If only I had a time machine...

It's very unusual that I wish I had access to a time machine. Generally speaking, I'm quite content to live in the moment.

It's also rare that I regret the fact that my smart watch died and I never replaced it, because I truly enjoy not being compelled to count my steps.

However, this morning I wish I had both a time machine and a functioning smart watch because last night's Dispatch and OAR concert was INCREDIBLE. I'll bet I got ten thousand steps just by bouncing up and down so much! My calves are feeling it today; tomorrow, I'm sure, will be worse.

I always struggle to put a concert into words because it's just not possible to capture the energy. I made friends with some strangers standing around me, I danced up a storm with some friends who have been friends for years, and I got to enjoy some amazing music while doing it.

I'd never seen G. Love before, but he was the opener and he was phenomenal. Super energetic and engaging. For his last song, he had his son come out on stage and play some harmonica. It should be noted that his son is, like, three years old. That was adorable!

At Merriweather Post, I like to be right in front of the stage, and not only were we a mere three rows of people away from the musicians, but we were smack dab in the center as well! When Dispatch came on stage, the moment was magical. I so enjoy watching bands make an entrance... and not because I'm looking for something crazy to happen. When I saw Caamp and the Lumineers a few months ago, we were about thirty seconds late and missed seeing the boys of Caamp take the stage. I was so disappointed! The Lumineers, however, made a real entrance: Jeremiah came out of the floor playing his piano. It was cool.

Last night was different, though. The musicians just walked on stage and started playing and it was perfect. That's my favorite kind of entrance: when you're such a fan and you know the band so well and you just become paralyzed and giddy and itching to dance all at the exact same time. I know Chadwick Stokes and Braddigan are the original members of Dispatch, and I absolutely adore them, but I am soooo infatuated by Matt Embree. He is a beautiful, beautiful man and his movements are so chill and magnificent. I feel as though I could watch him all day... except for the times that I'd need to pull my eyes away and marvel at JR's hair. He has long, brown hair that dances like a sea anemone when he bounces and plays the drums. I love that guy.

I wish Dispatch had played longer. I was there for them and they had a PHENOMENAL set... but it should have been longer.

OAR was up next. I've seen them probably a dozen times at this point in my life and they are usually good. I've seen a couple shows where I was kind of like, "Meh..." Tonight, however, they were on. The guys are from Maryland so they were playing to their people (even though I've seen two other shows, one at Merriweather and one at the Anthem where they also played to their people and were "Meh.") Let's just focus on last night though: It was awesome. They did a lot of old stuff, a few new things, and a cover or two.

The finale was fun because Dispatch joined OAR on stage, along with G. Love, and I think my concert-husband Phil counted thirteen people on stage at one point. The energy was magnificent. I loved every second of it and would absolutely go back and live it again... I'd say it was the best concert I've ever seen, but at this point in time, I've been to so many "best concerts I've ever seen!" That Lumineers performance I referenced earlier was off the charts, when I saw the Mighty Mighty Bosstones back in the day I thought it would never be topped, Weezer had trampolines on stage when I saw them, Old Crow Medicine Show has more fun on stage than perhaps any other band to ever exist, my Reel Big Fish experience at Penn State was like no other, and that time I saw Dispatch in the middle of a monsoon at Merriweather Post provides me with such a feeling of nostalgia that it will forever have a special place in my heart.

So was last night's show the best concert I've ever seen? Nah, I don't think so. But it was up there. It was definitely way, way up there.