Tonight, I had a lot of time on the snowy drive home with Ron to talk and think about our lives.  We’ve been so lucky considering that we work full-time presenting concerts of various sizes to you, year round.  It’s what we do.  

It’s nights like tonight where you tend to get wrapped up in the business aspects of everything.  It’s the end of the year, so accounting is getting crazy to wrap things up for taxes.  Money’s tight everywhere, for everyone, and you’re nervous about having enough spring tours confirmed, what your competitors are doing, whether this booking agent is going to beat you up about your offer or ask you for a silly amount for catering.  You hope that the weather isn’t going to cancel out your month’s slim profit margin.  

Through all of the things that happen on the business end of things, it’s really easy for us to lose sight of why we do this.  Then we start talking about what we love about this business.  That unmatched feeling that you get when you’re at a really good live show, seeing your favorite band play and singing along at the top of your lungs.  Imagine being able to be the facilitators of such an event.  We’ve been so lucky to work with Bayside, Manchester Orchestra, Circa Survive, Saves The Day, Kevin Devine, Mutemath, Copeland, Rocky Votolato, The Dear Hunter, and a million other bands, all of whom I’d pay to go see for their incredible ability to make me feel something that nothing else can, that unexplainable bliss that comes from witnessing live music taking place in front of you.  

But we weren’t always able to book our favorite bands.  It’s nights like tonight that bring us back to our roots, where it’s not an easy full house.  Where you had to get creative to make sure that anyone came to the show, let alone a “big” crowd.  Where 50 people at a show was OK.  Sometimes, those shows are the most rewarding.  Tonight, we had nearly 300 people in attendance, spread out over 3 shows, none of which were anywhere near the same.  And for the people at those shows, regardless of the genre or the bands playing or the venue, they were choosing to support and show love for groups of people, on stage, performing their craft that they’ve worked and practiced hard to perfect.  

If you think for a moment that your choice to attend a live event doesn’t matter, that it’s not part of something greater, you are sadly mistaken.  Your attendance, as The Swellers so smartly put it recently, is casting a vote.  You’ve chosen live music over dubstep, club night, television, Xbox, sports, and any number of other entertainment options that are battling for your limited time.  

And for that choice, for choosing to support live music as an art form, and for being willing to pay some of your hard-earned money to spend your evenings with us, we want you to understand that we will never, ever take you for granted.  

We are working very hard to continue to provide you with the best live shows, as cheaply as we possibly can, so that we can still come home and tell our loved ones, “Yes, honey, I paid the bills this month”.  And we are working our tails off to support every band that we come in contact with, by providing them advice and support and the tools to succeed, to reach their goals, whether it be mainstream success or simply being a group of weekend warriors who play 20 shows a year and never leave their county.  

Many of you ask what it is that you can do to help, if we were ever to need it.  We rarely know what to say, because the answer is so broad and so incredibly vague, but also so focused and poignant.  Love what you do, and do what you love.  If you love punk music, then you do what you can to embrace it, support it, and make sure everyone around you knows it.  If you’re passionate about art, or writing, or medicine, or the culinary arts, please, pursue that with your entire heart, and don’t stop until you reach your goals, and find a positive way to pass that passion along to others.  

When I was 18 years old, I stood (on my chair) in Hill Auditorium, transfixed on Third Eye Blind just 15 rows away from me, passionately performing the words to one of my favorite records of all time (while I sang along loudly), it struck a chord in me that I didn’t realize would lead to my choice of careers years later.  But here I am, 14 years and over 1000 concerts later, and I still get that same chill when Jeff Pianki, Apathetic Critic, Bayside, All Get Out, or La Dispute play their songs.  

It wouldn’t be the same if I couldn’t share those moments with like-minded individuals like yourselves.  Those of you that follow this blog, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and most importantly, attend our shows, you make this possible for me, for the bands, and for this community that we’ve built.  Without all of you, I would have never met some of the most important people in my life.  I am truly blessed beyond words, and am eternally grateful for your support.  Thank you.  

Nate
Fusion Shows