Side Quest

The Minnesotan Thaw

The Lumineers are playing here this month.

So of course I am flying to Minnesota to see them in July. Folks have asked why I’m not going to see them here. Like they don’t understand the thrill of the pilgrimage. Or me.

Minnesota is the thaw. Minnesota. Which I know sounds backwards — a Southern girl flying north to Minnesota to thaw out. But that’s the plan. This girl is cracking out of her shell in so many different directions just to make it happen.

So I hadn’t planned on going to the show here. I swear someone told me it was sold out. And I was certain they only had third-party tickets online. But I was wrong on both counts. Lena informed me of this fact.

She bought a ticket a while ago. And when she was over for puzzle night she said, “do you want to go see the Lumineers?” And you might think she was inviting me. But I’ve been down this road with her before.

Do you want to go see the Lumineers sounds like it could mean would you like to go with me… like… I have a ticket, let’s go.

But apparently it can also mean don’t you want to go to this concert at the same time that I go and enjoy it from an entirely different location in the building than me with a ticket you bought your own dang self?

And what I’m saying is that Lena and I operate on different wavelengths in this particular area. And that’s fine. I’m just saying, I knew better on puzzle night.

“It’s sold out,” I said. “And besides, I’m going to Minnesota.”

So I thought things were settled.

Until she insisted at sushi night that it was not sold out. And she proceeded to pull up tons of available tickets, direct from Ticketmaster.

Then things escalated. Quickly.

“Ok,” I finally relented. “You find me a ticket next to you and I’ll go.”

She did.

Two. Across the aisle from her. Close enough.

But Ticketmaster won’t let you separate a pair of tickets. You can’t leave a lone seat behind. Not on their watch.

And so, that was that.

Except it wasn’t.

Because now I was low-key stalking the venue site looking for tickets. And I found two. Third row. Center stage. Right there. $200 (plus fees).

*Faint*

But. Ticketmaster won’t let you separate a pair of tickets. You can’t leave a lone seat behind. As I may have mentioned.

So now, I’ve gone from not going to the show here and focusing on the good time in Minnesota to considering purchasing both 3rd row tickets and letting the empty seat just live their best life beside me. Because why not at this point.

Instead I texted Maggie. In the group message with Lena.

Do you have any interest whatsoever in seeing the Lumineers in two weeks? There are two seventy dollar tickets next to Lena in the nosebleed section. And I do mean the tippy top. Or two 3rd row tix for $200ish.

Lena wants us to sit next to her.

She replied immediately:

I would do the $70 but not the $200.

Nosebleed it is.

We’re going.

We are in two lone seats across the aisle from Lena and down a ways from the handicap seating. Those are still available. If you’re interested.

We’ll be seeing the Lumineers from the absolute highest point in the city. I mean, we have a better view of the skyline than the stage.

Lena texted me later:

Nice move with the $70 vs. $200. I saw what you did there.

Which wasn’t really what I intended, but I guess I did wrangle a concert companion, and a seat next to Lena—even if we will practically be orbiting Mercury.

And I haven’t mentioned this fact: I was going to wait until my recap in July, but why not.

The Minnesota show? VIP tickets. I’ll be watching from the side of the stage.

Two shows. Two extremes.

The nosebleeds…

…and the wings.

Feels kind of perfect.

But for real y’all. I’m mourning those 3rd row tickets now.

They’re still available, btw.

Here’s the mixtape.

Sleep on the Floor — The Lumineers
By and By — Caamp
Cleopatra — The Lumineers
Brightside — The Lumineers
Ho Hey — The Lumineers
Ophelia — The Lumineers
You Worry Me — Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats
A.M. Radio — The Lumineers
San Luis — Gregory Alan Isakov
Big Parade — The Lumineers
Where We Are — The Lumineers

Here’s what you may have missed:

Every week, Stories from the Jukebox gives us a prompt. Here’s mine from last week:

🎶 This week’s Jukebox:

📼 From the Jukebox Vault:

🪑 Southern Writers’ Guild:
If you haven’t visited MJ, Rick, and me over at the Guild yet, I’d love for you to check out this piece:

The Little Shops That Were

🎥 SWaG Feature of the Week:
We’re featuring some of our favorite early Porch stories for the next few weeks.
Check out the Porch here:

click image to visit the porch