Nashville Trip and Lacuna Coil
On Saturday, Danny and I traveled about three hours away to Nashville to see Lacuna Coil in concert. They're my absolute favorite band, and I've been listening to them since I was around 14 years old. I've planned to see them live a few times in the past, but for various reasons it didn't work out. So this concert felt like a long time coming.
We drove to Nashville a little early because we wanted to visit the botanical gardens and see Thomas Dambo's troll sculptures. Unfortunately, they closed early, so we didn't get to go. We were disappointed, but we didn't let it dampen our day. Instead, we drove downtown and just explored the city a bit before the show.
We saw the Witness Walls at Public Square Park, a concrete art installation commemorating an important moment in the city's civil rights movement. Images from a historic protest march were captured in time and etched in concrete. It was lovely and reverent.
We continued on to Printers Alley, which is full of bars and clubs. We didn't go into any of them, but it was a feast for the senses just being there, taking in all the sights and hearing all the live music pouring out of every doorway.
We headed back to the venue for dinner before the show. The concert was held at Brooklyn Bowl, which is a really unique place. It's a bowling alley, restaurant, and concert venue all in one. They have big screens at the bowling lanes and in the restaurant area, so you can watch a show while you eat or play. They also have a rooftop area with an excellent view of the Nashville Sounds baseball field.
We had cocktails, and I had the Buddha bowl, which consisted of fried tofu, butternut squash, mushrooms, rice, and scallions in a delicious brown sauce. Danny had catfish with mashed potatoes and greens. It was a good meal, but we ate kind of fast so we wouldn't miss the show!
Oceans of Slumber opened the concert, and I was very much looking forward to seeing them. I discovered them a couple of years ago through a YouTube recommendation, when I watched their live performance of "Sunlight." I was blown away by Cammie's voice and their deep, dark, bluesy style. Their set was fantastic.
New Years Day played next, and their set was high-energy and a lot of fun. We took a small break during their set to go on the roof and get some fresh air and some water, but they were great, and they really got the crowd jumping and moving.
Finally, it was time for Lacuna Coil. They played some of my favorite songs, including "Heaven's a Lie" and "Reckless." Cristina was so sweet, constantly thanking everyone for being there and showing them support. I've watched a lot of live Lacuna Coil sets on YouTube, so I had some idea of what to expect, but nothing compares to experiencing it in person. I sang and danced my heart out. It was such a good time, and I'll always cherish it.
I also got incredibly lucky and caught Maki's bass pick! I didn't actually catch it, to be honest. It landed on my hand, but that still counts! 😆