Dawn Fontaine shares her journey of finding healing and happiness through live music. She recounts attending her first concert at 16, seeing The Offspring, which left a lasting impact on her. Dawn explains how she started attending live shows every weekend, meeting new people, and maintaining a spreadsheet to track the bands and venues she visited. She also recounts meeting legendary musician Stephen Van Zandt at a concert and her collection of drumsticks from the bands she’s seen.
However, it was Soraia’s performance in 2022 that truly changed Dawn’s life. Following a dark period after the loss of her partner, Dawn reluctantly attended the concert, only to find solace and renewal in the music. Soraia’s electrifying performance provided a sense of healing and hope, inspiring Dawn to reconnect with her passion for live music and embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing. Her story emphasizes the therapeutic and life-changing power of live music.
PLEASE NOTE: This episode includes a frank discussion about depression and suicide. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or chat 988lifeline.org.
BANDS MENTIONED:
Billy Idol, Bon Jovi, Cry Havoc, Dave Strong (referenced as a punk rocker from Portland, Maine), Green Day, Guns N’ Roses, Hall and Oates, Jared Knapik, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Killer Queen (a Queen cover band), Kiss, Kurt Baker Band, Mitch Kramer, Nirvana, Peasant, Quiet Riot, Ryan Hamilton, Sheryl Crow, Soraia, Stephen Van Zandt, The Kurt Baker Band, The Last Survivors, The Offspring, The Pretenders, The Resistors, The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols, The Who, The Worst
VENUES MENTIONED:
Berlin Under A – A venue in New York City, where Soraia performed in November, attended by the speaker, where she also met Stephen Van Zandt.
Cafe Nine – Located in New Haven, Connecticut, where Craig Sala’s band, The Worst, performed along with a band called The Resistors and another called Mitch Kramer.
Darryl’s House – located in Pauling, New York, where Soraia performed in 2022.
Dingbats – A small bar/venue in Clifton, New Jersey, where Soraia performed one of their shows.
Liars Club – A venue in Chicago, Illinois.
Mohegan Sun Arena – where Dawn saw Joan Jett open for The Who in Uncasville, Connecticut, in 2015.
Orpheum Theater – where Dawn saw Billy Idol in Boston in 2015.
Palace Theater – where Dawn saw Soraia perform in Albany, New York, after the pandemic in 2022.
The Paramount Theater – Located on Long Island, New York, where Soraia performed, opening for a Queen cover band called Killer Queen.
Worcester Auditorium – Dawn’s first concert, where she saw The Offspring in 1995.Worcester Centrum Center (now called the DCU Center) – where Dawn saw Kiss in 1996.
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