Who: O.A.R.
When: May 12, 2014
Where: Creative Live Studios/ San Francisco, CA
With: The band, like 6' from me
Of Note: You win this one San Francisco; you win this one. Also, you can buy this session! Click here, pay $10 (most of which goes to O.A.R.'s Heard the World Charity!) and play "Spot Jen in the audience!"
Okay, so I've been seeing O.A.R. for a long time; they make me feel like college and summer in Buffalo and like I want to be wrapped up in a warm blanket of Marc's voice and live there. (How is it possible that I've only written about 3 O.A.R. shows? I've seen them at least two dozen times. File under things to rectify, I guess.) Anyway, O.A.R. played three shows at the Independent one May week-end in SF. And in the week leading up to that week-end, they tossed up a Facebook post that said, "We're doing a live stream on Monday and the first ten people who comment get to come." I was one of the first ten to respond and so, on a Monday during my lunch from work, I sat it a room with O.A.R. and like 18 other people and very quietly tried to keep it together because, "HOLY CRAP THAT IS THE BAND RIGHT THERE SO VERY CLOSE TO ME."
(It's a good thing I don't often get to meet the people I'm a fan of because holy crap, I am not very cool about it.)
And now, let me tell you about the coolest lunch break ever.
After an opening segment of one of the home movies promoting their new Rockville EP and some introductory remarks from their manager/moderator, O.A.R. kicked things off by performing 'Peace'. Intrepid readers will remember that I first saw this song performed in Arizona this past January and fell in love with it immediately. What I noted about it then is amplified about seventeen million times in such a small space. So much emotion, so much earnestness. All acoustic guitars and little shaker thing and it kind of made me want to cry because... well, who doesn't want love and us and peace? (Reign it in Levanduski, keep yourself together.)
And then, they started to talk about their new record and told stories about how they got started and how they made it in the music business. It was so cool to "pay attention to the man behind the curtain", so to speak. Marc told a story about how when you start playing music, you make it for yourself. And then you get some commercial success, you make music that you think will continue your commercial success (whether that's intentional or not) and how on their upcoming album, they're back to music for themselves.
One of the most interesting things they talked about was how they all picked a college based on how to make the band successful - they wanted to go somewhere with a huge audience, a lot of music venues, and to build their name and make their music (Smart customer acquisition and great music? Swoon!) They also talked about how the internet played a big part in building their fanbase - Napster spread their music which meant they had more people show up to shows, lending credibility. When you think about it that was a one in a million lightning in a bottle opportunity. I mean, I remember having four versions of 'Crazy Game of Poker' from Napster/Resnetster/Limewire - but they probably could not have spread as quickly to that target audience of college students without that technology.
Another new song that they played was 'We'll Pick Up Where We Left Off' - a song about those people that you see at Thanksgiving break and it's not, "Why haven't you called?" but it's about those people that you don't have to catch up with - those people that are part of you no matter how long it's been. For me, this is such a smart emotion for O.A.R. to play on because, their music is so evocative of a specific place and time (I imagine this isn't just me). It's almost like I can pick up where I left off with the band and there's no difference between listening to 'Hey Girl' in my college dorm or 'Peace' in my grown-up apartment. Plus, it's lyrically a great song.
One of my other favorite stories they told was the progression of audiences they've seen. The question started as "What's the craziest thing you've seen at a show?" They told stories about playing college shows when they were in college and the crowds were crazy and everyone was crowd-surfing and fighting and spilling beer and whatnot. And then one day they looked out at the crowd and said, "Hey, where are all the college kids?" - like their audience had grown up with them.
They also answered a question about whether they prefer to play newer songs or older songs and while the answer was what you would expect - love to try out the new stuff and see what works but there's nothing better than standing on stage and (strums first chord to 'Heard the World' dramatically) and watching everyone in the front row lose it - I finally got an answer to a question I've asked myself pretty much every time I've ever seen them. They're not sick of playing 'Crazy Game of Poker'; it's actually (still!) Marc's favorite song to play. Think about that - they've been playing that song for 15+ years and they still love it? That's amazing.
Then it was time for 'Shattered' with a story about how having a "hit song" changed things for them (Which, how hilarious is it that I didn't realize this was their "hit song"? I've been listening to all their stuff for so long that I discerned no difference in level of exposure.), an inspirational message about setting goals and achieving them, and a performance of 'Heaven', which was just lovely.
When the recording was over, we had the opportunity to ask some questions of the band. I asked what their favorite cover was to play. (Yes, I talked to them. They answered me. It was amazing. I am so uncool.) Chris (drums) gave the answer I was looking for which was 'Sunday, Bloody Sunday' (if mp3s could wear out, I'm pretty sure I demolished this one). Other answers included 'Fool On the Hill' and 'Downeaster Alexa'.
Then it was time to go (sniff). I ran into Chris and Jerry as I was walking out and they were headed back in the office and I thanked them for their time and was hopefully only a 4 on the dweeb scale. What a treat this was, hearing the "Behind the Music" from a band I've been listening to for more then a decade. Thanks CreativeLive! Coolest lunch break ever!
