Wilco, Religion and the Human Experience

When I was going through my “Doors Period” like every red-blooded American teen who’s a fan of music is expected to go through, I did much more than just listen to the tunes of Jim and the boys. I read his poetry, watched old footage, and read every book about them I could find. I remember hearing constantly people describing a Doors concert experience as a “religious experience”. Their guitarist even described it this way saying, “It was a religious experience between us and the audience. We were all together. This sounds ridiculous, but we were all together, the audience and us. They just went crazy. Everybody was together – that was it. It was an incredible feeling of community.”

At the time this intrigued me, but I sure didn’t understand it. In my mind I pictured a bunch of stinky hippies passing a joint, along with a communion plate, singing “How Great Thou Art” after “Light My Fire”. That was as far as I could grasp this idea of “religious experience” at a rock and roll show. I loved the way it sounded, but just wasn’t sure what it meant. Fast forward 20 or so years. I think I can get it now. At least, I can a little. I’ve had a few of those experiences where I was at a show, and the crowd was singing in one voice, the band was passionately pouring out their emotions and it felt like we were all melding into one. It felt like something big was happening. It was as if I’d lost my personal identity and instead had morphed into some bigger existence…one of collective mind, heart, soul and love. Does that make ANY sense? If so, I think THIS was what was meant by the concert as a “religious experience”. I’ve experienced it a few times. Pearl Jam took me there 1st. U2 grooved me through it. Mumford & Sons drove it home. This past week, Wilco lit the fires again!

It was my first chance to see Wilco live. I’ve been a fan since I heard first “Box Full of Letters” in college many years ago. I’ve followed them from varying distances throughout the years. I’ve listened as they’ve grown, expanded and explored. I’ve been fascinated with their lyrics and the relationship they have with the music industry as a whole and with their fans. But, I’d never gotten to see them live.

So last week, at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, I finally got that chance. It did NOT disappoint. Mr. Tweedy and the boys came out and immediately went to work. There was so much to take in. The light show and simple yet lovely stage set was wonderful. The sound was mixed so clean. Jeff was singing with incredible clarity. Guitarist Nels Cline is a freak of nature the way he plays. His passion is so intense that you almost feel you’re viewing an intimate moment between a man and his lover that was not meant for your eyes. The glue of the band in my opinion, bassist John Stirratt was laying down incredibly heavy grooves and harmonic vocals. Everyone else was playing with fervor and passion. It was something special.

So why could I say that it almost felt “religious”? There are many factors involved. The show itself had a ceremonial feeling. The crowd is there and reacting in a reverent, and almost subjective manner. All of the fans in attendance acted like a “good congregation” and respected tradition as well as new material. We responded appropriately when we needed. We laughed at his “is pot legal in CO because it sure smells legal” joke (and boy did it smell VERY legal). We clapped when we were supposed to and whistled when it was our turn. We sang loudly when called upon. It felt like another place I go on Sundays ☺. Everyone was singing together, moving together. It was TOGETHER.

Jeff Tweedy himself has even felt this, once saying “I just find the communal experience of a rock concert, or any type of music performance, achieves a kind of transcendence that I associate with spirituality. It’s the closest thing to what I think people expect church to be like. Or maybe just what I’ve always thought church should be. It’s as close to it as I feel like I’ve gotten. You lose yourself, and at the same time come to the realization or understanding that you’re part of something bigger than yourself. That’s the main function of religion, in my mind.”

Towards the end of the night they played one of my favorites “A Shot in the Arm”. As the crowd and band found themselves screaming together “that maybe all we needed was a shot in the arm”, I got goose bumps. I’m not sure what this song is truly about. You could make an argument for heroin addiction. You could say it’s about an addictive, destructive love. Regardless, NO ONE could say it is not passionate. It was powerful! Something special was happening.

At that moment I felt like I was part of something bigger. God has created every one of us in his image. And we can live together, love together, create together and make beauty. God is in the whispers of all beauty. I truly believe this. And I think he can even be found in a beer soaked and smoke filled ballroom in Denver Colorado. I look forward to church this week……..

