American Aquarium is playing at Off Broadway in St. Louis tonight. One of my favorite bands in my favorite concert bar in St. Louis, so yeah, I’ll be there tonight.

American Aquarium is a band I feel like I kind of grew up with. Not in childhood grew up, but in maturity and life phases grew up. Lead singer BJ Barnham has undergone a transformation of sorts in his career. When BJ the songwriter was partying, I was partying. And I say “as the songwriter” to not be too presumptive, but a good chunk of his music does come across at autobiographical. When BJ was forlorn and bitter, I was forlorn and bitter. When BJ started to figure things out, I started to figure some things out. When he found redemption in the love of the right women, guess what…yep, Sarah found Weez, Weez found redemption.

Ironically enough, it was after our second date I suggested to Sarah she go check out a Turnpike Troubadours show in Indianapolis while she was in town for a convention. She did. She like them, but she really liked the opener…some band from Raleigh, NC. And with that, American Aquarium became “our band”.

So, here are five songs worth listening to to make you a fan.

At some point, I am going to do a Top Five beautifully bitter songs list, and the below video of I Hope He Breaks Your Heart is going to be on it. The intro to this live version is long, but worth it for the backstory.

In fact, if you want a true test of the growth of the songwriter, listen to I Hope… and then immediately follow it with One Day At A Time.

BJ is a big NC State. So, of course, my shirt tonight will be of the baby blue persuasion. The last time I caught American Aquarium at Off Broadway…