Is This Real Life?

Haven't written anything in way too long, so I thought I'd recap some of the things I've been up to lately, as well as what I have in store for me over the next month.

Fall brings a sense of change. The leaves, and temperature, start to drop. The colors outside slide from a growing green to a slowing orange that almost gives the illusion that time is slowing down for a moment, maybe so we can stop and enjoy one of the few times of the year when living isn't Texas isn't unbearably hot (or humid). This year fall has seemed to mean "concert season" here in south Texas.

I started off my concert season at a neutral site in Rockdale, Texas... Yeah, I wasn't real sure where that was either, for the appropriately named "Nocturnal Festival." Headliners for me were Lotus, Pretty Lights, and KID CUDI (yes, I am also on the Pursuit of Happiness). Although the details from this night may forever be a bit hazy to me, I can say with full confidence that it was one of the most fun nights I have ever had. We had a great group of people with us, and every detail throughout the night seemed to happen perfectly and without a hitch. I almost feel guilty for how great this night was, and to all who missed it I apologize sincerely. The apex of the night for me came after Kid Cudi's set was finished and fireworks were going off overhead. I laid back on the grass, looked up, and couldn't help but smile, and be thankful to what a great past 9 months it has been since I moved to the ATX, and feel that strong sense of excitement at the upcoming weeks ahead.

KID CUDI

Next came an away game in Dallas at Superpages.com center with a familiar team, Dave Matthews. The typical tail-gating ensued while trying to avoid the pastel-colored polo wearing fraternity brothers as best we could. Granted, once inside the venue, everyone is too wasted to care and it is a lot of fun to see 20,000 white people (none of which can dance) all move their bodies like they were having seizures, hopefully none were. All in all, a very successful road trip.

@ DAVE


After this, I needed a show where I wouldn't feel left out not wearing a fishing shirt, so the obvious solution was Ratatat. Over the past 9 months, I'd say Stubbs is where I have seen the most shows (see also "Ben Folds, Passion Pit, Bassnectar, etc) so I knew this was going to feel like home. The show was exactly what I expected, a giant dance party with a great light show and even better music. I was pleased, and lets just say I lived that Monday night to the fullest. Being 45 minutes late to work the following morning was completely worth it.

RATATAT


Next up, and most recently, came Bassnectar (round 2). This show took place in Dallas during Texas/OU Red River weekend. Naturally, me and the boys went up to Dallas Friday night, and met up with some friends at a bar. We got to enjoy an awkward "magic show" performed by some traveling group of gypsies that included throwing darts to pop balloons taped to a man's back, cutting melons using a man as a cutting board, and a girl squeezing herself through an unstrung tennis racket about 10 times, all while a masked man played the themes to Superman and Star Wars on a miniature accordion. For the big (and ultimately depressing) game, we grilled out and ate like kings, and drank accordingly. Chance and I had feverishly been anticipating round 2 of Bassnectar ever since the aforementioned show we saw at Stubbs back in May for Chance's birthday. The moment had finally come, and after some pregaming in the parking lot, we stumbled inside Palladium for what I will forever remember as one of the most intense shows I have ever been to. Bassnectar waited till 11 to come on because Sara bareilles was playing next door, and he wanted to be at maximum volume to sufficiently melt our faces off, which he in turn did. By the time we got out of there at 1:15am and got our Whataburger and crawled into bed at our La Quinta (which of course means "next to Denny's" in Spanish), we all passed out with smiles on our faces.

BASSNECTAR


On a side note, the typically great weekend was capped off with a great movie. The Social Network was both informative and entertaining, and was obviously a topic I could easily relate to. It'll be fun to watch again in a few years and see how much things have changed even since now, and to remember that I was a freshman in college the year Facebook blew up.

Next on the list is Phantogram at Mohawk on 10/05, followed by Neon Indian at La Zona Rosa on 10/07, which in turn kicks off my first ever ACL experience on Friday 10/08. I cannot express nor contain my excitement to finally be attending a large music festival, especially one so notorious and with such a good line-up as Austin City Limits. I most look forward to seeing The Flaming Lips for the first time, along with the Black Keys, Beach House, The XX, Deadmau5, Yeasayer, and a long list of others that I hope to squeeze in throughout the weekend.

Sufjan Stevens will be in town on the 19th and I will most likely cry during the concert, and in no way is that depressing. I'll see Ghostland Observatory for the third time on the 28th in Cedar Park which is all of about 10 minutes from my North Austin apartment, so obviously I couldn't pass up that opportunity. 2 days later, I'll see STS9 for the first time for their "Halloween show," once again at my home venue of Stubbs. As you can see, October is chalked full of fun and potentially amazing experiences, which I intend to take full advantage of. So that is the update from the 512 and life and times of Jordan Cooper. I hope to see you at one of the shows, or out on the town afterwards. Maybe in November I'll slow down, catch up on sleep and working out, start drinking less and eating better, but for now I'm going to live life full of nights I remember more from the pictures I scan through the morning after, and I'm not going to apologize to anyone for that.