music to my ears

I've mentioned, though not often, my love for music. It's just so much a part of my life that I don't even think to talk about it very often.

'Without music, life would be a mistake'- Nietzsche

I love music so much that I have a (fairly large) tattoo on my back dedicated to music.

 
No, I can't play any instrument... sadly. It's one of those things that I do wish my parents had got me into when I was younger, but, alas, it doesn't make me appreciate music any less.

Music has been one of those things I find peace in. If I'm having a stressful or crumby day, all I need is a drive in the car, windows down, and music up. Going to concerts was a staple in my life when I was in high school and college. Sadly, there aren't nearly as many music venues out here on Oahu, as back in Texas, so I have been without live music for a while now.

In Texas (Dallas and Austin), I always lived (at least) semi-close to a club or music venue and would hit up a show on a regular basis. I really do miss that about Texas. The Granada on Greenville Avenue (in Dallas) is one of my favorite mid-sized venues. That place has so much history. It's been around since the 40's and started as a movie theater. It became a music hall in the late 70's and has hosted some pretty amazing acts. In Austin, music was never in short supply. I went to my first ACL in 2004 and my first South By Southwest (SXSW) in 2009 and they're both amazing festivals. Though I'm more of a fan of SXSW... at least before it became as big as it is now. It's still an amazing festival.

Here's a little sampling of the concerts I've been to. You can see my concert-going-lifestyle commenced with some poppy bands.  
Bold artists I've seen twice, bolded & larger artists I've seen 2+ times.

Spice Girls (yes, that was my first concert) ~ Backstreet Boys ~ N Sync ~ Britney Spears ~ Christina Aguilera ~ Blink-182 ~ Bush ~ Everclear ~ Oleander ~ Dexter Freebish ~ Run DMC ~ 311 ~ Dashboard Confessional ~ Jimmy Eat World ~ Midtown ~ Tenacious-D ~ Dave Matthews Band ~ Bowling for Soup ~ Flickerstick ~ Lit ~ Toadies ~ Seven Channels ~ Phantom Planet ~ Sum 41 ~ The Vandals ~ Sugarcult ~ Custom ~ Finch ~ Something Corporate ~ New Found Glory ~ Our Lady Peace ~ NOLA Jazz & Heritage Fest (can't recall all the artists I saw) ~ Widespread Panic ~ North Mississippi Allstars ~ Justin Timberlake ~ Grand Drive ~ Rooney ~ Feeder ~ Austin City Limits (can't recall everyone I saw) ~ Jack Johnson ~ G. Love & Special Sauce ~ Robert Randolph & the Family Band ~ Polyphonic Spree ~ Maroon 5 ~ Gavin DeGraw ~ Goldfinger ~ Good Charlotte ~ John Mayer ~ Yellowcard ~ Jason Mraz ~ Austin City Limits (once again, don't recall who all I saw) ~ G. Love & Special Sauce ~ The Honorary Title ~ The Killers ~ Franz Ferdinand ~ Modest Mouse ~ Beastie Boys ~ Lost Prophets ~ The Matches ~ Story of the Year ~ Straylight Run ~ Armor for Sleep ~ The Academy Is... ~ Jazzfest 2005 (can't recall... again) ~ Mae ~ Warped Tour 2007 ~ Paramore ~ Jimmy Fallon ~ The Fray ~ Devotchka ~ The Annuals ~ SXSW 2009 ~ Have Gun, Will Travel ~ Wavves ~ School of Seven Bells ~ Glasvegas ~ We Shot the Moon ~ Starfucker ~ Ovenbirds ~ Harlem Shakes ~ Red Cortez ~ Lights Resolve ~ King Khan & The Shrines ~ Cut Off Your Hands ~ The Bright ~ The Clues ~Here We Go Magic ~ Grizzly Bear ~ Anni Rossi ~ Camera Obscura ~ All Get Out ~ The Soldier Thread ~ The Rocketboys ~ Broken Social Scene ~ Sugar Ray ~ G. Love ~ Telegraph Canyon ~ Airborne Toxic Event ~ Henry Clay People ~ Plain White T's ~ Snow Patrol ~ hellogoodbye ~ Hanson ~ Cory Morrow ~ Casey Donahew ~ Bad Veins ~ We Were Promised Jetpacks ~ The Trishas ~ Bruce Robison ~ Band of Heathens ~SXSW 2010 ~ Entrance Band ~ Amos the Transparent ~ The 54 ~ Black Keys ~ Real Estate ~ The Antlers ~ Freelance Whales ~ Rye Rye ~ Dum Dum Girls ~ Free Energy ~ Ocha la Rocha ~ The XX ~ Pains of Being Pure at Heart ~ Superchunk ~ The Entrance Band ~ Broken Bells ~ Henry Clay People ~ The Lemurs ~ Passion Pit ~ Eli Young Band ~ Shovels & Rope ~ The O's ~ Analog Rebellion ~ This Will Destroy You ~ Steve Earle ~

...I know there are plenty I'm forgetting.

What does music mean to you?

Who has been your favorite artist to see live?