You know how sometimes you love something SO much you just want everyone to know and understand it and love it the way you do? Maybe it’s just me but my poor friends and family have to hear all about my passionate rantings for the things I love. A love of mine for the last 8ish years has been the band Thrice.

Let me start at the beginning. Being the only girl in a family of four has left me with little to actually “do” with my brothers. I wanted to go to the ballet, get my nails done and journal in my room with the music cranked up way too loud. They wanted to play hockey and video games and may have even started a mini family band without me. I offered to play the tambourine on roller skates and do interpretive dances but they were too busy having jam sessions to even hear my offers. Pshh. I’ve gone to my share of Angel’s games and watched Ben and Chris play hockey and I have yet to get them to the ballet but my brothers and I DO have a tradition. We go to watch Thrice play whenever they’re in town and we ROCK out together.

I’m not sure how it happened but I do love myself a tradition so it was probably me forcing it to happen and my brothers nicely smiling and going along with my prompts. I love spending time with my brothers but I love even more having something in common with them. I love that we can have varying opinions on their latest records, talk about the grittiness of Dustin’s voice, Riley’s drumming (yes, my son was named after a person in our favorite band), the distortion of the guitars and  the way their music has changed over the years and actually be in a good conversation with each other. Again, I’m the only girl and my brothers are NOT talkers. If you’ve ever met me you know I could probably chat with a rock but talking is way more fulfilling to me when the other person is not just humoring you but actually into your conversation. When we talk about Thrice, other favorite bands, and over the years, movies we can have some really good chats. I cherish these moments with my brothers, even though they probably have no clue. Sometimes I’m still such a girl and I just want so badly to be engaged in a meaningful conversation with the people I love.

The cherry on top is that my handsome Matty has blended seemlessly into my family. My brothers love him and he has been a part of our family trips to see Thrice. He joins in on the conversations and my brothers like to hear his input. Again, it may be emotional, girly, and likely, dumb, it blesses me immensely to have my husband be a part of something special I share with my brothers.

So here’s the crushing blow. Thrice has played their final foreseeable show. We were there to see it wrap up. We screamed and played air guitar and leg drums, I cried a little. They say they’re not breaking up but who knows what this “break” will mean for the future of this band. I’m devastated for more than one reason, obviously. They have been, are, and will be (for the foreseeable future) my favorite band. I love their lyrics and to be honest, when someone asks me what I listen to to worship God, this is it. They play with passion and conviction. They love their fans. They leave everything on the stage. They were constantly evolving and growing musically. I will wait patiently for the day that they reunite and put out a brand new album.

In the mean time I guess I need to start a new tradition with my brothers and I hope you take some time to give my favorite band a listen. Here are some of my favorite jams:

The Weight

In Exile

The Messenger

Promises

Listen Through Me

Beggars

To Awake and Avenge the Dead

Under a Killing Moon

The Abolition of Man

Image of The Invisible (I have a special tattoo for this one)

For Miles (someday there will be a tattoo for this one)

Stand and Feel Your Worth

The Whaler

The Lion and The Wolf

Come all You Weary

(listen to the words people)