I had a friend who had just moved from the Seattle area, who was raving about this new band, but I thought it was the most ridiculous name ever, so I wrote them off.
NOTE:
Yes, there is a lesson here about Snap Judgments, I realize. But, in my defense, this friend of mine had a habit of saying witty but cutting comments...For instance in response to me saying I was thinking about learning to knit..."Great idea. That and one more cat, you'll be all set." So really, I discounted many things he said.
Several years later, I was riding in a car with another friend who had the newest and best taste in music. He knew Snow Patrol and Franz Ferdinand before they were the hipster's delight and then the radio darlings. He collected obscure covers of popular songs, wore only English designers and had tattoos matching the ones etched on his goth-girl fiance's arms.
So naturally, I trusted his opinion on music.
I asked him what was playing on his car stereo. And then he explained all about Death Cab for Cutie, which was that same band from a few years before, headed by Ben Gibbard.
(Title and Registration...it was the earliest one I could find...)
Then he explained about The Postal Service. (Not the process in which a letter gets from one destination from another, but the side electronica project of Ben Gibbard.) And played a few songs.
(We Will Become Silhouettes)
They've been some of my favorites ever since.
Years later, they were part of the beginnings of Husband and me.
Months before I met Husband, I bought a pair of tickets to an Atlanta show. I wasn't dating anyone and there was no one that I even remotely cared about to ask at the time of purchase.
But I bought them anyway because I figured, you never know how things change and quickly. Plus, I had loads of girlfriends, so the tickets wouldn't go to waste.
And then Husband showed up.
On our first date, I ate most of his hamburger and went to see his friends play.
On our second date, he came along to see Terry Gross speak, then waited while I interviewed her.
And on our third date, we went to see Death Cab when they were touring to support Plans.
(Marching Bands of Manhattan from Plans)
Months after that, we went to see Ben Gibbard play solo. (This is what I thought of that show, in case you're wondering.)
(Such Great Heights, not from the actual show, but you get the idea.)
And it was playing in the background---accidentally, not by design---when he proposed. (We have no film of this.)
So, when their latest, Narrow Stairs, was released, I kept an eye on their European dates.
(I Will Possess Your Heart from Narrow Stairs)
So tomorrow night, we're going to see them in London.
It's our month-aversary* after all...
*Yes, today is the actual date, but tomorrow is when we're celebrating.
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