The pandemic has taken a lot of things away from us over the past year, but live music has been the thing I personally miss the most.  Not being able to go out to eat isn’t so bad because I’ve enjoyed cooking more.  Not being able to go shopping isn’t a big deal thanks to the convenience of online stores.  Live music, however, can’t be replaced.  I know that streaming events have become popular over the past year, and while they’re great, they’re still nothing like the experience of live music in-person. 

Concerts have been a major part of my life since high school.  When I was a college student I would go to a few live events every month.  Some of my favorite memories are from shows and they’re where I met some of my best friends.  In Japan, local live houses are hands down my favorite places.  So not being able to go has been the hardest thing for me over the past year.  

Here’s a photo I took at the end of January 2020, when one of my favorite American bands (from Austin, Texas) toured Japan.  I hope that I can get back to concerts sooner rather than later.