KEXP Presents: Death & Music at Town Hall 11/11

On Wednesday, November 11th, KEXP presents the second annual "Death & Music" event at Seattle's Town Hall, followed by the yearly "Mom Show" on Thursday, November 12th from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM on The Morning Show on KEXP with John Richards. KEXP Amplifier Laura Bender shares her thoughts on both:

• What was up with Bonobo's “A Calf Born In Winter” that had me feeling wrapped in grief and inspiration at the same time? I felt a surge of energy to cry and laugh and then, of course, share the song on Facebook. That’s how we share really meaningful moments in our lives these days, right?
• I didn’t share the whole “grief-healing-inspiration” reaction that I’d had after listening to it. Maybe there was a better setting for that, I thought, than passive posts on the internet. And guess what?! As it turns out, there totally is, and it’s called the second annual “Death and Music” event on Wednesday, November 11th, hosted by John Richards, KEXP’s DJ of The Morning Show.
• “A lot of people didn't come [last year] or won't come this year because they don't want to be sad or it sounds like a depressing evening," said Richards. "It’s not depressing in the least. I found it empowering and emotional and creative and funny... well, I thought I was funny, you'll have to ask the audience.”
• I’ve been reminded recently that grief can be over the loss of anything. Maybe it’s grief from the death, or anticipated death, of someone you love. Maybe it’s grief from the loss of things you used to have, or an ability to do something you can no longer do. If you are like me, maybe grief stems from the loss of the easy-breezy lifestyle you had before UW graduate school came into the picture. Whatever the cause, we are not alone in our grief. Music can be a catalyst to understanding ourselves and each other better when words might fail us. Music can be a way to cope and live with the variety of loss that we all experience.
• Musical guest performances by Rocky Votolato, Noah Gundersen, Sean Nelson, and Shelby Earl will “each have a song to share that might help people down their path that night and into the future,” says Richards.
• So yeah, that Bonobo song had me cathartically crying in savasana at Modo Yoga in Green Lake. That happened. And I feel better now. I now feel even better after sharing that moment. If music is important to you, let people know. Share the details. If music is not important to you, let people know what is.
• Laura Bender, KEXP Amplifier