JORDAN MOYES IS A TIME TRAVELER

I recently went to the Lantern By Sea album release show for their new album Rim of the World. Jordan Moyes and Cardinal Bloom opened. Since I have already written about both Cardinal Bloom and Lantern By Sea, I guess it’s time to write about Jordan Moyes.

One of my biggest pet peeves at concerts is when people talk over the openers. Like, I get it. You’re not there for the opener, and you’re showing up to the show and you see your friends and want to catch up. And that’s fine, but it’s the people who hear the opener and decide to get even louder as if the opener is the one being the asshole. It’s a real life AITA, and the answer is yes. Yes, you are.

And this was the story last Saturday night. Jordan got up, and people got louder. Not cheering, just talking. Don’t worry, I did my part of giving death glares to the people sitting on the benches in the back who wouldn’t shut up. I wasn’t part of the shushing crowd because those people—though their hearts may be in the right place—are still annoying as hell.

But the true sign of an incredible opener is one who demands the attention of those assholes with their performance and silences them. This sets the tone for the rest of the night and provides a truly amazing experience for the remaining acts. After about three songs, the venue was silent, with 100% of their attention on Jordan—looking like he just walked in off the street and decided a minute before he went on stage that he was going to do some incredible shit.

And, true to form for most singer songwriters, Jordan bore his soul for us that night. He sung a new song about unrequited love, and I thought about how much a depressed, lonely me of five years ago would have loved the words sung. And it was in that moment that I noticed this old couple in front of me. They were embraced and swaying back and forth, having the time of their lives. I caught a glimpse of their faces, and they were beaming.

My brain broke. I was seeing that picture of the dude who looks exactly like an older Lebron at the Lakers’ game, proving that time travel exists (for reference, this is what I’m talking about). Jordan Moyes is a goddamn time traveler. He came back in this moment, a moment when there wasn’t clarity on what life had in store for him, maybe one where he's been knocked down and depressed, his only recourse to write sad love songs. There was future Jordan basking in the struggle before the success and say to his younger self, "We made it. Look how far we came."

OR it was just some old couple—maybe someone’s parent’s or grandparents—enjoying the live music. I don’t know. Anyway, check out Jordan Moyes and his song "Flowers" here.