Last week, I saw Steve Lacy perform live for the second time, and it was the highlight of an otherwise stressful week. With midterm season in full swing, I had spent the days leading up to the concert studying for exams. In fact, I had just finished taking a midterm right before heading to the concert. So, needless to say, seeing Lacy was a much-needed intermission in the middle of academic chaos.
I’ve been listening to Lacy since middle school, back when he was part of The Internet. If I had to make a Mount Rushmore of my favorite artists, he’d probably make the cut. And being half Filipino gives me another reason to support him as I’m also half Filipino.
The first time I saw him was in 2023 for his Gemini Rights tour, so I already had a pretty good idea of what to expect. I remembered enjoying his stage presence and just how well his music translated into his live performance.
One of my favorite parts of the night was when he performed “doom.” After finishing the song, he went into an extended guitar solo and eventually, the rest of his band joined in. What started as a guitar solo turned into what felt like a full-on jam session, and I think it was one of the best live performances I’ve seen.
Towards the end of the concert, Lacy started taking song requests from the audience and ended up performing some of his older songs, including ones I used to listen to religiously in high school. Hearing those songs live was a little surreal. I think that’s one of my favorite things about concerts. You can listen to a song hundreds of times, but hearing it live makes it feel that much more special. Sometimes, it even brings back memories you haven’t thought about in years. It’s funny how a song can stay exactly the same while everything else in your life changes.
Something else I realized after the concert is that I’ve unintentionally started a little tradition. When I first saw Lacy in 2023, my brother took a picture of me standing outside the venue with his name displayed behind me. I decided to recreate it this year as well, so now I’m committed to the bit.
I like the idea of collecting these photos from different concerts and different stages of my life. It’s a small thing, but I think it’ll be interesting to look back on those years from now and see how much has changed. Or, at the very least, how my concert outfits have evolved.
I’m hoping to see Lacy again in November since he’ll be performing in my hometown while I’m back for Thanksgiving break. Do I need to see Steve Lacy twice in the span of a month? Probably not. Am I considering it anyway? Absolutely.
The concert was exactly the kind of break I needed. The guitar solo, the older songs, and getting to see him perform again was a nice reminder that there’s more to life than midterms and deadlines.
Unfortunately, my assignments were still waiting for me when I got home. But for a few hours, they were none of my business.
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