Normally, I have been adding my 2 cents to these “Album of the day” posts in the comments, but this is a great story, so I decided to give it a little more visibility:
This is a fun story.
It was the fall of 2005. I worked late and was driving home from work in the dark. This was before the days of having every song available at your fingertips, and I was driving with one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the “seek” button. Mainly because I didn’t have the patience to wait for the 7 or 8 seconds the “scan” button took to automatically move to the next station.
All of a sudden, I hear a song that I recognize and like. It sounded like Alien Ant Farm doing the song Smooth Criminal. The music seemed right, but the words were different. I glanced down to check the station, and it was a frequency I didn’t recognize. So I gave it a listen.
After the song was over, the DJ came on and said that he was having a contest, and when he played another song by this band, Apologetix, the first caller to get through would win a pair of tickets. So I immediately called the station. It rang for a bit, and the DJ answered. I replied with, “You just played an Apologetic song.” He laughed and said that it was the next time he played one. But to be ready at the top of the hour.
So I hung up the phone and waited. Then all of a sudden it was very obviously a parody song playing. It started out with the sound of the band making Baaa sounds, and it was to the tune of the Beach Boys song Barbara Ann. I was already re-dialing.
The DJ answered the phone and was excited that I was able to get through. I had won the tickets. It was held at a school auditorium in Moravia, NY.
My wife (at the time) was pregnant with our first child. We made the hour-ish drive down to Moravia the night of the concert and made our way into the venue. I had driven to the station prior to the concert to get the tickets.
The surroundings were lively and upbeat. I had never been to a Christian concert before. But I had to go. These guys were like a Christian Weird Al, and I couldn’t pass that up. Announcements were being made that there was a slight delay because they were setting up recording equipment for a live album, which was also very cool.
They filled the time by passing out paper and pens and encouraging people to sign up for their fan club mailing list. I signed up.
While we were waiting, they started pulling names from the filled-out cards, and wouldn’t you know it – they pulled my name. I got to go up on stage and get the free CD that I had won. I chose their unplugged album Apolo-coustic.
The concert was really fun, and they did a lot of great songs. I had done a little research at the Christian book store prior to going, as well as some online listening. Again, that wasn’t as easy back then as it is now.
During the show, the guitar player, Karl, came out into the aisle and did an amazing Eddie Van Halen solo that was basically like 10 feet from me. It was amazing to see someone make that sort of sound so effortlessly.
After the show was over, there was a little meet-and-greet in the lobby. I was able to say hello to J, the lead singer, and get his autograph on the CD I won. It ended up being a great double-win day. Normally, I have never had that sort of luck.
But the story doesn’t end there. I was so amazed at that guitar solo, I went out to their website and sent an email to Karl. He had quickly emailed me back, and that was the start of a bunch of emails back and forth. Up to, and after, his leaving the band.
I also saw them again, this time in Monticello, MN – A mile from my house this time, and I did have to pay for those tickets. During that concert, their smoke machine set off the fire alarm, and since we were sitting in the front, I went out the emergency exit ahead of me. This happened to be the same exit that the band went out, so I got a very personal meet and greet at this show.
I talked to J again and told him about my previous adventures with the band. It was definitely a cool experience, and this time my oldest was there to see it.
You would think this would be the happy ending to this long story, but it isn’t. Years and years later, I was rummaging through some used CDs, and I came across a CD labeled “Apologetix Live! in Moravia, NY 11-5-05.” It literally gave me chills. This was the concert that I had gone to. I bought it and have since digitized it and saved it on my private Plex server so I can watch it whenever I want.
Again, I decided to reach out to J and see if I was able to share this video with the world on YouTube. He graciously allowed it, so I uploaded it and shared it with their Facebook group so more people can share in the fun experience I went through.
I hope that someone out there enjoys this story!
