Something that I’ve always failed to understand is how someone can Hate their life? I’ve always presumed it was based upon the assumption that everyone else’s was better (a statement i hugely disagree with) and tended to shy away from people whom stated it. I’ve always had the opinion that we as people all face troubles in our life, it helps define us, make us into the men/women we will eventually become and enable us to one day really just experience such an overwhelming joy upon the realization that you’re worth so much more than you ever thought. Upon the realization that you love your life.

A realization that i experienced.

Around the age of 14/15 i was in a now defunct record store, i say that as if it was some tiny indie store when in fact it was Virgin Megastores but the point remains. Anyway, I was browsing around the store when i came across the album “Watch Out!” by a Canadian band called “Alexisonfire” immediately took back by the artwork - I purchased the CD and made my way home to listen to it.

I was never a great fan of “Screaming Music” as my mum would call it before this, I’d always thought of it as exactly the opposite, not music (an opinion that has now changed i may add!) and tended to shy away from it, but when i got home and put this album in my no longer owned CD player, it blew me away to hear such an angelic voice - that of a Mr.Dallas Green - accompanied by two other voices, making seemingly a crescendo of beauty just absolutely mind blowing.

Needless to say, i started to fall in love with alexisonfire.

A little while after i became more attached to the band i found a release of Dallas Green’s under the moniker City and Colour and immediately purchased it.

After listening to “Sometimes” over and over again until it was drummed into my ears, heard over every conversation and every other piece of music in existence i started to develop an even keener affection for City and Colour and Dallas Green.

Now as i got older things changed, Relationships came and went, problems were made and solved and this man, this wonderful man seemed to guide me through everything. His music was comfort, the most complete comfort I’ve ever felt - and Understanding, Relation and Heartwarming.

Obviously my love of his music continued to grow and grow upon every listen, every release etc. So in 2010, the first time since discovering City and Colour (and being a gig goer!) when he announced a couple of dates at the HMV forum in Kentish Town naturally - I went along to both and was left completely mind blown.

Just the sheer simpleness of it being a man and a guitar was just out of this world.

Obviously yet again when he announced a date for April 25, 2011 at the Royal Albert Hall i felt it was necessary to get tickets, tickets which meant i could meet my Hero, in the flesh, with him there and everything ;)

So when today/yesterday however you’d like to look at it - finally rolled around you can imagine my excitement.

I finally got to meet my hero.

What do you say to your hero?

I told him Thankyou. My Girlfriends name means Dolphin and she’s amazing.

Now, i know it doesn’t seem like much but for me to able to thank him and express to him just how much every little word sang with his beautiful voice means to me and how much i never ever thought anyone could influence me in such a way, i never thought it was possible to feel like you know someone without ever meeting them before in your life, feeling like you’ve been through everything with them.

I was in awe.

This photo, no matter how bad i look, no matter how menial it is to everyone else, will forever mean everything to me.

I never thought it was possible for music to save someones life - in fact i always got kind of annoyed when that MCR fan would say “Omg! I love you! You saved my life!” or that Blackout fan would tell Sean Smith that they’d be dead without them.

I’m not quite sure that Dallas Green saved my life and I’d never like to throw that statement on it, seeing its said from such a negative stand point, But he definitely changed it. For the better.

Now completely happy in pretty much every way, I’m lucky enough to have an amazing girlfriend, part of an amazing band and have the most amazing group of friends i could’ve ever asked for, including a best friend I’ve spent most of my life procrastinating with (apart from the amazing band that is :P) His music still means the world to me and still chokes me to tears, even now, so long after i first heard it.

All pictures are taken by me!

Anyway Dallas - This blog is me thanking you again - though ypu’ll never see it and thanking you for helping me realize just how good my life and everyone in it is.