The Music Saved Our Lives ... Seriously & Literally
We can truly say that "The Music Saved Our Lives" -- both seriously and literally.
As we discussed throughout 2020 ... everybody knows "Live Music Is Better", of course. (And again most recently in our "Live Music Is Better" - Mid-Summer 2021 Edition #2.)
Last Wednesday night, we attended a concert by Aoife O'Donovan w/ Members of the Knights at Wolf Trap, Vienna, Virginia.
Aoife O'Donovan w/ Members of the Knights
The Knights joined Grammy Award-winner Aoife O’Donovan at the majestic
Wolf Trap National Park, the only national park in the U.S. dedicated to
the Performing Arts. O’Donovan and The Knights performed her
riveting new song cycle, "America".
After the concert, we returned home only to be hit almost immediately with a "tornado"* without any warning whatsoever.
The good news is that we were not injured.
Paris Was Saved 
The Tree Root Ball and The Damage Done
Similar to previous hardships here at TW, once again we say that while we appreciate the sentiments, we do NOT want your money, your $'s... or your sympathies.
Alas, it is during such challenging times when one finds out who really are their true friends and neighbors. And we thank you all for the love and support.
But all the money and sympathy in the world can never bring back the music lost. However, you can help us make sure that the music never stops, the dream never dies and that the road goes on forever by simply sharing our love of music with your friends. That is all we ask in seeking our reader's help and support during this difficult time: share the music.
We will be back again someday and plan to still see everyone at Farm Aid 2021 in Hartford, CT on Sept. 25.
thrashers @
* see comment below
by thrasher@PermaLink: 8/01/2021 01:43:00 PM
80 comments
>> Pre-Order on Amazon.com << 
Human Highway
Concert Review of the Moment
This Land is My Land
FREEDOM In A New Year
*Thanks Neil!*
![[EFC Blue Ribbon - Free Speech Online]](http://www.thrasherswheat.org/gifs/free-speech.gif)
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Neil Young
Pardon My Heart
"We're The Ones 
Thanks for Supporting Thrasher's Wheat!
This blog 
(... he didn't kill himself either...)
#AaronDidntKillHimself
Neil Young's Moon Songs
Civic Duty Is Not Terrorism
Orwell (and Grandpa) Was Right
What's So Funny About 
80 Comments:
* for those that asked about the "tornado".
The event occurred in less than one minute total. Over the past several days, we've spoken w/ dozens of utility workers; electric, gas, tree, insurance folks, etc and none have seen something like this before.
Although they have seen 100's of disaster sites before, the whole pattern of this event is inexplicable to the experts. It wasn't technically a tornado, hurricane, a derecheo.
It was an extremely localized micro-burst. As we recall the wind suddenly picked up, we saw a huge flash of lightening, immediate crack of thunder, a roaring howl, felt a tremendous earthquake as the house shifted about, and then the power went out.
Then it rained super hard for about 10 minutes. The it got quiet and was over.
Again, it is during such challenging times when one finds out who really are their true friends and neighbors.
And we thank you all for the love and support.
peace
As John Lennon once sang, Life is what happens while we're busy making other plans. In other words, you just never know when something like this will occur, sometimes things just come out of the blue and into the black.
Material possessions are really that important, stuff comes and goes. You and Mrs Thrasher are okay, that's the important thing. Do try to remember to give a shout out to the Man upstairs who gave you the juice to get out of the house to go see some live music. Just may have saved your life.
See......Neil was right. Live music IS better, and bumper stickers should most definitely be issued. Stay safe, amigo.
Pardon me, I meant to say material possessions really AREN'T that important. Bad typing.
Everyone at WBKM applauds your positive attitude and the fact that you listened to the muse and bought those tickets to go to the Show!!!
Relieved and grateful that you both are safe and unharmed. Our hearts and prayers are with you.
Peace 🙏
You’ve been Tornadoed, but You and Thrashette are like a hurricane: there's calm in your eye. You dodged a global warming bullet and TW HQ will arise new and improved to deliver the news. Peace & Love. HTH
What an intense event. Glad to hear y’all are ok. Thanks for everything you do!
