Last summer I had the good luck of attending a concert at Red Rocks in Colorado. If you haven’t been to Red Rocks, add it to your bucket list. It’s a gorgeous outdoor amphitheater in Colorado and the most spectacular concert venue I’ve ever been to.
My friend and I saw Guster, an alternative rock band formed in 1991by a group of college students. The band is known for their quirky humor and amazing percussion and very catchy tunes.
What a night. What a venue. What a show. There we were sitting under the stars in that glorious setting with three generations of happy Guster fans. Life was good.
The band seemed just as happy as we were to be there and the conductor of the orchestra who played with them radiated positive energy.
I have so many great memories of that night, but I think my favorite memory was when they played Do You Love Me. The energy from the crowd was electric, it swelled up from the ground and was picked up and amplified by the band and the orchestra, rising to the heavens and bringing all of us joyfully together.
I had been listening to Guster’s music for twenty-five years but didn’t know much about them. When I got home, I did a bit of research and watched an interview with them. It turns out that in addition to being great musicians, they’re really nice guys and conservationists.
A few months ago, I stumbled on a news story about Guster and their concert at the Kennedy Center. Several performers have recently cancelled appearances at the Kennedy Center to protest the right-wing takeover of the venue and the unfairness of shows like Finn (an LGBTQ+ musical) being cancelled.
Guster chose to go ahead and perform. They also chose to make a statement. They brought the cast of Finn on stage with them. Guster’s lead singer Ryan Miller explained why they had invited the cast to share their stage, and he gave a beautiful introduction that included the words “we are your allies.”
That statement is very powerful. It can ease pain, calm fears, and even save lives. Most of us don’t have the kind of public platform that Guster has but all of us can repeat that statement and incorporate it into our lives.
Say it, live it. Say it with your vote and cast your ballot for people who stand up for the rights of all American citizens. Say it with your dollar and support businesses who support the LGBTQ+ community. Say it directly to the people who are frightened, hurt, and living in fear of violence and persecution.
I have listened to Guster’s music every week since attending that concert. I love the happy memories it brings, and I appreciate the way it reminds me to speak up about equality, acceptance, and love.
These are dark days, but we will get through them with the help of artists, writers, and musicians who use their art to make the world a better and more joyful place.
Happy Pride everyone.
Thanks for reading.
Eileen Blake
