Letting go...

...of old concert T-shirts. There's this really great girl at work that's unbelievably cool. She's very talented in the artsy/creative/clothes designing sort of way. She said something about designing stuff with old concert T-shirts. I've got a closet full of them and I don't wear them anymore as most of them don't fit any more. I don't see myself doing much with them in the future and I figured this is a great opportunity to clean out the closet a bit. Although it makes perfect sense...it was still a little tough. The shirts brought back a lot of great memories (Bettie Serveert, Einsturzende Neubauten, X, Gary Numan, Bauhaus, the Damned, Stereolab, Midnight Oil, Sonic Youth, Geggy Tah, Nick Cave, Shane MacGowan, etc.). Those shirts represent a great time of my life. I could keep them and take up space...or I could be strong...and let them go. I didn't come to tears, but I did stop to reflect a bit. My concert-going has slowed down exponentially as my free- ticket and backstage pass days have long since disappeared. There was a time in my life when I used to go to at least a show a week (really). The college radio days are gone and I've gotten older. It takes a lot more to get me to go to a show these days. Partially, it's because there are far fewer shows worth seeing these days. Largely, though, it's "I have to work in the morning", "I just got out of work", "Tickets are how much?", "Who's opening?", "When do the doors open?", and most importantly, "Are there seats?". I've gotten to the age where I'd much rather sit for a show than get crushed up front by f'in 18 year old moshers and stage divers. I can still completely "rock out" from a sitting position. In fact, I think I'm more likely to capture that moment of musical bliss from a seated position. I'd prefer if I could see the stage, but as long as my ears are tuned in on an ethereal show it doesn't really matter anymore. I've been to literally hundreds of concerts, but I didn't buy many T-shirts. The shirts I bought were typically from favorite and bigger acts. Acts that meant something to me at the time. I've already gotten rid of a few shirts, but most of them were just worn out. I've also passed my days of "wearing concert Tees everyday" phase of life. I may whip one out on occasion. I might even be that lame guy that wears the shirt of the band he's going to see. But it's different now, as far as I'm concerned.

I went to see "X" about a year and half ago at the Emerald Theater. I wore my shirt from the "Hey Zeus" tour about 10 years prior. I saw a few "older" folks in the crowd with the same shirt. We gave each other a respectful nod and enjoyed one of punk's greatest bands reunited while the "new school punks" thrashed around to a band they've never heard or heard of before. Bloody f'in wankers! There was the obligatory mosh pit filled with a bunch of just-post-pubescent tossers spazzing around like epilectics on Ecstasy (no offense to epilectics). The type that slam-dance to Ashlee Simpson (she's so punk), Sum 41, Blink 182, Good Charlotte, and the rest of that drivelous shite. We old-schoolers could so kick your ass if wasn't for the effort involved and the beer we don't want to spill (there's no sense in being wasteful). (There was a similar scenario when I was at the Limelight in New York in 1994. In this case I noticed how Detroit moshers/slam-dancers were a lot tougher than New York moshers/slam-dancers. We Detroiters do have a reputation to uphold, you know.)Don't get me wrong...I listen to tons of new music, but the "new" punk is pure pablum. It's pop. It's poop. Luckily there are still some dinosaurs around (ie. Mission of Burma) to teach the youngsters a lession in "Shut the fuck up!".

Okay...I rambled a bit. Back to the T-shirts. So, I've officially retired many of my concert T-shirts like a pro-athlete retires his/her jersey. Does that make me a grown up? Don't be embarassed to be that guy/girl who wears the shirt of the band they're going to see. It officially makes you "old school" and allows you to sit down for a show. (Although, I was front row, two feet away from Billy Zoom for the "X" concert. It was "X" for chris'sake!) I still have my wicked-cool painted leather jacket from "back in the day". I'll hold on to that forever with the rest of my rock n' roll memories.

Today's wine recommendation- 2003 Clos de los Siete $14.99
This is an awesome blend of 40% malbec, 20% merlot, 20% cabernet sauvignon, and 20% syrah from Mendoza in Argentina. The project is managed by the wholly capable and talented Michel Rolland. The intriguing blend has a beautiful nose of blackberry, dark chocolate, violet, and pencil lead. This full-bodied red has expressive notes of blackberry, black currant, mineral, and espresso with subtle leather and loam. The tannins are firm and the finish is moderately long. This blockbuster red has lots of backbone and is a steal for it's very modest price. This is one of the few "inexpensive" reds that I think will hold up to long-term cellaring Buy at least a case and hold on to a few bottles for 5 or 10 years for a fun vinuous experiment.

Until the next bottle...
Cheers,
Jason