Dear Friends, I am very sorry about this. Seeing your home damaged is awful. In 2018 we had a 100 mph straight wind destroy cars, our garage and a bit of our house. Please, if you need anything, let us know.
Abner
I am so glad you were away at a show! Bloody terrifying that the heavy branch was thrown down on your sanctuary of sleep, your nocturnal refuge of rest. I shudder to think you all could have been killed! Global Warming really is deadly! But who could have seen this coming?! Destiny was on your side. Your many fans here at the TW blog would have been inconsolable had this ended differently. Life is not so easy sometimes, covid aside. We are SO Grateful it was not necessary to look at a tragedy here and ask, “Why?!” If there is a God out there with any power to protect or smite, let it not be T, or his lovely Soul Mate! Tall trees are laying down, but surely not impaling the Heart of Gold we have come to rely on and love. TW lives on. We give thanks for the protection that was provided. It is hard enough to survive in this world and be happy without our heroes and Neil Young disciples being struck down by a freak storm. Alan in Seattle
Good Lord, so glad you are both ok. Hope your CDs and vinyl still intact?! Would happily contribute to replacements, since you are our ‘gateway to Neil’!
Best wishes thrasher and thrashette x
And you were home! Yikes! Good night to be out late! I am sharing music. It’s high time.
Good to hear you are both well - the Muses were in the right place for you that night.
How damaged is your home? Are you still in residence?
"Freak weather" is not going to be rare these days.
Hambone
Very glad to hear that you are both okay. Likewise for your beautiful painting and other posessions! I echo all comments above.
Scotsman.
A fortuitous escape, despite the terrible damage. Hope the clear up operation is as swift and painless as possible. Best wishes to you both.
So glad you and Thrashette are ok! That is the most important part. But I hope you can return to a semblance of normalcy soon! Best wishes to you both.
I am glad you two are safe! Very scary. I know it is going to be a while before things get back to normal. But I hope it is sooner rather than later.
Sending peace & prayers for a speedy return to normalcy.
Dear thrahser and thrashette, I wish you all the best in recovering and healing. It's hard to know what to say, other than life is weird. In another, much less dramatic synchronicity, there were contractors working on the trees across the street from us today. Tornadoes almost never land around here, it's too hilly, but we get thunderstorms all summer, heavy snow in winter, and some hurricane backwash if we're unlucky, so it's really important to take care of aging trees and low-hanging limbs; one of many, many infrastructure hazards currently in need of attention.
I hope the music helps you all work through this. I came across Aoife O'Donovan through Yo-You Ma and Chris Thile's bluegrass/classical/jazz fusion Goat Rodeo project, which released its second album last year. On those albums, she sings with Thile--beautiful stuff if you need sounds to nourish your spirits through this experience.
It hardly needs saying, but I'll put the Archives review series on the back burner until further notice. Thanks for all you have done thus far. Take some time, take a deep breath, and be well.
Hey Thrasher,
oh man what a shock. So glad you and Thrashette are OK. If there is anything I can do...
LAOL
Robert (Broadfoot)
Wow, so fortunate to be away but building back better
can be a real pain with insurance companies. Sure hope
it all goes smoothly bringing the home back to normal!
We cut down six big trees earlier in the summer when
we saw them swaying in a storm.
Happy to read things are fine. Take care you both and thankyou
Thrasher! So glad you and the missus are okay, safe & sound! It’s a crazy world we live in now; politically, medically, economically, and environmentally! Unfortunately I think the weather is just going to be more bizarre, destructive and unpredictable as time goes on… but just as long as we all have our own internal combustion engines and our ACs to constantly run, who cares, right? *Sigh*
So I have also experienced a microburst where I am in Connecticut… it was a very strange and very localized event. It was a beautiful day then boom… the wind launched our daughter’s FischerPrice playhouse up in the air where in landed over the fence in the neighbors yard and destroyed it. Downed tree limbs, things blown all over. But just like that it was over the sun went back to shining.
