Hello friends. So, my family has been without power since 6:47am Friday morning and we are among the lucky ones - we are all ok and have just been viewing it as a camping trip in our own house! Hurricane Helene came in hard and left devastation in its wake. Flooding, trees down everywhere, power lines just thrown across roads in all directions, damage to cars, to houses, to lives.
It is a mess. Power is likely to be out until this Friday (which would be a week in the dark).
The one genuine highlight in this madness was the Norma Jean show last night here in town. That it even happened was stunning. The original venue is still without power and so at the very last minute (like a few hours before showtime) a different, much smaller and intimate, venue agreed to honor the tickets and put on the show. Metal/Hardcore shows like that are always a release from the everyday, but in the present circumstances, it was a like a breath of fresh air on a muggy day. It made me think that maybe Schopenhauer was on to something when he claimed that music allows for a type of release from worldly troubles that facilitates joy in the face of despair.
What made the show even more exciting was that it was my son’s 15th birthday. I had bought Atticus tickets (for he and a friend, and I) all to go together. Atticus is the fool with his tongue hanging out throwing the horns!
Having just had eye surgery, I was unable to partake in the mayhem, shall we say, and instead hung out with the “old guys” at the back of the venue out of range of the random arm swing from the mosh pit. However, since Atticus has now been to a couple shows, he informed me that he was planning to “go in” once the pit started forming. And he did!!!!
Facilitated by the intimate venue, and that there really isn’t any “stage” to speak of, Atticus was able to get on the front row face to face with the lead singer of Norma Jean. Atticus is on the right in this pic:
Here is my favorite video from the night (although I was in front of the house speakers and so the vocals are a little low since most of what you are hearing here is from the on stage wedges). But, it will give you a good taste of the feel of the amazing night (and The Almighty Norma Jean!).
Anyway, I apologize for not having this Music Mondays up for you this morning, but again . . . no power. Ugh. I am now outside a Chick-fil-A, which does have power, using their wi-fi so I can get this posted. hahaha.
Well, for your listening pleasure—and to remind those of you who are currently taking electric lights for granted wherever you are—here are three tracks that might get you in the right mindset.
SNAP! - “The Power”
Public Enemy - “Fight the Power”
Rage Against the Machine - “Take the Power Back”
It is strange how much our lives depend on “power” from others - whether civil authorities, private companies, or even relational investment. One of the great subtexts of the past week of widespread misery in this part of the country is the near constant concern for each other being shown by neighbors. Whether or not we agree on all sorts of stuff, everything goes away (at least momentarily) in favor of the solidarity of that emerges in light of the vulnerability defining the human condition.
Without power, people started walking down the block to check on each other.
Without power, people started having to talk to each other instead of ignoring each other while looking at screens.
Without power, people started to realize their interdependence and the false idol that is radical liberal individualism.
These traces of transcendence that show up in the most essentially embodied moments of our lived experience do not “justify” or “offset” the misery and suffering experienced by so many during this storm. However, they do stand as markers to what is possible for us. We do not have to be so afraid of each other. We do not have to see each other primarily as competitors. We do not have to see everything as a battle. Sometimes, when the power goes out, we remember to see each other as people, like us, afraid of the dark and groping around for just a bit of light by which to see.
So, wherever you are today, and hopefully before these days of neighborliness give way to absolute chaos and the apocalyptic horror-show that will likely ensue if the power stays out many more days, sigh, I hope that you will take a moment to think about the “power” of relationships, of community, and of hope.
I love that at the end of the Norma Jean show, one of the guitarists took off his instrument and put his hands up as if to show that gratitude remains at the end of things.
Yesssssss!
If you are reading this from anywhere affected by the storm, let me hear from you. Are you ok? Is there anyway we can help each other? I am making this post public for everyone so that we can share together in ways that might help us all keep moving forward. Why sit when we can stand? Why stand still when we can walk? Why walk when we can dance? Even if you are not interested in coming in the circle pit with my son, ha! I am so proud!, skipping down the street is still worthwhile!
Let’s dance together and talk along the way.
Aaron,
I enjoyed your “without power” observations in Music Mondays, especially the final pithy and articulate summary—
“Without power, people started to realize their interdependence and the false idol that is radical liberal individualism.”
We have, in the US more than anywhere, a false idolatry where our lone cowboy fantasies of rugged individualism are concerned. Combine this distorted notion with our dependence on every new tecno-gadget that comes along, and you get a boatload of irony.
Of course, yes, I have chargeable cellphone chargers at home myself. I mean, certainly I can’t be expected to write letters from a disaster zone with no transportation. Maybe I need a ham radio…
Love it!! I'm so glad he got up close and personal too!
I thought I had your number saved, Akif said Adora Childcare in Simpsonville had power if anyone needed it...We just got our power back on yesterday and we too treated it like a camping trip at the house.