When I quit drinking, it became clear that the problem was not fixed- in fact I had only just begun. Without my self-medication it became clear that I was battling some serious anxiety and depression issues (amongst others). Things got scary when I no longer knew what made me happy, but I forced myself to get past the anxiety and go to a concert; they had been my favorite thing before, would I still like them without alcohol?

Yes, I liked them even more now (once I learned how to deal with crowds. Eventually, I became a concert photographer partly to get access to areas with breathing room!) Live music gets in people’s bones, in their blood; the true happiness is contagious and before I know it I’m dancing with abandon and forgetting the old worries. Since then I’ve written about music for Village Voice’s Westword in Denver, interviewed my favorite musicians, and seen over 100 Phish shows. There are happy people out there sharing their love, just buy a concert ticket.

Her life was saved by rock and roll, indeed.

photo taken at Phish