2011 Music

I lost my way when it came to writing this year....my resolution is to begin blogging again this year! But until then...here is a simple entry:

My 10 favorite albums of 2011….
10- (Tie) Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues
Explosions in the Sky- take Care, take care, take care
9- Beastie Boys- Hot Sauce Committee II
8-KanyewWest & Jay-Z- Watch the Throne
7- Foster the People- Torches
6- Foo Fighters- Wasting Light
5-Dawes- Nothing is Wrong
4- The Black Keys- El Camino
3-Radiohead- King of Limbs
2-Adele-21
1-Eddie Vedder- Ukelele Songs

JUST TRY IT

I once read in the news that a Bollywood filmmaker has issued a wild challenge to horror movie fans: a $10,000 reward for anyone who can watch his latest supernatural thriller, alone, in a cinema until the closing credits. The director said the film fan who stepped up to the challenge will be wired up to a heart monitoring machine as well as a camera that ensures they keep their eyes open during the whole movie. Readings from the machines will be shown live on a screen outside the cinema, he said, and if the contestant succeeds, staying under a certain heart rate, they will win 500,000 rupees (approximately $10,850)! His claim…. "there is no way one can experience this, and NOT be affected".

I want to see that movie! Have you ever experienced something like a movie or concert and thought "anyone that saw that HAS to be changed. The 1^st time I saw Pearl jam I felt that way! I often approach a big show with this expectation.

But strangely enough, rarely do I approach the inspired word of god like this. Far too often we are scared to share the good news with the world around us. We have come up with a stable of possible excuses to use. We are afraid of being rejected. But the truth of the matter is this: the world WANTS the truth! As I grow older, and more comfortable with sharing my faith and sharing God's word with folks, I am learning how wrong my youthful excuses were. I can say this assuredly; very VERY rarely does anyone reject you when you give them God's word. They want life and they want hope. Believe me, I have found this to be so true!

Stronger than any slasher flick or rockin' gig, God's word changes people. It is so powerful, because the letters you read are more than words! They are alive, and full of power! We are told in Hebrews 4:12 that "the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." When you truly experience this power, we have no choice but to react! The Word of God is powerful to resist temptation, to forgive, to lead, to comfort, to confront, to exhort, and to fill your life with every blessing. The Word answers life's important problems. The Word is alive!

Never fall into the trap that God's word cannot change things. Never be confused that is a a nice book of fairy tales. God's word moves this world! It shakes mountains! And I dare you to truly experience it and not react. Just like the movie director above, I challenge you to sit with it and NOT react. But this reward works differently. Your prize comes not for sitting still. Your prize comes WHEN you react. Your blessings come after you cannot sit still anymore! So get into God's word! Let it change you….and see who the winner is……….

Man...they are sure cute!!!

So, I am trying to get back in the regular habit of blogging...which also includes pictures of my lovely 3 kiddos. Check these out.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL











FUN AROUND THE HOUSE






Yeah...I love 'em!

Soul Worms

SIN WORMS
I ‘m always learning. God is constantly teaching me. Many times, it’s from the mouth of my children. More often than not, it comes from my 6 yr old daughter Merrick. Have you noticed the web worm epidemic in the Valley? They are everywhere. These caterpillars nest in trees and then spin fine webs that take over a branch, and if left unattended, an entire tree. If left alone, they will eventually kill a tree! You can drive anywhere in the valley currently and you’ll see them everywhere! Yesterday in the car Merrick said these words: “Those webs are kinda’ tricky Daddy. Because when you look at them, they are actually quite beautiful, but REALLY, they are slowly killing everything”. I smiled, acknowledged her, and then bowed my head in the spiritual truth spoken from her tiny lips.
Isn’t that how the lies of sin work? Think about it. Sin, at it’s simplest form looks SO beautiful to us. If it didn’t, we would never struggle with it! On the surface, it looks SO lovely. It is shiny, and glamourous, and we can easily be fooled into thinking it is in fact “BEAUTIFUL”. But, if left unattended, it quickly takes over our entire lives, and before we even realize it, that which was once so beautiful has now killed us!
Satan is the father of lies. He is dying to deceive each and every one of us. But I have good news. God is TRUTH. And He wants to redeem us. The enemy came to kill, steal and destroy, but our God came to give us life abundant!!!
As I’ve researched how to deal with my worm problem, I’ve discovered that most of the time, if a tree is taken care of and ridded of these pests, it will recover. You and I are no different. We can recover too. We can turn around. We can get rid of our “infestations”, and God assures us that we can recover. But, we have to spot the problem first, and we have to get rid of it.
That is our prayer. May we all see the truth behind the lies like my daughter. May we all have the courage to get rid of it, and find the only true beauty in this world, which never deceives…the salvation of Jesus Christ.

