a music camp in our area. The "School of Rock" offers lessons and camps, and appeared to cater to the less traditional music education (which we loved). Between the cost and wanting to make sure he was old enough to really get something out of it, this is the first year we signed up. As expected, Eli chose to sign up for the camp with his electric guitar, rather than drums. What's better is his best friend, Drew, decided to join him (on guitar also) at the last minute.
The boys had a good time through the week, learning some classic rock songs on their guitars. Eli dabbled a little in bass, mainly because they needed someone and he could adapt his skills quickly enough. The week culminated in a concert, showcasing maybe 5 or 6 songs, completely performed by the kids from the camp, including, "Another Brick in the Wall", "Satisfaction", and "Another One Bites the Dust".
Eli enjoyed himself, especially because Drew was there, but we were reminded (again!) how blessed Eli has been to have so much experience already playing with a band (of adults or kids) consistently for the last several years at church. He's able to prepare at home and walk into a band situation, ready to play and work together to make necessary adjustments. This camp is a great way to provide that learning experience for kids, it is just one that Eli has been fortunate enough to have had already.
Tonight was Eli's end-of-year band concert. This year has found him practicing less at home (unfortunately), yet very much expanding his range on the trumpet. So much so that he asked permission to do a solo at Christmas, and when we hear worship songs sometimes he'll lean over and say to me, "If we ever play that at church, I could offer to play the trumpet part."
Tonight's selection was a good one, culminating in a Queen medley. (It made Lehr and I proud that Eli knew all of the Queen songs way before he started playing them in class.)
Eli's love for all things music has continued throughout this year. It's easy for me to forget that he plays the trumpet because he spends so much time playing drums for the church and learning new things on his guitar in his spare time that we rarely hear the horn at home. But he plays the trumpet at least as much because he has band class every day at school. (This kid blows my mind!)
The other night we attended Eli's holiday band concert. He'd been telling me for a little while that he had a solo. While I thought that was really cool, I assumed he had a line in a song the whole band played that he was chosen to lead, or maybe even play alone. But at one point Eli told me his 'solo' was he and a classmate. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect.
After the seventh grade played their first song, their band director called Eli and another student up front. While they were walking through the music stands, the director told the audience that weeks prior, the two boys approached him and asked if they could learn and perform "Deck the Halls" for the concert. The director told them if they wanted to find, learn and practice the song on their own, he would give them a shot to 'preview' it to him the day before the concert to see if he might include it. They did and he did!
Eli and his friend each played different parts for a verse of Deck the Halls, taking turns playing and then playing together and they sounded great!
After ten years of holding our breath every time someone leans on our deck railing, or even steps foot on it, we replaced the whole thing. The project finished last week and we could not be happier. In addition to the awesome stadium stairs, it's flat, open surface lends itself to shows, concerts, performance. This works well since we are a house filled with drama and noise.
Eli has been working on guitar skills for several months now, and this
week he will perform in his school's Talent/Variety Show. In preparation
for that, he gave us our first Concert on the Deck tonight.
Ruby loves everything Eli and Maddux do, and that is true for music too. Last night she kept walking over to his pedal board and trying to step on the pedals like she sees him do. We reminded her over and over to look with her 'eyes, not hands'. At one point she walked to the pedal board again, looked at me and said, "No touch. Eyes. No hands?" When I nodded in agreement, she then pivoted at the waist and got her eyes right up next to the board to 'look with her eyes, not her hands.' (You can see some of this at the very beginning of the video.)
Eli gave us a few listens to his Jimi Hendrix version of The Star-Spangled Banner before he exited the stage. The evening ended with Eli giving a free lesson to one of his shorter groupies.
Eli received the coolest of invitations this summer: the chance to go to Ohio for a week as a praise band member and junior counselor for a summer camp. Beyond that, he would be traveling with a family from church and a few other kids.
Oh, and by kids I mean teenagers. Full on, 15+, all in high school and college teenagers. (Just as a reminder, Eli is 11.)
There is no real worry here; these teenagers are good kids, kids we've seen grow up and kids Lehr has spent a lot of time with in various capacities at church. But it is a whole week (SEVEN days) where Eli will not be with us, and with no means of communication. The mother traveling with them asked if Eli had a device (he doesn't) because she wanted to warn me that he wouldn't have access to call or text because the service at their camp is spotty at best.
The main job Eli had was to play drums in the worship band with the group of kids that he played with for VBX (most of the same songs too). When he wasn't doing that, he was helping the counselors out. I assume that mainly meant comic relief as the ages of kids attending were 3-5th grade. Hopefully that allowed for the campers to be able to related to Eli better since he is barely older and likely not taller.
