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| Snail Mail by Rose Lamela |
Rock Star Dreams
Words and Pictures by Rose Lamela
A typical Friday night for me in the winter is a Netflix marathon or maybe dinner with some friends if it's not too cold. That was last year though. This year, I sometimes go to live shows with an over-packed bag and a press pass waiting at the door. This Friday was a lucky one. I got in my car with a bit of a nostalgic feeling and headed to Jersey City.
The traffic was a little crazy but the parking GODS have been nothing but sweet to me this year. Listening to "Thinning" on repeat got me going, and I walked towards one of my favorite venues. There was a bit of a line in front as it was a sold-out show. I always love listening to the fans talk about their music interests; and, for this show, the discussion of going back home for Christmas was sweeping through the young crowd. It was cool to see Lindsey Jordan outside greeting some fans up front. I do enjoy the humility of the young music scene. I never know how famous they really are, and I always wonder if they think about it, too. I have been hearing about Snail Mail all year. I finally made it to their Friday night show at White Eagle Hall.
As I walked in, I realized the difference a year has made. The first time I came to this venue, my nerves were through the roof. Will they have the press pass? Will I get to the front? Will I get the photos I need? I walked in there feeling like this is part of my life now. The confidence of getting the pass, knowing I'll make it to the front, and the photos will come as the love of being a photographer has increased and the nerves have dwindled.
It was a friendly audience which always makes the show experience so much better. The audience welcomed Why Bonnie to the stage. I had never heard of them before, but I was pleasantly surprised with their performance. The lead singer, Blair Howerton, reminded me a bit of Beth Orton. She came out wearing a winter coat and told us that the Jersey winter is not something this Austin band was used to. They played songs from this year's NightGown. I especially like the song "Gold Rush," which I only know because I listened to their album on the way home.
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| Why Bonnie |
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| Why Bonnie |
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| Why Bonnie |
After watching the stage crew hard at work as usual, Lindsey Jordan came out with Snail Mail. She, unfortunately, had some technical issues. She could have ruined the whole show with what seemed to be a very frustrating situation, but she powered through as the band jammed out to fill some of the time to fix them. Jordan made some funny commentary which helped the audience connect with her through the experience that must have been so nerve racking. I was amused at the fact that she couldn't hear how good her voice sounded to her fans.
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| Snail Mail |
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| Snail Mail |
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| Snail Mail |
Every song Snail Mail played from their two releases made the crowd cheer on the first few notes. Her songs about teenage angst and relationships reminded me alot of being in high school, except that I could never put it into lyrics the way she does. I especially can relate to song "Speaking Terms," and it seemed -- from the looks in the crowd -- I was not the only one. She gave a shoutout to "Gay Love" and equal rights. A warm feeling came over me that she can do that at 18 years old which, for many of us older folks, was only a pipedream.
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| Snail Mail |
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| Snail Mail |
I packed my stuff up, and wandered off into the mild winter night. The Parking GODS rock, but my sense of direction is the price I have to pay for that. I wandered for a bit but found the car, found some music, and drove home.
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| Snail Mail |
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| Snail Mail |
I thought of how hard it must be to make it in the music industry and what does that really mean for many of these artists. For someone like Lindsey Jordan being so young and selling out shows, it must be euphoric. I thought about how I once wanted to be a rock star, and how I played local coffee shops which I filled with my break-up songs. I never thought I would be a photographer back then. Having the opportunity to be part of a music scene and to capture moments of their experiences was never a thought of mine at 18. I smiled to myself and thought, "I'm OK with the retired rock star plans as this plan seems to fit way better."
The Snail Mail tour rolls on (and on). You can see all of Rosi's pictures from Friday over at Flickr.
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