Life and Proms

Last week I was asked to DJ a wedding. Having all kinds of music on my laptop, and friends with some good sound equipment I could borrow, it seemed like a simple request. All I had to do was suffer through a few hours of truly atrocious modern tunes by Katy Perry, Usher and the likes, and I could earn a little cash. Sounds pretty simple huh?
It was pretty simple for the most part. The catch was that it was for a small charter school organization of home schooled kids. It was run by a conservative group of individuals. The administrator and teachers had decided these kids deserved a prom…you know it being an American right of passage and all ☺. So……….it was a little trickier than expected. I had visions of Footloose…….visions where I’d be pumping the jams, then mid Flo Rida, in would burst John Lithgow in a sweaty fervor condemning me to hell…………..
But. I pressed on, determined to give these kids the night of their life. Yet, I was also a little intimidated by the unfair stereotypical picture of the event I had painted in my head. Pressing on, I drove to the town, found the little community center and entered into the great abyss (wishing that Kevin Bacon could have been with me) not knowing what would come next. It looked very nice inside. There was a lovely wood dance floor, several candlelit tables, a gorgeous old chandelier and white Christmas lights strewn about…it looked like a nice little prom! I met the lady in charge, and began setting up.
The night started slowly. As we waited for the kids to flow in, I played a setlist that I had put together with the clever title: “pre-prom and dinner”. It consisted of classics by Tony Bennett, Frankie Blue Eyes, Swell Season, etc…..mellow and nice. The adults CLEARLY liked this! A few kids came in….some as couples and one or two as singles (turns out, most of them were waiting on dates…a little different than most proms). And we waited, and waited……..the tunes still played “Moon River”, “Such Great Heights”, “Love Me Tender”……….and still we waited. Soon it became painfully clear that this was ALL that was coming. So the small (I mean SMALL) crowd convened for dinner (they did give me a really nice prime rib dinner). The mellow tunes continued and all were happy.
Finally as I sensed they were done with dinner and ready for something else, but not quite sure how to “get the party started” I made my way to the DJ Table and set it off! I wish I could describe the adults faces as the tunes subtly changed from Michael Buble to “Apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur……” ☺
But, the kids got out there on the floor! The tiny group gathered and tried as best as they could to get their young rhythmically challenged ,caucasian bodies to move with the computerized, autotuned dribble that they requested. It was very sweet, and a little sad. But man..they went for it! I was impressed. They were determined to make the most of this! Even if their intellect and arms couldn’t sync quite perfectly to spell YMCA with their appendages, they were surely trying………….and they were smiling the whole time.
The adults sat nearby watching, clearly confused as to how “the DJ had them fallin’ in love again” and just exactly what a “G6” is. At one point the head administrator came over to make small talk…….but it was clear he was checking out the playlist (which his own teacher had sent me as given to her by a student) for questionable content. But the party kept going for the kids who clearly understood the deep mysteries of Ke$ha and Gaga. After five or so truly life changing jams, it was time for the inevitable slow dance. The first offering of the night brought to light a problem: there was one lonely girl without a date. She was just so cute. As the couples awkwardly scooted around (and actually a few waltzed quite nicely thanks to the songs ¾ timing) the floor, I was captivated with this young lady. In all truth it broke my heart. She swayed uncomfortably, with a forced smile on the sidelines. It was clear that she so badly wanted to be swept off her feet. I thought hard about asking her to dance myself…but decided against it (for fear of a possible mace attack accompanied by screams of “stranger danger”). Yet I watched her and could almost hear the struggle inside of her. It was gut wrenching and I was faced with a tough decision. Should I keep the next song lined up, which was also a slow dance, or should I show mercy to this beautiful loner? I wrestled with this and like the dad in the old tale of the train conductor with a son stuck on the tracks, I chose in favor of the masses..despite every urge to do otherwise.
So as the Paramore ditty started I saw something incredible happen. A young man (who was clearly the cool alpha male of the party) noticed the young lady. He proceeded to whisper something in his girls ear, who then stood back, smiled and kissed his cheek, and walked off. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I had the best seat in the house and was seeing this through! What he did next gave me chills. He walked over to the girl by herself and held out his hand. She looked, and then hesitated. He smiled and said "let’s dance”. A smile the size of the Rogue River spread from check to cheek and she giddily grabbed his hand. The young man’s girlfriend took a seat as her man danced around the floor with this girl.
WOW! Who says chivalry is dead!?!?!? In all truth, my eyes welled with tears. I was sure this would not take place at any “normal” prom. It was such a visible display of kindess and grace. I just wanted to hug that fella’. The rest of the night, she was included in most every song. She still stayed awkwardly in the margins at times, but she no longer looked so alone. It was amazing.
As the night wore on I was able to see and learn a lot. I was reminded of how hard it was to be that age. You could tell they wanted to act mature, yet at the same time wanted to jump around and be silly like kids. There was clear confusion as to what was their exact role, and you could almost smell the fear of the uncertain future. There were very awkward caresses and even tiny kisses. The horrible and awkward sexual tension that is so present at this age choked the air. I remembered how hard that was. I recalled how scary that was. I watched as they literally teetered on the cliff between youth and adulthood. And as two teens gazed into each others eyes and swore life long devotion as they sang the words of Bruno Mars to one another………I felt for them. I wanted to tell each one that they were going to be okay. That yes…life is hard and right now is confusing…but they were going to be ok!
I think many times we belittle teens, not even meaning to. We treat them with attitudes that imply “stop whining. You have it MADE right now. You have NO CLUE what real stress is like. Wait until you have diapers to change and mortgages to balance with buying new soccer cleats and THEN talk to me about difficult life decisions…”. We act as if they have it SO EASY. I was reminded that these kids have anything BUT the simple life. They have issues MUCH bigger than we credit them with. Cures for “bacne” and the newest Call of Duty games are not their only concerns. These young people face real issues and really tough decisions. I hope that we honor them, validate that and support them as they grow into the adults God created them to be.
It was a fun night. It really touched me. I pray that each of these kids has a blessed life. May they never lose the spirit to try and dance even when you cant! May they always continue to try and include those who have no one, and may they always continue to smile. I pray that heir lives are…in the immortal words of the great poet of their generation, Taio Cruz……….dynamite!!!!!!!