When: May 12, 2014
Where: Creative Live Studios/ San Francisco, CA
With: The band, like 6' from me
Of Note: You win this one San Francisco; you win this one. Also, you can buy this session! Click here, pay $10 (most of which goes to O.A.R.'s Heard the World Charity!) and play "Spot Jen in the audience!"
Okay, so I've been seeing O.A.R. for a long time; they make me feel like college and summer in Buffalo and like I want to be wrapped up in a warm blanket of Marc's voice and live there. (How is it possible that I've only written about 3 O.A.R. shows? I've seen them at least two dozen times. File under things to rectify, I guess.) Anyway, O.A.R. played three shows at the Independent one May week-end in SF. And in the week leading up to that week-end, they tossed up a Facebook post that said, "We're doing a live stream on Monday and the first ten people who comment get to come." I was one of the first ten to respond and so, on a Monday during my lunch from work, I sat it a room with O.A.R. and like 18 other people and very quietly tried to keep it together because, "HOLY CRAP THAT IS THE BAND RIGHT THERE SO VERY CLOSE TO ME."
(It's a good thing I don't often get to meet the people I'm a fan of because holy crap, I am not very cool about it.)
And now, let me tell you about the coolest lunch break ever.
After an opening segment of one of the home movies promoting their new Rockville EP and some introductory remarks from their manager/moderator, O.A.R. kicked things off by performing 'Peace'. Intrepid readers will remember that I first saw this song performed in Arizona this past January and fell in love with it immediately. What I noted about it then is amplified about seventeen million times in such a small space. So much emotion, so much earnestness. All acoustic guitars and little shaker thing and it kind of made me want to cry because... well, who doesn't want love and us and peace? (Reign it in Levanduski, keep yourself together.)
And then, they started to talk about their new record and told stories about how they got started and how they made it in the music business. It was so cool to "pay attention to the man behind the curtain", so to speak. Marc told a story about how when you start playing music, you make it for yourself. And then you get some commercial success, you make music that you think will continue your commercial success (whether that's intentional or not) and how on their upcoming album, they're back to music for themselves.
One of the most interesting things they talked about was how they all picked a college based on how to make the band successful - they wanted to go somewhere with a huge audience, a lot of music venues, and to build their name and make their music (Smart customer acquisition and great music? Swoon!) They also talked about how the internet played a big part in building their fanbase - Napster spread their music which meant they had more people show up to shows, lending credibility. When you think about it that was a one in a million lightning in a bottle opportunity. I mean, I remember having four versions of 'Crazy Game of Poker' from Napster/Resnetster/Limewire - but they probably could not have spread as quickly to that target audience of college students without that technology.
Another new song that they played was 'We'll Pick Up Where We Left Off' - a song about those people that you see at Thanksgiving break and it's not, "Why haven't you called?" but it's about those people that you don't have to catch up with - those people that are part of you no matter how long it's been. For me, this is such a smart emotion for O.A.R. to play on because, their music is so evocative of a specific place and time (I imagine this isn't just me). It's almost like I can pick up where I left off with the band and there's no difference between listening to 'Hey Girl' in my college dorm or 'Peace' in my grown-up apartment. Plus, it's lyrically a great song.
One of my other favorite stories they told was the progression of audiences they've seen. The question started as "What's the craziest thing you've seen at a show?" They told stories about playing college shows when they were in college and the crowds were crazy and everyone was crowd-surfing and fighting and spilling beer and whatnot. And then one day they looked out at the crowd and said, "Hey, where are all the college kids?" - like their audience had grown up with them.
They also answered a question about whether they prefer to play newer songs or older songs and while the answer was what you would expect - love to try out the new stuff and see what works but there's nothing better than standing on stage and (strums first chord to 'Heard the World' dramatically) and watching everyone in the front row lose it - I finally got an answer to a question I've asked myself pretty much every time I've ever seen them. They're not sick of playing 'Crazy Game of Poker'; it's actually (still!) Marc's favorite song to play. Think about that - they've been playing that song for 15+ years and they still love it? That's amazing.
Then it was time for 'Shattered' with a story about how having a "hit song" changed things for them (Which, how hilarious is it that I didn't realize this was their "hit song"? I've been listening to all their stuff for so long that I discerned no difference in level of exposure.), an inspirational message about setting goals and achieving them, and a performance of 'Heaven', which was just lovely.
When the recording was over, we had the opportunity to ask some questions of the band. I asked what their favorite cover was to play. (Yes, I talked to them. They answered me. It was amazing. I am so uncool.) Chris (drums) gave the answer I was looking for which was 'Sunday, Bloody Sunday' (if mp3s could wear out, I'm pretty sure I demolished this one). Other answers included 'Fool On the Hill' and 'Downeaster Alexa'.
Then it was time to go (sniff). I ran into Chris and Jerry as I was walking out and they were headed back in the office and I thanked them for their time and was hopefully only a 4 on the dweeb scale. What a treat this was, hearing the "Behind the Music" from a band I've been listening to for more then a decade. Thanks CreativeLive! Coolest lunch break ever!
That's me!!
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