Well, here we are – amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. And while I do feel worried in certain aspects, especially HOW fast that bastard has been spreading, and actually belong into the group of “risk patients” (multiple lung infections will do that to you …), I am doing my best to simply not freak out. I have yet to unplug entirely from social media, but at the same time, I’d like to be informed. If it gets too much, I’ll just … pause. What baffles me, however, is what on Earth people are panic buying TOILET PAPER for? Like, you know, there should be other things to stock at home as opposed to toilet paper, but then again, what do I know? The local supermarket I usually go to re-stocked the toilet paper shelves on Friday, and a good 24hrs later, they were empty again, and I was like, WTAF, folks?? Other shelves at times look like they’d been raided in case the Apocalypse is on us.
So yeah, aside from the fact that I have absolutely ZERO chill and am reading Stephen King’s “The Stand” right now (yeah, my cynical, sarcastic ass will get me into severe trouble one day …), I’ll just remain calm and collected in regards to the mass hysteria and do my part in regards to #flattenthecurve. The last thing I’d need in this is anxiety shooting through the roof and being rather helpless about it. The upside? This whole thing of avoiding human interaction by means of social isolating is actually something I, as an introvert, am basically a pro at. I have been doing that for ages, in a way. I am sure I’ll always find something to entertain myself with, so there.
Meanwhile …
There are, even in lockdown modus and all, things I still greatly enjoy, things that give me something to hold on to in this trying time. Since the sports are obviously also cancelled until further notice, I am mostly favoring my lovely neighbors with some good music. Which consequently led to me re-decorating the wall next to my bed the other day.
I had gotten my greedy paws on a shiny, brandnew poster advertising the BAND! concert here in Berlin on December 3, and since I still had some smaller, two of them signed, posters of the lads, I decided to get going. Set lists, not just of BURY TOMORROW, but other bands as well, a ticket, pictures, and some other, smaller sized concert posters of another band called BLOOD YOUTH. They were one of the opening acts on the last BAND! tour, and while I thought back then that they were rather decent, I now have a full blown, entirely unhealthy obsession with them. Basically, that was one of the LAST things I needed, another band to obsess over, but what-the-fuck-ever, they keep me happy, so there.
Plus, if I can relate to what is being said in the lyrics, I’m S.O.L.D., anyway, and I more often than not find inspiration in lyrics, or bands – as well as certain athletes. Which is why I kept a bit of Julian Edelman around on the Wall of Fame, too. (Also, leave my obsession with glow in the dark stars alone, kthxbye.) It was acutally a lot of fun to re-decorate, as I had to find out where to place which poster or photo, so the spaces in between wouldn’t be too ridiculously big. Well, I am really satisfied with how it came out, and my love for jigsaw puzzles definitely helped as well. 😉 My main inspirations rolled into one here, ha!
While I was browsing Facebook etc. to find out more about BLOOD YOUTH, I came across this quote by Kaya (their frontman), and well, the dude NAILED. IT.
“The past 6 months has taught me that it’s essential to focus on what makes us happy. Sometimes you just have to step away to realise what that is.”
(He had left the UK to live in Barcelona for a while, totally had given up on music, was unhappy, and then a friend of his came to the rescue and asked him if he was up to being the frontman of a new band project. NGL, one of their songs reminded me of a free verse poem I wrote aeons ago, structure-wise, that is, and I do miss creative writing. *sigh*)
The part about it being “essential to focus on what makes us happy” couldn’t be any more true these days. What keeps me going right now is the fact that the new BAND! album is about to drop next month (pretty much to the date when I saw them for the first time ever six years ago … WHAT!?), and judging from the first three songs they have released so far, it is going to fuck me up emotionally in a way that is entirely unprecedented. AND I AM HERE FOR THIS!! Sure enough, the lads also released some tour dates this summer, but none in Berlin. The closest venue would be Bremen, and my crazy ass did the only logical thing here: trying to find out if it’s in any way possible to travel to Bremen to see them. Which would also be Round 10.
I told my friend about my plan to head to a different city for the lads, and then one thing led to another, and the two of us will be going there together. It’s going to be EPIC for sure. Not only will I be re-united with the Homies, but I am absolutely STOKED to introduce my friend to those five dorks who are my inspirations, my saviors, who’ve made my life much more enjoyable with their kindness, the way they treat their fans, their music … I am so absolutely THANKFUL for every damn second I got to spend with them. The hugs. The chats. The smiles. All that. It means the fucking WORLD to me! (And this is also why I at times give them some prezzies, just to give back. There.)
My friend has yet to see them for the first time, but she’s super eager to tag along, as she’s always super happy for me when I am back from another BAND! gig and tell her what went down this time around. Happiness doubles when shared … no? Let’s just hope that Covid-19 won’t be a party pooper anymore then!
So yeah. The prospect of some BAND! (in addition, BLOOD YOUTH are also in the studio recording their 3rd album … YASSS!!) is something I am excitedly looking forward to. My mental health has been all over the place again recently, but I keep hanging on. Even IF it is exhausting as well. But y’all know that. However, having a gig by the absolute favs lined up, being in my Happy!Place (well, one of them, that is), headbanging, singing along (including The Riff on “The Age” 😉 ) and all that … it’s what makes this difficult time much more bearable. It gives me something to hold on to.
And ultimately, that cannot be a bad thing, right?
Ocean Soul 