Rock on young people………….the world is your oyster.

Daddy Daughter Dance

Saturday night was a special one in our family. Our church was hosting its' first "Daddy/Daughter Dance". My 5 yr old daughter Merrick could not have been more excited! She had her dressed picked out in advance and was giddy with excitement. I couldn't help but feel this excitement as well. I wanted the evening to be ALL about her. I even ordered her a wrist corsage.
So she got dolled up and even got to wear lipstick (which was a BIG deal) and we took off. I cannot explain the joy I felt watching her. She was floating on air. She was beaming from ear to ear. She couldn't have been more excited. As we got into the car I asked her "Will you join me for a night of dining and dancing?" She smiled huge and then added, in a funny accented voice..... "And hopefully a little bit of drinkin'....." I laughed out loud, a little confused. She then followed with "yeah.....I am REALLY hoping that they have punch!" Can you GET any cuter than that?
As we entered our simple church's fellowship hall I was blown away at how it looked. It was covered with pink lace and ribbon and Christmas lights. Tables for 4 were scattered about elegantly covered with candles and flowers. The floor (and the girls liked this best) was blanketed in pink and purple balloons. We were ushered to the photo area for our photgraph. (we even got that in a keepsake frame at the end of it all)
The night was perfect. We shared a nice meal, listened to a brief presentation on the blessing of a Father/Daughter relationship, and then the dancing began. Man it was FUN! Merrick is the energizer bunny! We danced and laughed and danced and laughed. We scooted around to oldies, Cyndi Lauper and other crowd faves. We threw in some Hokey-Pokey and Chicken Dance action for fun! In between the dances were prize give-aways and silly games that the girls loved.
The night ended with a slow dance. Of course they went straight for the jugular with the song of choice being Steven Curtis' Chapman's "Cinderella". If you have never heard it and have a daughter...be warned!!!! :) It was so special. I picked up my angel and held her as tight as I could. Tears were streaming down almost every face in the place...in fact they are streaming down mine again just thinking about it. I hugged my baby and kissed her and promised her that I would always love her. It was a beautiful moment.
I am so thankful to Marcie Dixon for putting this together. It was done wonderfully. I will never forget it and look forward to next year already.
I am so thankful for my Merr Bear. She is a special soul who I love with all my heart.