hand·hold·ing:

noun. 1. Strong personal support and reassurance, especially to alleviate tension and anxiety.

I miss that.

Sia.

Tomorrow the ladies and I embark on a road trip to Annapolis. I’ve never been to Annapolis but from what I hear, it’s an amazing place. We’re headed toward the sailing mecca to see Sia Furler perform at Rams Head Live. The plan is to just be girls for the day/night – shop, eat, drink, catch up, overcrowd the hotel room with outfits and shoes. I can’t wait!

So here’s the backstory…I was introduced to Sia when the movie Garden State came out in 2004. I fell in love with the soundtrack, specifically the track titled “In the Waiting Line” by Zero 7. Sia was the front woman for Zero 7 for a while, but now she takes her quirky and undeniably lovable self on the road, solo. This will be the third time I’ve seen her perform live – the first being in Boulder, CO and the second in D.C. a couple of years ago. Both shows (though the Boulder show was the whole band) were amazing.

Sia hails from Australia and this is one Aussie who knows how to swoon the crowd with some of the most creatively honest lyrics I’ve heard from a female performer in a long time (“if I am a number, I’m infinity plus one and if you are five words you are: afraid to be the one”). I have no doubt that what she’ll bring to the stage tomorrow will be authentic and energetic – just like her.

I’m in love.

DJ Danger Mouse and James Mercer (lead singer and guitarist of The Shins) came together after meeting at a music festival in 2004 to create the wonderband that is “Broken Bells”. The above album, released in March 2010, is the first masterpiece they’ve produced together and I’m loving it. Danger Mouse (real name Brian Burton) calls the album “melodic but experimental”. My question: What could be better?

Mercer has already hinted in interviews that work is being done on a second album. I can’t wait to see how these two evolve together. Stay tuned.