I know I already posted about seeing The Pretty Reckless in concert, but I’m not going to shut up about it any time soon. I didn’t mention that Paris Jackson opened as well. Her sound is very much rock/alternative and she actually really sounded good.

A couple weird things here, the biggest one is I grew up watching Michael Jackson as a kid. I remember how the world pretty much stopped turning the day he died. So seeing his daughter play live rock and roll is pretty surreal. I’m glad to see her carving her own path and doing her own thing. She could easily with her personal wealth and family name demand to be a headliner or book her own big venues to try and take shortcuts, but she seems to be doing the usual route. Yes, she has a lot of advantages, but she’s not using near what she could, and I respect that.

Also a weird observation. I didn’t know the entire set list but based on the time, I had a pretty good idea how many songs were left. With three or four songs left, PLUS an amazing killer finale, people in our area of the balcony just started filing out. I realize we are older and people want to beat crowds and traffic, but I can’t imagine missing out on this experience.

The money aside, tickets weren’t expensive at all as far as modern concerts go. But The Pretty Reckless hasn’t done their own tour in years, so missing out on everything they have to offer just feels short sighted. I mean, its their time so I’m not judging. People can do what they want.

Years ago, we saw Iron Maiden in 2016 at the now Frost Bank Center. Ghost opened for them (We saw Ghost later in Austin in 2018 for their own show). My wife likes Ghost but didnt’ care for Maiden. I’ve been into Maiden since I was a teenager. So it was amazing to finally see them live. She sat down most of the Maiden set and was on her phone. Which didnt’ bother me.

It DID bother the weird middle aged guys in front of us who kept yelling at her for “Disrespecting the band.” and one tried to climb into our row to fight her, but the guy next to her shoved him back and security grabbed him. One thing I will never do is fuck with someone at a show who is minding their own business. Everyone enjoys shows their own way. I didn’t confront the people leaving The Pretty Reckless early. I just found it strange.

Something I realized this week at the concert: Live music is medicine. I got more dopamine from that show than I could with a month’s worth of pot gummies. The people we met were great and the music was incredible and Taylor Momsen is just amazing in every way imaginable. We have been sad we were nevrer able to get tickets to see Taylor Swift and the Eras Tour when it was happening. I’m not sure we could have survived a 3 hour stadium tour anyway. But I feel like we got to see the Taylor we were meant to see.

Our next show is indie band Gold Steps in September at a local music club. My goal is to see live shows in small clubs and venues to really feel the music and not stadiums or arenas where you are so far away and disconnected.

We hadn’t been to a concert since Pink in 2023 at the Alamodome. But we are doing three this year and I couldn’t be happier. I told my wife to mention any concerts she’d like to see and we can go too. I just love live music and want to share it with her and experience it with others.