As my hairstylist Cortney was doing away with my pesky gray hair, she commented that Dan and I are, “Always doing something fun!” I was at Salon 3Twelve that Wednesday afternoon so Cortney could color and coiffe my hair in preparation of a concert that my husband, Dan, was escorting me to later that evening.
We were going two hours north that evening to see the band Lake Street Dive at the picturesque open-air Kresge Auditorium at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Lake Street Dive at Interlochen? How fun is that?! I mean, check out this clip from their song Hypotheticals that Dan captured early in their set:
Dan had introduced me to Lake Street Dive a few months ago. After listening to the first song, I was hooked. It is a Boston-based band made of five super-talented musicians who push the boundaries of music with their eclectic sound; not exactly jazz, funk, pop or soul; but a bit of all of that rolled together.
Lake Street Dive all-but blew the roof off the outdoor amphitheater that cool mid-July evening in northern Michigan. And from our handicapped-accessible seats strategically positioned close to center stage, Dan and I couldn’t get enough of their talent-infused energy, sound and showmanship.
This is our happy place.
Dan and I share a passionate interest in music and the power it has in our lives. We each have lived with Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic disabling illness, for more than two decades. We both credit music—its lyrics, rhythms and melodies—with helping us cope with our MS. Besides being an amazing coping tool, music is fun to listen to and gives us both an energy boost. Music can offer listeners so much, and we aren’t the only ones who believe in its healing power.
So yes, I guess Cortney was correct. We were doing something fun, all in spite of and because of MS.
The disease is a constant reminder how precious good health is, so when we feel good and have the opportunity to see a phenomenal band like Lake Street Dive in concert, we do it!
It’s a shame we had to get diagnosed with MS before we realized that, but thankfully we know that now.
And to hear just how talented Lake Street Dive is, check out this clip below from their final song of the night (and one of our favorites!).