MUSIC, FRIENDSHIP & LIFELONG CONNECTIONS: A NIGHT WITH EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY

There are certain people in my life – and I’m sure in everyone’s life – that no matter how much time has passed since talking or hanging out, or how much lives have changed, when I reconnect with these people, everything feels right, like nothing has changed. It feels easy, like we haven’t spent a day without talking. These are the special people. These are the people that as you get older, you cherish. When we’re young we have a lot of friends. As we get older – if we’re lucky – we have a smaller, but closer group of friends.

The guys in Explosions In t he Sky seem to have this type of relationship. When they were younger, when they first started their band, they spent almost all of their time together. After forming the band in Austin in 2000, they released six studio albums by 2011. Then life started to intervene. Marriage, mileage and parenthood were adult realities that creeped into their lives. Since 2011 EITS released only one album until last month when they released their eighth studio album, End.

In an interview with SPIN, guitarist and keyboardist, Munaf Rayani, says,

20-some-odd years down the road, when you’re not in each other’s company every day, your tastes change, and may not completely line up with each other anymore, but at the core of that, the frequency is still in perfect pitch. That’s what’s thrilling about this thing of ours, that the four of us are constantly reminded that when we’re away from each other, it can feel a little bit far, but in those moments that we get to be together, there’s something powerful amongst the four of us.

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On the second night of two sold out shows at the 9:30 Club –the only shows on the tour that sold out –the boys from Texas switched up the setlist from the night before and only repeated four songs. Both nights ending with the 10-minute, “The Only Moment We Were Alone”.

I arrived right before the supporting band went on. And, thankfully, I did. The Experience Ban d was nothing short of amazing. The energy, positivity, and gratefulness that dripped from the stage was undeniable. The Real Trombone King, aka Travis Garder, repeated how thankful and proud they were to be playing at the venerable 9:30 Club. “We came from the streets to now playing in front of a sold-out 9:30 Club!”

The funky band from DC was one of the acts that reinforces my belief that you should never miss the opener. I have discovered some of my favorite bands that way. White Denim was opening for Arctic Monkeys. Delta Spirit for The Shins. Black Joe Lewis for Gomez.

Pro tip from someone who attends a lot of concerts –get there for the opener. You just might find your next favorite band.

My friend Ryan introduced me to Explosions In the Sky almost ten years ago, and the cinematic music that these dudes make have held a special place in my life since then. When I want to focus, concentrate, get shit done…I listen to their music.

There are certain people in my life – and I hope in yours – that it doesn’t matter how long it has been, everything will always feel right. Watching EITS on stage reminded me of any time I see Justin, or Ray, or Noel, or Missy, it never matters how long it has been, or how much we have changed, we’ll always be friends. True friends.