Links:
- Apologetix – https://apologetix.com/
- Karl Messner – http://karlmessnermusic.com/
- ApologetiX – Smooth Grandmama – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1V5dJB9DDI&list=RDM1V5dJB9DDI&start_radio=1
- ApologetiX – Baa! We’re Lambs – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vChV4LxZPDQ&list=RDvChV4LxZPDQ&start_radio=1
- Apologetix – Live in Moravia, NY – 11.5.05 – https://youtu.be/fGtS6biK15k?si=Tk8tZvCzKExVFf9L
(As long as I am posting a whole bunch of links, I need to include this one last one:) - ApologetiX – Downer of a Sister – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B5u5Rsw6a4&list=RD9B5u5Rsw6a4&start_radio=1
Today’s featured album from the collection.
- Year: 2003
- Label: Parodudes
- Format: CD
This is a fun story.
It was the fall of 2005. I worked late and was driving home from work in the dark. This was before the days of having every song available at your fingertips, and I was driving with one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the “seek” button. Mainly because I didn’t have the patience to wait for the 7 or 8 seconds the “scan” button took to automatically move to the next station.
All of a sudden, I hear a song that I recognize and like. It sounded like Alien Ant Farm doing the song Smooth Criminal. The music seemed right, but the words were different. I glanced down to check the station, and it was a frequency I didn’t recognize. So I gave it a listen.
After the song was over, the DJ came on and said that he was having a contest, and when he played another song by this band, Apologetix, the first caller to get through would win a pair of tickets. So I immediately called the station. It rang for a bit, and the DJ answered. I replied with, “You just played an Apologetic song.” He laughed and said that it was the next time he played one. But to be ready at the top of the hour.
So I hung up the phone and waited. Then all of a sudden it was very obviously a parody song playing. It started out with the sound of the band making Baaa sounds, and it was to the tune of the Beach Boys song Barbara Ann. I was already re-dialing.
The DJ answered the phone and was excited that I was able to get through. I had won the tickets. It was held at a school auditorium in Moravia, NY.
My wife (at the time) was pregnant with our first child. We made the hour-ish drive down to Moravia the night of the concert and made our way into the venue. I had driven to the station prior to the concert to get the tickets.
The surroundings were lively and upbeat. I had never been to a Christian concert before. But I had to go. These guys were like a Christian Weird Al, and I couldn’t pass that up. Announcements were being made that there was a slight delay because they were setting up recording equipment for a live album, which was also very cool.
They filled the time by passing out paper and pens and encouraging people to sign up for their fan club mailing list. I signed up.
While we were waiting, they started pulling names from the filled-out cards, and wouldn’t you know it – they pulled my name. I got to go up on stage and get the free CD that I had won. I chose their unplugged album Apolo-coustic.
The concert was really fun, and they did a lot of great songs. I had done a little research at the Christian book store prior to going, as well as some online listening. Again, that wasn’t as easy back then as it is now.
During the show, the guitar player, Karl, came out into the aisle and did an amazing Eddie Van Halen solo that was basically like 10 feet from me. It was amazing to see someone make that sort of sound so effortlessly.
After the show was over, there was a little meet-and-greet in the lobby. I was able to say hello to J, the lead singer, and get his autograph on the CD I won. It ended up being a great double-win day. Normally, I have never had that sort of luck.
But the story doesn’t end there. I was so amazed at that guitar solo, I went out to their website and sent an email to Karl. He had quickly emailed me back, and that was the start of a bunch of emails back and forth. Up to, and after, his leaving the band.
I also saw them again, this time in Monticello, MN – A mile from my house this time, and I did have to pay for those tickets. During that concert, their smoke machine set off the fire alarm, and since we were sitting in the front, I went out the emergency exit ahead of me. This happened to be the same exit that the band went out, so I got a very personal meet and greet at this show.
I talked to J again and told him about my previous adventures with the band. It was definitely a cool experience, and this time my oldest was there to see it.
You would think this would be the happy ending to this long story, but it isn’t. Years and years later, I was rummaging through some used CDs, and I came across a CD labeled “Apologetix Live! in Moravia, NY 11-5-05.” It literally gave me chills. This was the concert that I had gone to. I bought it and have since digitized it and saved it on my private Plex server so I can watch it whenever I want.
Again, I decided to reach out to J and see if I was able to share this video with the world on YouTube. He graciously allowed it, so I uploaded it and shared it with their Facebook group so more people can share in the fun experience I went through.
I hope that someone out there enjoys this story!