I Cannot Thank You Enough - Gig Recap

Throughout my career as a musician I have had the pleasure of meeting and playing with many great bands from other states. When I really like someone I will buy their CD(s) with the intent of following their careers and keeping in touch with them. Inevitably life happens and it is not long before their CDs are collecting dust on a very full CD rack, and the random appearance of a song on an iPod shuffle serves as a reminder of a great night of music in a life filled with these moments. Thankfully my experience with Patrick Bloom has been different.

Patrick and I met back in 2006 when Whiskey Daydream was just getting started. His band came down from Iowa for a show at Cicero’s and we were fortunate to open for them. I got a CD that night, and I have been a fan ever since…now my parents are fans…my friends are fans…and Patrick and I are friends. I have been up to Iowa to share the stage with him, and tonight he came down to St. Charles to grace us with an amazing night of music.

Why is it different with Patrick? A couple of reasons, first he is the embodiment of everything that I love about music. I cannot listen to one of his songs without finding a line in it that I wish I would have written. He is a writer’s songwriter. As a poet first songwriter, I hang on his words like a child clinging to his father’s shoulders on his first piggyback. Second, he is a great person. All too often these meetings are based on façade, band member’s stroking egos in hope of finding a friend to guide them through the tumultuous seas of the industry, but with Patrick and I the respect is mutual, genuine, and the relationship extends beyond words and music.

Here is Patrick playing my favorite song of his, “Brooklyn.” Enjoy!



Of course I played this evening as well. This is me doing “Feel the Sun.”



Before I close out of this post, I need to thank everyone for coming out. Seriously every aspect of my last 13 years in Missouri was represented: Jeff (my best friend and college roommate) and Patricia…folks from Verizon where I worked post Bachelor’s. People I currently work with. My morning workout buddies. Matt Kury from Revence who I have known since I was in EKe. Benjamin Ash who was in Whiskey Daydream with me. My Twitter peeps: Meredith, Jane, Louis, and Karen…my core crew: Stephanie, Julie, Vinnie, Jen, JT, and of course Ryan, Laura, and Aurora. It was amazing to see everyone, and I am so thrilled you came out for this show. I know I play way too much for my own good, so it is hard to come to all my gigs, but I was terrified Patrick would drive all the way down here to play for 7 people, but you packed the place, and I cannot thank you enough.

I love you all!