Playing in the Band

On a recent Saturday night we had he pleasure of watching our 15 year old niece play bass on a song with our brother-in-law’s band, Overtime. The momentous event took place at my softball team’s sponsor – Kerwin’s Tavern - https://timkerwinstavern.com/ This night was a long time coming thanks to Covid. It had been almost 2 years since the band played, and being at a local place that we spend a lot of time at during softball season was a bonus. Having our niece sit in for a song made it special and got me thinking about how such events make memories for a lifetime.

Seeing her up there with the band reminded me of how time flies, and how it picks up speed as we get older. It also showed how much strong family support means. Not only was she playing in a band with her uncle, but her dad and brother were there along with aunts and uncles and close family friends. She nailed it and the crowd let her know with a rousing ovation! We couldn’t be more proud of her and happy for her.

About the crowd. It was a mix of ages and backgrounds, family and friends of the band, people there to hear live music, and regulars at the bar. Everyone was enjoying the music and having a good time – a testament to music being the common language that unites us all. It was a night of feeling normal after being locked down for so long, and the band fed off that energy to put on a fantastic show.

In addition to family, several members of our softball team were there to support our team captain – and singer/guitarist of the band. It was great to see a bunch of the guys and to catch up a bit on what’s been going on since the end of the season. Our team is not very good, but it is made up of a great group of guys who support each other win or lose and are out on the field to have fun. A good metaphor for how to live a good life.

One thing I’ve learned writing this blog is to look at things in different ways. To many there on that night, it was just a night out at a local bar for a few drinks and some good live music. For me it was a reminder of the power of family and friends to make the ordinary extraordinary just by being there. Yes, the band was great, and the Guinness was tasty, but what made the night special was the intersection of life present in the moment. That is the thing that fond memories are made of, and that sometimes even inspire blog posts.

Addendum: This past weekend we had the pleasure of seeing our niece play in her own band – made up of 12-15 year olds attending a local music school – at Crossroads in Garwood. They put on a fantastic show in front of a packed house full of families and friends. Another reminder of the power of positive relationships to make our lives better.