But yes, I feel ya and that’s a crazy story… glad you guys got out for the music and weren’t in bed!
Anyway, I’m going to be at Farm Aid too. It would be a trip to meet up with folks on here. I keep an eye out for details of any meet ups.
Cheers & be safe, everyone!
Tony aka Shittyhorse
Sending you both my best wishes from across the pond....so glad you're ok, and I hope you get everything sorted swiftly.
I'm late to the discussion, but very glad you're still with us! Strength to you.
Glad you both are OK! Good luck from France
Nicolas
Hey buddy - glad you are safe. Those deracheo storms are no joke! Had one crush Southern Illinois May 8, 2008 (the date is cemented in the community's mind as the "May 8th Storm"). Anyway, hope you get to rebuild soon. Sorry you lost that tree too, looks like a beauty. Sending love from Maui.
OMG! I guess tall trees ARE layin' down, thanks to our neglect of Mother Earth. So glad you two were not in that bed. Hope to see you at Farm Aid this year, Liz & Bill
T-
just getting to this news, oh boy. Sorry for your troubles, glad you're ok!
I think it was time for remodeling anyway! This old house of ours is built on dreams!
Take care. Let me know if you need anything!
SONY
So I was recalling- 2018, we are in Vancouver, 100 mph straight wind blows a maple down on our cars and house. My great 2004 Ford F150 annihilated and a toyota bites the dust. Roof damage, windowns broken, etc... We live in a place where tornado warnings are so ordinary that I don't even pay attention (stupid, I know). Anyway, we built back better. We had to blowtorch the insurance guy's ass but eventually we got everything we needed and I basically rebuilt the garage. The whole thing can work out, and I am sure you have insurance? Anyway, that whole summer sucked, we walked around in a wreckage but in the end we did fine. (We now only have one car, which has been a real money saver, I did not need a truck).
Glad you escaped largely unscathed.
Glad you are safe and sound.
Giving back to music, how do we get Crazy Horse and the Dominos into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
K
I miss Thrasher’s Wheat new posts. The pandemic “got worse” when that tree came down. Long live Thrashers!
Alan in Seattle
Shit happens.Music was my first love and it will be the last and it surely was a saviour of my life.It's all fate in life.If uou didn't go to the concert,things would've been much more serious.You probably would've been alive.You're still here and alive and able to talk about it afterwards.Life's a wonder and so is music.It still keeps us alive and rocking,thank God.Good wishes and all the love in the world to you from me.Cees Mostert,Europe.
So sad to hear from your misfortune.Luckily you're both still alive.Best wishes and all my love to you.Cees Mostert,Europe.
Alan, you are right
Seriously. Sorry for the loss of such a magnifcent tree.
I agree with Alan, My wife & I are enjoying a typical Saturday night, we haven't had a cig for 91 days so we're diggin the grass. Anyway, I stuck the Rust Bucket CD in the BOSE & I ain't got no T Bone. What is everyone else doing?
Hopefully the recovery process is going smoothly and I’m looking forward to hearing from Thrasher soon. We all need to be patient and appreciate the struggle these folks must be dealing with.
Peace 🙏
I caught the Big One but I let it go…. Just listening to good music every day. Sublime, Screaming Trees, Neil Young. Walking the dog, enjoying the sunset view over the water in Puget Sound, spotted a tree house in the woods on someone’s property that looks EPIC. A rope is the only way up and in. It’s a built out high end building. Riding my bike every other day. Praying for rain. Hoping Thrasher and Thrashette are doing well. Looking forward to the next NY album, as always. Strength and perseverance to our Blog host. Looking forward to getting you back on line, active. Alan in Seattle
I’m a high school teacher in Texas, so getting ready to start the year has been keeping me busy enough. Neil’s discography is the soundtrack to so much of my life, including marathon special education paperwork sessions. How stoked was I to discover Carnegie Cowgirl just as I was settling in for the evening before the first day of school? Love those little mid-song impromptu acoustic licks! What an epic setlist too.
