Seth Anderson: On the Road to Fest - Diary 6

Seth Anderson is going to Fest. The Calgary-based singer/songwriter, signed to Joey Cape's One Week Records, is on the road touring with labelmate Yotam Ben-Horin of Useless ID. They're headed across the U.S. on a journey of self-discovery and rock'n'roll, making the month-long trek to Gainesville, Florida to appear at The Fest. As they make the voyage, Seth'll be sharing his road diary with Punknews.org & Some Party. This is entry six in our series.

Tour Diary #6: Love to Las Vegas - Oct. 5, 2017
It is unfortunate when one person's act of hatred, seemingly overpowers love. One person, with one idea, can spread negativity and panic within a split second.
We were three days away from our Las Vegas, Nevada show when we saw the news of the shootings on October 1st. It was absolutely terrible. I've never been geographically as close to such a tragedy, and I could feel it that much more intensely.
This was an act of inexplicable hate, there is no disputing that. This will sometimes create the knee-jerk reaction of more hate, which from there grows exponentially. But this was not what we witnessed. As we began our journey into the desert, we were faced with a lot of uncertainty about what we would see from people over the next few days of shows leading up to our Las Vegas date. In Pomona, CA on a Monday night, we saw a community of open-hearted people. I even heard one man that had the hard-edged appearance of biker say that, "Music is love." The next night, in Bakersfield, we played a house show to a potluck and an open-minded, music appreciating crowd. More kind people. And then there was the show in Vegas. We heard stories from those that knew people directly affected by the shootings. There was sadness, but I can not say that I sensed anger. Honestly, the shows we have played since the tragedy have been extremely inspiring. People want to connect and come together in times like these. It seems that people don't want to hate each other. They want to be part of a community and to be fulfilled. Mental health makes people want to hate. Maybe we are not the problem, and that is. And do you know what people are using to ease the ailments of depression and anxiety? Dogs. They love unconditionally. They are loyal, and will wholeheartedly be your best friend. Dogs. It's so simple. Also, people are capable of these qualities. Connection. Companionship. Community. Coming together. We don't see too many headlines about this, but it is happening. I have seen it every day in many places over the last 30 + years of my existence.
One human took so much from hundreds of people that can never be returned. It makes me so sad to think about it. That terrible feeling in my gut that makes me want to puke. We will mourn for those lost and those that are affected and healing, but let's not amplify the hatred that this man pushed upon us all. A cab driver in Las Vegas told me the community there did not let this event weaken them. They came together. They were even turning people away at the blood donor clinic as there was a surplus of donations. That is amazing.
These are just my thoughts in trying to make sense of a totally unfathomable event. There are a lot of terrible things happening all over the world, and maybe there is no reasonable explanation, which can leave us feeling helpless and hopeless. What we do control though, is what we create and the type of energy that we project. So maybe that is where we all need to start.
What can we do? Hug somebody. See where you can help in your community. Acknowledge mental illness. Rescue a dog from a shelter. Vote against people having the right to own an assault weapon. Maybe instead of an assault weapon, they should get a dog. And know, that there is love. What you give is what you get. And when it is given to you, take it. You deserve it. And then give it to someone else. It will feel good, I promise.
Also, I want to brag that I have the best friends in the world. They are so great, that they travelled from Canmore to Las Vegas just for my show. I am a lucky guy.
Ok, so I've fallen behind on these diaries as I have been stewing over this entry for a few days. Thank you for listening.
Sending you guys lots of love. I look forward to seeing you and hugging you soon.
Photo: My friends and I in Las Vegas.
❤️
Seth