NEEDtoBREATHE

I’m not the biggest party animal. Nightclubs are really not my scene. But one thing I love love love is live music. A few weeks before we left Houston for Aberdeen, Needtobreathe (AKA my favorite band EVER…or at least for the past year) was playing at the House of Blues.

We originally planned to go, but as the date came nearer, we knew we just didn’t have the energy or the time to take a break from our ex-patriating to-do list. Instead we blared their albums on repeat while we sifted through all of our belongings and completed mounds of paperwork. They quickly became the soundtrack for our newest relocation adventure.

Shortly after arriving in Aberdeen, I noticed on the band’s facebook page that they were on a UK tour. I scooted over to their website to check out the dates and found out that the only time they’d be in Scotland was in Glasgow that very night. Since it was too late to make accommodations for the dogs and ourselves, we sadly missed another chance to see them live.  

But as fate would have it, I scrolled down their tour list to see that they were playing in Baton Rouge on October 11. And what do you know, I would just so happen to be in south Louisiana that day. Not wanting to miss another opportunity, I coaxed my friend April into going with me and letting me crash at her place for the night. I was so excited. After a year of playing their songs on loop, I was finally going to see them in person.

So, did they live up to the hype? Absolutely. What I love most about Needtobreathe is the energy of their music. Seeing them live took it to a whole new level.  It’s hard to describe, but I’d label their music as folksy southern rock, with traces of country and gospel added in. I’ve got a weakness for rock and roll and when they add in banjos and harmonicas, I just fall flat out in love.

I don’t want to insult them by calling them ‘Kings of Leon’-esque, because I think they are even better than that, but it’s the closest comparison I can come up with.  I tried to capture some video of the show, but our first row balcony seats didn’t make for great video and picture ops, though it did make a great vantage point for our entertainment. I highly recommend checking out this link for an acoustic live performance that will have you in tears. So beautiful!

One of the most pleasant surprises of the show was opening act Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors. He was really good. Really really good. Bruce Springsteen good. Bought 3 of his albums after the show good. I’d call him a cross between The Boss and LadyAntebellem, but April would call him a non-sleezy John Mayer. His voice is angelic and his singer/songwriter style is right up my alley. Though he performed solo, he is part of a group which features his wife as his co-lead singer. It’s super great. Just trust me on this one.

Overall, I’d put the show in my top 3 of all time. And guess what? Needtobreathe will be making a return trip to bonnie Scotland in December which gives us plenty of time to find a place to stay for both ourselves and the dogs. Two needtobreathe concerts in 3 months. I’m well on my way to becoming a groupie, or a “breather” as they’re called on the tour circuit.