I remember when I was 15 and my mom took me to Video Quest to buy tickets for the summer concert series at Jones Beach. We were second in line and scored tickets to see Dave Matthews Band and Ben Harper. I was over the moon excited and immediately started to rattle off who I was going to invite to go to the show. That’s when my mom reminded me that she bought the tickets and we were “going as a family.”

Fast forward to June 9th, 1996, and every kid from my high school, plus me, mom, dad, and my younger sister were ready for this sold-out show. Things got awkward (as if they weren’t already) when the kid sitting next to me politely asked if I wanted to join him in, well, smoking whatever it was he was smoking. Given the circumstance, I decided to pass. But once the bands took the stage and the music started, something changed. I was captivated. Maybe it was a contact high, but I sang, I danced, I actually had fun. And in a many ways I’ve been chasing the excitement of live music ever since.

People always ask me “what’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?” And while there have been “better” shows, nothing has ever really matched this one for me.

Thanks, Mom!