We went to see The Heads play a small show at the Kings Square Experimental Arts Space in Bristol last night.
The past month or so has been really quite stressful and difficult for several reasons...
There's been a great deal of sadness, concern, anxiety and the general overwhelmingness of certain situations. I've felt it not just in my mind but in my body, heart pounding constantly and finding it hard to breathe. There have been tears. There has been valium. Yesterday, there was a panic-attack-meltdown at work. I just wanted to go home and sleep but I've been looking forward to this gig for a long time.
I went down, through a doorway on Kings Square, it's my favourite place to see bands in Bristol; it's really special, Gareth from Big Naturals has spent a lot of time into absolutely transforming that space which was just a grotty maze of damp and dark practice rooms into something beautiful and unique...
The Heads played first (I think it was their first gig as a three-piece) and the moment they began I felt their energy rush through my body and soul.
Every time I watch them, (which isn't often because they don't really play out all that much, or I don't know about it if they do) my every thought is blown away... in pieces and scattered, insignificant.
My mind doesn't wander to other things when I'm watching them, nothing comes in or out of me but the music.
The biggest smiles... it is the purest meditation.
It doesn't happen often, getting completely immersed like that. COMPLETELY.
There are only a small handful of bands who can achieve that.
To be violently cleansed by vibration.
Bands can pursue a sound or a style of music... lots of bands can be great.
But when you see a band like The Heads it makes you realize that they're in a completely different league to pretty much everything else that might get lumped in with that psych scene.
They've got something that goes far beyond what they're playing... I don't think I can explain it, but it's really, really fucking special.
Thanks to them for blowing out everything and clearing the way for the next phase.
For filling me with complete and utter pure untainted JOY and really... trying to find the right words here, but maybe... giving me a reminder of everything that I love and everything that means something to me, and why.
Driving home and trying to work out what it is and failing to put it into words, talking about how of all bands, it's The Heads we revere the most.
