The simple joys of live music
Cal Cashin travels to Bristol's Simple Things festival to work out what he loves most about going to shows
Over the past year I have found myself reckoning with what I truly, madly, deeply love about live music. What with the cost of living spiralling out of control, I have found myself increasingly poring over gig schedules and trying to find the experiences that are the most *worth it*. Always trying to find the perfect alchemical balance between life-affirming new discoveries and the supreme comfort of seeing old favourites. But that is a big question: what do I love most about live music? What does everyone else love about live music? What sets it apart from simply listening to my favourite albums in the comfort of my own bedroom? The answer is, of course, nuanced and multi-faceted – there are so many things I love about live music.
And so, singing Track 12 of Zopilote Machine by The Mountain Goats aloud on the train, I found myself going to Bristol for the eleventh edition of Simple Things Festival, a multi-venue extravaganza that takes over the city every year. Across a raucous day, somehow, I managed to see a range of artists so diverse and eclectic that I think I managed to encapsulate everything I love about live music, which is testament to what a beloved institution this festival has become.
Over the course of a phenomenal day of live music, I got to the bottom of the simple things I love the most about live music.
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