Bucket List or Not?

New Album, Hand-Stamped Cover

My first week as a resident of Ann Arbor and I'm walking on icy sidewalks, in the dark, toward a club called Blind Pig, to hear a band.  None of those things were on any of my lists of things to do, once I got to Ann Arbor.  Or on my "Bucket List".  So, I guess I'd have to say a Bucket List can limit, as much as expand, a world of experiences. 

When I was listening to Heidi's, Friday morning show at WCBN, I heard this wonderful blend of music, accompanying this smooth, relaxed voice, singing original songs.  Heidi was interviewing Chris Dupont and his band, Anxious Animal.  When I turned it on, on WCBN, the band was playing live from the station.  After I heard the music, I heard them talking about his first album being completed and the upcoming event at the Blind Pig, celebrating his new album and his tour for the next few months.

I'm honestly not easily impressed by many bands.  My ear likes the music to blend and layer.  Or, I like it to surprise me with splotches of contrast, enough to make me give it a second chance, sit back and feel the surprise.  It's like the music transforms into 3-D, as I feel myself let it become what it is, not what I expect it to be.  

Chris Dupont accomplished this without me consciously letting the sound in.  The instruments, his sincere voice, along with the words, filled in effortlessly where they belong.  I remember a feeling of surprise.  I was in my Trailblazer, in Trader Joe's parking lot.  There was a rain/snow mix outside and I was ready to turn off the car to go inside and get some guacamole humus and sourdough bread.  I couldn't make myself turn off the car and cause the music to stop.  I heard them talk about their upcoming gig at the Blind Pig. 

Chris Dupont

The Blind Pig looks like a dive.  But, seeing the line of people outside on the sidewalk when I walked up, helped make me relax.  It was strange to see most of the people in line ahead of me, showing their ID.  (Probably as strange as it was for them to see me, standing in line, not needing to show mine) They were getting their hand stamped and a wrist band from big, burly-looking man, with tattoos along his arms.  He stood behind a beat up old counter at the entrance.  

The Blind Pig

When I got inside (trying to conceal my discomfort at being in a bar by myself), I found a spot to watch the opening band.  A young girl asked me if I was Sarah's mother.  Sarah's one of the band members.  "No, I'm not her mother", I said, smiling at her.  I grabbed my camera out of my black backpack.  Nice to have my camera-companion along. (my shelter)  I talked to Heidi briefly when I first got there, when I saw her watching the performances. But, I promised myself I wouldn't use her as my shelter while living in Ann Arbor.  

By ten-thirty I was weary.  I was feeling the exhaustion from the move to my new apartment, creep up on me.  I zipped my camera up in my backpack, turned back for one more look at this unique experience and headed out the door, to tackle the slippery sidewalks and the crunchy snow.