David.

Went to a house show last night to see David Bazan play. It was a living room packed with forty people, David Bazan and a second guitarist playing with a few pedals and a miniature amp. I would be lying if I said it wasn't one of the best shows I have ever seen. I felt the same way afterwards that I feel when I see a really depressing movie that is incredibly well done. Except in this case, the elements weren't on a screen being acted out by rich folks in California. This was real. This was intense.

When I think of David Bazan a few things immediately come to mind. 1. his intense struggle with faith/lack of faith in God (meaning the Jesus of the bible) 2. His deep love and appreciation of music 3. That he is undoubtably one of the greatest songwriters from our generation. I think it was really hard for some people at the show to enjoy the music. Understandable as their are eternal implications at stake. Apart from his songwriting I think he is also one of the best poets of our generation. If it werent for his delicate and effective storytelling, his songs would not evoke such a strong emotional reaction from people. It seems that everyone who disects his music has an opinion about it. A fairly strong one at that. Not an opinion about whether the music is good or not, but about the specific struggles referenced in his lyrics.

One thing that has always bothered me is the lack of introspection and time committed to thoughts about life after death in our society. By our society I mean America. It just so happens that I spend most of my time in three areas that speak of death frequently. Financial planning, church and art. And that is strangely comforting. If there was a bright spot of the show last night (besides the riveting music) it's that nobody left that house without considering what they believed about God. And although it didn't line up with my own beliefs, it encouraged me to be the same way.