When the Room Sings: Collective Effervescence and the Flow of Live Music

I’ve often said live music is my happy place. Turns out, there is a concept that explains this. Collective effervescence. It’s not just a turn of phrase. There’s something about being in a small, packed venue, shoulder to shoulder with a few hundred strangers, where the only thing that matters is the sound in the room and the feeling in your chest. In those moments, I’m not thinking about deadlines or bills or whatever’s buzzing on my phone. I’m in it. Fully. It’s one of the few places I consistently slip into a flow state, that sense of total presence … Continue reading When the Room Sings: Collective Effervescence and the Flow of Live Music

Concert Review: American Aquarium

American Aquarium returned to Off Broadway in St. Louis Monday night. Being a school night, the show did not sell out, but the room was full, and the energy on the stage was still high. A few years ago, I made the prediction lead singer BJ Barham was about to “Isbell the shit out of sobriety”. He just celebrated five years sober recently. And I am happy to report I was not wrong. The song writing has gone to another level, much like Jason’s did when he cleaned up. BJ can’t match Isbell’s vocals, what i call the soaring and … Continue reading Concert Review: American Aquarium