When I was 12 I was in the backyard playing football and pretty badly jammed one of my fingers. It was black & blue and bent kinda funny. But despite the pain, I was pretty happy for one reason . . .
It would be a while until I’d be able to practice piano again.
Not sure why I reviled practicing piano so much during the several years I took lessons, but I sure did. A few years later I talked my parents into letting me drop piano entirely after I started playing junior high football. It wasn’t a very rational argument, I’ll admit, but I’m sure my mom was tired of me pleading. After all, to my 14-year-old-mind there was a way better chance that I’d be a pro football player than me ever being or even knowing a professional musician. (insert hearty laughter here) Well, my parent’s encouragement of music yielded some fairly impressive results (myself mostly excluded of course). My two younger brothers are, in fact, professional musicians and they, well, 
rock. Many of you know this already, but they play together in The Get Up Kids (Rob on bass and Ryan on drums) and Rob plays in Spoon. I’m proud of these guys. What they do is real work (albeit quite different from what you and I do most days) and has taken some serious leaps of faith over the years.
TGUK is back touring in the US after just returning from a European stint and I really encourage you to check out their show if they come anywhere near you. (send me an email if you’re going or considering it) Here’s the tour schedule:
| Sep 15 2009 | 8:00P | Marquis Theater | Denver, Colorado |
| Sep 16 2009 | 8:00P | Club Sound | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Sep 18 2009 | 8:00P | Neumo’s | Seattle, Washington |
| Sep 19 2009 | 8:00P | Music Fest NW | Portland, Oregon |
| Sep 21 2009 | 8:00P | The Fillmore | San Francisco, California |
| Sep 22 2009 | 8:00P | Downtown Brew | San Luis Obispo, California |
| Sep 23 2009 | 8:00P | The Glasshouse | Pomona, California |
| Sep 24 2009 | 8:00P | Avalon | Hollywood, California |
| Sep 25 2009 | 8:00P | House Of Blues | San Diego, California |
| Sep 26 2009 | 8:00P | House Of Blues | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Sep 27 2009 | 8:00P | Clubhouse | Tempe, Arizona |
| Sep 29 2009 | 8:00P | White Rabbit | San Antonio, Texas |
| Sep 30 2009 | 8:00P | Granada | Dallas, Texas |
| Oct 1 2009 | 8:00P | Diamond Ballroom | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Oct 2 2009 | 8:00P | Slowdown | Omaha, Nebraska |
| Oct 3 2009 | 8:00P | Picador | Iowa City, Iowa |
| Oct 20 2009 | 8:00P | Varsity | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Oct 21 2009 | 8:00P | The Metro | Chicago, Illinois |
| Oct 22 2009 | 8:00P | The Metro | Chicago, Illinois |
| Oct 23 2009 | 8:00P | House Of Blues | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Oct 24 2009 | 8:00P | Majestic Theater | Detroit, Michigan |
| Oct 25 2009 | 8:00P | Phoenix Theater | Toronto, Ontario |
| Oct 27 2009 | 8:00P | Town Ballroom | Buffalo, New York |
| Oct 28 2009 | 8:00P | The Palladium | Worcester, Massachusetts |
| Oct 29 2009 | 8:00P | Toad’s Place | New Haven, Connecticut |
| Oct 30 2009 | 8:00P | The Gramercy Theater | New York, New York |
| Oct 31 2009 | 8:00P | Irving Plaza | New York, New York |
| Nov 1 2009 | 8:00P | Music Hall Of Williamsburg - SOLD OUT!!!!! | Brooklyn, New York |
| Nov 3 2009 | 8:00P | 9:30 Club | Washington DC, Washington DC |
| Nov 4 2009 | 8:00P | Norva | Norfolk, Virginia |
| Nov 5 2009 | 8:00P | Trocadero | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Nov 6 2009 | 8:00P | TLA | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Nov 7 2009 | 8:00P | Mr. Smalls Theater | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Nov 8 2009 | 8:00P | Newport Music Hall | Columbus, Ohio |
| Nov 10 2009 | 8:00P | Cat’s Cradle | Carrboro, North Carolina |
| Nov 11 2009 | 8:00P | Masquerade | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Nov 12 2009 | 8:00P | Revolution | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida |
| Nov 13 2009 | 8:00P | House Of Blues | Orlando, Florida |
| Nov 14 2009 | 8:00P | St. Petersburg | State Theater, Florida |
| Nov 16 2009 | 8:00P | Spanish Moon | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Nov 17 2009 | 8:00P | House Of Blues | Houston, Texas |
| Nov 18 2009 | 8:00P | Emo’s | Austin, Texas |
Hope you’re able to make it to the show. Also, they just released the 10th Anniversary Edition of Something To Write Home About which includes a DVD of a show they did a few months ago at Liberty Hall. Here’s the trailer:
There’s no doubt that I’m the unashamed proud brother. And while neither my pro football nor music career have worked out just yet, I happily get to play my little piano and accompany the singing children at church each Sunday. I’ll never be the rock star like my brothers, but what I have is not a bad gig at all. Thanks Mom & Dad for making me (and my siblings) practice piano now and then!
6 comments:
Scott, are you kidding me???
I'm going to the concert at Neumos next friday with 2 friends that love the band, and I bought yesterday their CD... I'm thinking that you told me about the band but we talked about the Spoon not about the Get Up kids... Anyway I'll go to the concert and I hope you'll come as well, so you can introduce us your famous brothers :)
Cheers PAOLO
Sounds like a good time. Maybe we'll try to make the Dallas show. DH has been saying we should try to hit some concerts.
That is awesome! And to think you could be a rock star too ;)
By the way, my team is beating yours so far :)
Your kids think you're a rock star! That's all that matters. =)
That is great for Rob and Ryan (and the whole TGUK). I am assuming you get to see some of the shows and enjoy the time with your brothers.
Yo Scottie...how about burning me your playlist? The songs are cracking me up. I need CD's for the Audi on my drive back home. Love your sister!
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