beacons to see in the dark.
Artists usually come from a dark place… so they say. I’ve known many talented artists and I can confirm they are also a beacon of light. One of my favorite artists told me that her music is healing… To be able to encapsulate darkness in the trueness that is musical arts, it seems to me a requirement to understand the darkness in a way that can only happen through the transcendence of darkness to light.
Earlier tonight, I walked out of the kitchen to the front counter of Cookies. There was a man standing there accompanied by another man. Both had a look about them I can’t quite describe – like they knew something I didn’t know. The one standing in front of me was Taylor. He had a presence that was so secure it screamed, “I fully understand insecurity!” and peacefully reminded, “I am me, because you are you.” A manner that was calm and stoic, yet exuded an unattainable coolness. When Brian came out and had nothing but praise to give this man and his band, Taylor was so real and humble. Being from Portland, he was in Seattle with a group from his solo project. He told me the music was like a sound bath. He said it was “dark.”
Taylor put me on the list. He played one song. I wanted to cry. As the set went on, his presence at the restaurant made more and more sense. This was a man that fully understood his shadow. The questions, the reflection, the processing of what he had experienced – He wasn’t performing. He was re-living, he was re-processing, he was re-examining through a sound that recreated the emotions. His lyrics struck a chord and both our experiences were re-examined. It’s truly a gift to do what Taylor does.
He is a beacon of light. Because, here he is; so cool, so animated, and so true to his heart. He looked like he was in an altered state of consciousness.
Here I am bathing in a moment where I feel those feelings that haunt me. I go face to face with those feelings. And then, Taylor expresses the feelings with words I could not seem to find for myself: “I wanna be clear… I wanna be true… I wanna be Forgiven.”
There’s a saying that goes something like this: In order to walk beside another, you must first be willing to go down that path alone. For this reason, I do not find this kind of music to be dark. I find it healing to join with someone in their magic and be reminded that I am not walking this path alone.
For those that understand the dark – For those that are in the dark, looking for the light – For those faithfully walking a path with only a vision that cannot be seen through the haze of reality: I would recommend a sound bath at the Sunset Tavern in Ballard, Seattle, WA with Taylor Kingman.
Author: Jeff Donnelly
Game Designer. In both business and life, the potential is limited by the number of transactions available. Life is like a game. Jeff designs games that allow people to realize their full potential.