Eli had a blast. An absolutely amazing time. He was quick to tell us that his curfew was midnight each night, that the campers had to be in their cabins with their counselors at 10, but he and the band and some others got to stay up later around the campfire and playing basketball and whatnot. I think he could have slept for a week when he returned! So much growing up in such a short time!
Ruby loves music. Any music. But when she hears a song that she connects with, she really loves music. And she loves to dance to it. Her taste is all over the map, but she leans towards Adele, Meghan Trainor, and (this week) Let It Go.
This post is from months ago (check the hair!), but I had a hard time publishing the video which is vital to the context! She has since added many songs to her list of favorites...I will get more video soon!
This girl loves music, loves to dance. Just like her brother and sister. Even more though, she has her own favorites when it comes to music, and it often surprises me which songs she leans towards. Ones that get played around the house while we are dancing or in the car while we roll down the windows and rock come as no surprise. But other, more random ones (like "Hello" or "Bad Blood") that don't get anything other than occasional radio play, are less expected.
If you haven't heard of it, Songs for Kids is a cool organization that provides music (entertainment, therapy, whatever you want to call it) for kids that are in the hospital. They come to CHOA/SR twice a week for a morning jam session; Ruby and I have loved this.
Tonight they had a 'concert' in the Zone, and the whole family got to come. The guy singing tonight sang all kinds of fun songs, appealing to both the big kids in the room and Ruby. Of course Ruby was front and center the whole time, swaying, shaking a noise maker, and singing. Near the end, Maddux got over her silliness and sang with the guy singing, both "Happy" and "Twinkle Twinkle".
Good stuff.....Ruby is going to expect a lot of daily entertainment once we return home!
Several months ago, she sang along to Cake's "Going the Distance" by serenading us with "She's all alone. All alone in a pile of leaves!"
This time she's back with jumbled lyrics to one of my favorites:
Outkast's Hey Ya. Yesterday she told me to "Shake it. Shake it. Shake it
like a polar bear picture."
A few times a year the kids cozy up in front of the computer with me and pick some songs to make a new CD for their rooms. Eli's are usually pretty predictable, and they tend to flow somewhat: The Revivalists and Kings of Leon or Jack White and The Black Keys. Maddux's tend to be more random, as one might expect. She will put the Frozen soundtrack in with Butch Walker, for example.
Maddux has all of her previous CDs still in her room, and she cycles through them often. She will put them into her player and always be surprised by what music comes out of the speaker, because she forgets which songs she used to like and used to listen to. Yesterday afternoon she put one in that she hadn't listened to in a long time. This particular CD contained music from Bon Jovi, Cake, and They Might Be Giants. At dinner time, she was singing a few songs back to us. 'Livin' on a Prayer' was a jumbled assortment of words, but 'The Distance' was very, VERY entertaining and awesome. Maddux's rendition went like this:
He's going the distance.
He's going the speed.
She's all alone, all alone in a pile of leaves.
She sang it with a straight face and was genuinely surprised that those weren't the exact lyrics.
As most little girls are these days, Maddux is fully in the know when it comes to Frozen music. She knows the words by heart and sings them multiple times each day. Last week, Lehr turned on the camera and got her singing the snowman song. Unfortunately, he accidentally edited it to replay on the first half of the song, back to back. Good news, bad news: you get to hear her twice, but you have to watch her wipe her nose, scratch her ear, and pick her nose twice.
Eli has played with the worship band a few times at church; several occasions in C3 (the kids' service) and once or twice with Lehr in the main service. This weekend, however, Maddux joined him on stage! She hasn't really expressed much interest in participating in the service so far...even when she was taking keyboard lessons, she preferred to play in her room rather than give a 'concert' to Lehr or I. (Very contradictory to her personality, I know.) But she begged to go to Eli's rehearsal with him since she'd been singing along in the laundry room every time he practiced the songs on the drum set. Lehr obliged, and Eli (ELI!) encouraged her to sing with the vocal team that week because she was good. (ELI said that....shock and awe!)
As it ended up, the only other singer was a mom we know well. She was very patient and encouraging with Maddux, and by the end of the rehearsal, not only did Maddux participate, but she was not scheduled to sing on Sunday as well!!
There were moments of greatness, there were moments of randomness; all in all, Maddux did well for both services. The first service found her wearing her big floppy white hat (no video) and really getting into the hand motions. The second service found her fidgeting a little less, but no more hat. Eli was great, showing how much hard work he'd put in all week.
So so proud of Maddux for taking up this responsibility. So so proud of Eli for showing his sister love in a way he very rarely does.
Sidenote: the week after her debut, Maddux was out on the back deck with her easle....this is what I found later:
