Starsailor keeps coming around again

A chance act of kindness has lead me to Starsailor, a 4 piece English rock band. Little did I know I'd become such a huge fan.

Three summers ago I hitch-hiked from Edinburgh, Scotland to Black Pool, England with my friend Christy. It had been ages since I hitched a lift, and only in Ireland where I studied abroad in the mid-90s with Christy. In England hitching is not as popular, and the larger roads make it more difficult to travel place to place. After a half an hour sticking our thumb out, we wondered if we were too old for this. We had made a scrappy "Manchester" sign on cardboard, even though we eventually wanted to end up further west in Blackpool, the tacky beach-amusement seaside town. Finally we saw red lights of a car that pulled over for us up ahead. We ran as fast as we could with our backpacks and got in. A middle-aged married couple sat in the front seat. The Father - hip with pierced ears and a stylish trim, the mother I don't remember, but before long were in conversation about Starsailor. Our drivers were the proud parents of the drummer of this popular english band. They had just been up the day before in Edinburgh for Tea in the Park to see their son play. I had never heard of the band, but filed the name for later.

A few month's back, the story continued. I met Starsailor's drummer, Ben Byrne (pictured on the far right) after their concert at the Doug Fir in Portland and personally thanked him for having such fine parents. The show was fantastic and the next day I bought their latest album 'On the Outside', the first CD I've purchased in at least a year. The band was back in town (again) last month to open at the Rose Garden for an expensive ticket so I passed. But now I've just heard the news that an acoustic Starsailor (yes, again!) will be opening for Pete Yorn this Monday, Dec 11 at the Crystal Ballroom for a reasonable $15 - though I learned Ben won't be there, as it will just be the singer James Walsh. After the last show, I already know James is a great performer & reminds me of a young Bono, I can't wait + I really like Pete Yorn.

Funny to think that taking the bus that day from Edinburgh to Blackpool would have been cheaper. So far my tab is two concert tix and an album = $50.