Big Time. Agreed. No Pressure from us. Take the time you need. We patiently cheer you on as you regroup. Dan, I am gonna call you up one of these days. Until then, I smile and think of Rain Dogs and Zappa. Alan from you know where.
Neil bows out of Farm Aid for this year:
https://pitchfork.com/news/neil-young-withdraws-from-farm-aid-2021-over-covid-19-concerns/
https://pitchfork.com/news/neil-young-withdraws-from-farm-aid-2021-over-covid-19-concerns/
Ordered Bootleg Series #1 last night from the Greedy Hand Store on Vinyl & CD. Added Muddy Track DVD to the order as well. Cowgirl in the Sand sounds amazing, particularly the section where Neil makes adjustments on the guitar (or perhaps just screwed up and recovers). I love the human element in live music.
Peace 🙏
Thrashette & Co. May better fortune come your way. Clench fists. Feel supported.
Neil Young Withdraws From Farm Aid 2021 Over COVID-19 Concerns
https://pitchfork.com/news/neil-young-withdraws-from-farm-aid-2021-over-covid-19-concerns/
Agreed. Take all the time you need Thrashers. I for one am taking less for granted now that tall trees are laying down. Now, I’m off to go flying (down the road) on my 2 wheeled human-powered Dream Machine. I was Born To Ride that thing. And today I’ve got the Will to Love it and the right fuel in my tank (Organic Keto Bars, Nuun electrolyte sport drink). -Big AL
I think Neil made the right choice on Farm Aid. It seems like we are in the same boat as last year. Live Music might have to go away again.
I fully support Neil’s decision not to participate in Farm Aid this year. His reasoning is sound and represents where the mans heart is at this point and time.
Peace 🙏
While many agree with Neil’s decision sadly it puts Dave, John and especially Willy in a tough spot. The change in goal posts is driving me crazy too. We were told to get a shot whether we liked it or didn’t we did the jab did the deal and now it’s like Colombo used to do in his mystery movies…oh just one more thing…
Only 51 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated which illustrates just how polarized this country has become. We are no longer a united nation and it has the potential of tearing us apart, so it’s time for us all to figure out just exactly what our future is going to look like. My only suggestion is that we are stronger together.
Peace 🙏
I just listened to Landing on Water, somehow seemed appropriate and I don't know why. Those 80's haters know nothing! Ok, so it sounds a bit tinny and synth driven, but "I've got a Problem" and "Hard Luck Stories" hit home, the message comes through loud and clear, as always a voice out of the wilderness of imagination and ideas, Neil breaks through. No one has ever done so many strange experiments, drifting around in the ether of reality. "Now I'm floating, cause I'm not tied to the Ground" yes, the more weird it gets the more I like it. Fly the Neil flag!!!!! (I have got to invest in some real acoustics, I have fallen into the wasteland, failed to keep up!)
Hope you guys are doing ok, Thrasher!
Neil just commented some more about big concerts as super-spreaders. Neil is doing the right thing and I wish I had the power and/or money to pull out of my own situation. Soon to be in lecture halls and seminar rooms with plenty of unvaccinated and no social distancing. Hard to believe. This fall is, in some ways, more frightening than last fall.
Sending love and prayers to Thrasher & Thrasherett during this challenging time them both. You are missed but we all know you'll be back as soon as you can. Hoping everything is healing nicely and your home is coming back together better than before
Peace🙏
https://www.brooklynvegan.com/neil-young-calls-concerts-super-spreader-events-irresponsible-freedom-fests-in-new-op-ed/
Alan in Seattle
Yikes. My girl is off in college. In AZ a friend’s kid is a freshman at UAZ, 500 people in a lecture hall.
Any word from Thrasher and Thrasherette?
Same question here : any news regarding T and T'ette ? A whole month without a single post is out of the ordinary.
It could be the case that recovering from the disaster is a full time job. Like everyone else, waiting to hear good news about the two of them. Looking at news from New Orleans, etc.., what a year this has been. Best wishes to everyone.......
