One of the things I have always wanted to do in my life is visit L.A.’s famous Sunset Strip music venues. Bands from the likes of The Doors, Guns and Roses and Motley Crue have played there and I’ve always thought it would be cool to see a band play there. I live in Scottsdale Arizona which is about a six hour drive to the L.A. metro area. And being a family man with all of the responsibilities and duties that accompany that role driving out just to see a show in L.A. is a pretty remote option for me.
However, this past July my daughter needed to be in Anaheim for a dance competition. It so happened that the weekend that we needed to be in Anaheim the band L.A. Guns was playing at Whiskey A Go Go. Although I like a lot of songs by L.A. Guns I was never really into them back in the day. But I thought that the planets had aligned so-to-speak and that my trip out to Anaheim was destined to include an excursion to West Hollywood to see L.A. Guns.
Traveling from Anaheim to West Hollywood in L.A. traffic takes about an hour. And out of the other dad’s that I was around at my daughters dance competition none were able to go along with me to see a concert at the Whiskey. I think that mostly it was disinterest and possibly it was just not feasible for them due to travel plans. So I went off by myself (taking a Lyft ride from Anaheim to West Hollywood) to the Whiskey to see L.A. Guns on Saturday July 14th.
When I entered into Whiskey A Go Go I was struck by how intimate the venue is. The proximity to the stage is very close from virtually anywhere in the club. When L.A. Guns came onstage it was quite late – around 11:30pm. I had been enjoying the “warm up” bands which although I had never heard of were exceptional. When L.A. Guns took the stage I was not disappointed. Their talent level is top-notch. And being so close it was truly special to watch them play. I will add that all of the bands that I saw were the same.
As I stood there siping a cold beer watching L.A. Guns killing it on stage I realized something profound. The things in life that you think you can’t do or that you think you’ll never do should not be written off no matter what your life situation. From now on I am going to start compiling a “Never List.” This list will be all of the things that I really want to do but that for various reasons I think that I will never get to them. There is something very satisfying and empowering about doing something that you really want that you think you think you’ll never do. I can say from the experience of seeing a concert at the Whiskey there is a sense that you did something truly special in life.
In life we are constantly facing “norms” of those around us and we abide by those to some extent to restrict our own desires. We have important roles and responsibilities at work and and home. Sometimes due to this, even things like seeing a concert may seem unattainable due to being an activity outside of these “norms.” In my situation, I had to venture out on my own and do an activity that I am sure everyone else regarded as a little crazy.
It is true that you only go around once in the world. The experiences that you may want to have won’t be available when your dead. One way I am going to try and experience more life is to keep a “Never List.” And I’m going to try and do everything on it.
