Stay Original

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of seeing a new band out in Brooklyn. The band, Dorian’s Rectangle, is a group of 4 musicians who play a combination of drums, guitar, base, and the harmonica. Before the performance, I was speaking to lead singer and song-writer, Dorean D’Angelo. He turned to me and said, “I hope it’s good.” The ‘it’ Dorean was referring to was the performance. This particular Saturday was this bands first live performance. Music connoisseurs would expect an amateur, first-time band like Dorian’s Rectangle to be off-sync, shaky, and out of tune. Being I know very little about music, my expectations were indifferent. Personally, I find the idea of creating music, sharing those creations with other musicians, practicing as a group, and working towards a live performance is so cool. After Dorean’s remark about the performance being good, I simply replied, “Your music is original, it has to be good.” After Dorian’s Rectangle took the stage, a crowd of 50 or so gathered around, eyes glued to the performers. The lights dimmed, voices simmered, and the music began. Good no longer was used when I thought of this particular band. Their performance was nothing short of amazing. Crisp, clear sounds soothed the ears of the crowd. Original lyrics and beats rang through the building. As people rushed from the downstairs portion of the restaurant to what soon seemed like the Kings Theatre, the band gained enthusiasm, confidence, and swagger. The performance was probably no longer than an hour. The only disappointing thing about that night was when the music of Dorian’s Rectangle stopped. The performance gracefully thanked the crowd, packed their instruments, and dispersed amongst their friends who came to watch. The originality of this band’s work is what left me in awe. Being able to take passion, inspiration, and motivation to create something worth sharing is the definition of art. This is what crowds come to see. While the originality of the music was great, the attitude of those in the band was what made the experience worthwhile.

1. The band loves music. Each member performed that night because they have a true passion for music and sharing their art.
2. The band was humble. Their humility allowed the crowd to learn more about their creative process, who they were, and share a historic experience.
3. The band is positive. Their positive energy gave other musicians and fans alike the confidence to share their passion for music that very night.

This band gave me one rewarding experience. They made me a fan. Most importantly, they made me a believer that passion, humility, and positivity can drive originality.