Yes, here’s hoping the best for Thrasher and Thrashette.
@Abner, it’s beyond frustrating that what covid has done to college campuses. I admire those who can thrive with online learning. It just stinks to be stuck in this holding pattern because of people not doing the right thing.
Hello to all of our TW friends in the Neil/Rust/TW communities,
Well, August has been a very long, hot & wet month for us.
1st, so many thanks to everyone for all of the messages of support. It has been a very humbling experience to say the least. Going instantly from a "civilized lifestyle" to near 3rd world conditions without electricity, hot water, Internet, etc has been profound.
The experience has clearly demonstrated how thin the line can be, how quickly things can go upside down and what it means to have your life changed in a split second.
Sorry to have not responded earlier or to the many direct messages. As we've covered in the past, most of our emails are marked as spam, so check your folder.
as for next steps, TBD. While most importantly we are safe & healthy, we have much to do before life begins to return to "normal".
At the moment, our Farm Aid plans are up in the air.
What we would like to do is discuss all of this in more detail on Thrasher's Wheat Radio 2.0 Podcast, hosted by WBKM.org.
So look for a podcast sometime between now & Farm Aid on our status and future plans.
We don't know what our future holds, but we can only say that we feel that subject of this post about how the music saved our lives will continue to be a motivating theme.
We have heard so many stories about the impact of music on people's lives that we want try and expand our mission, if possible, to further share this message.
So, as we often say here, "It means so much to us, to mean so much to you." truly.
lastly, someone fwd'd over this short video which we found inspiring.
We Might Be Close To A Breakthrough Moment | INSPIRED 2021 (Jean Nolan)
In particular, see around 00:50. For those curious on The Big Shift, some insights.
Take care everyone and watch out for one another.
peace & love,
thrasher & thrashette
So happy to know that you are both doing okay. We have all been sending you two love and positive energy to help you guys through this difficult time. Looking forward to hearing more about your journey and the important lessons it has offered you both. Take your time and be well.
Peace 🙏
Glad to hear that you two are gradually getting things back together.
Sounds like a hell of an thing to have happened.
Love, light, and peace.
Jim.
Hey Dan Swan, Rustradio.org is about to play a 2007 show from Boise. Guessing you were there.
Peace
Things are shifting big time. Taking out a huge mortgage to buy a piece of The Dream is not the right move. I have been going through some changes too. When I look around I see the Empire crumbling. What does it mean to be successful and provide for one’s self and your people? We get to define this for ourselves. Things ain’t what they used to be. I feel a Rumblin’ in the ground. We cheer you on as you find your way forward. Alan in Seattle
Global Warming, drought, and Superstorms will be causing a Big Shift too.
So good to hear from y’all again. And this is great news about the future of the podcast. I look forward to new stories here when the time is right.
Everyone should check out the newly posted Rust Bucket outtake. They created a Cowgirl edit from the Catalyst show (seamless to my ears, at least on casual playback) that really highlights the easy synergy of that show. I feel that version of CitS was just too magnificent to capture in full!
Thrasher mentioned the thin line that separates many of us from financial and other sorts of disaster. Words of wisdom.
On another subject, is anyone else getting really, really, tired of David Crosby? He is such an incredible asshole. He cannot stop doing it.
Great to hear from you guys that you’re doing relatively ok - all the best moving forward
Love and only love will endure
Great news! What a show! Having a Cowgirl backup restored is a great gift.
Yeah, I am super sick of David Crosby. What a Prick!
@Abner, Nash lost patience with Crosby a while ago. And Graham Nash strikes me as one of the most patient, understanding, and loyal people in Croz’s (former) circle. It’s sad that Crosby has isolated/alienated himself to this extreme from people who care, which has probably just reinforced bad habits. He has no one else to blame. It must be pathological at this stage.
“We need another Pearl Harbor.” Therefore 9/11
http://911blogger.com/news/2015-07-17/us-officials-gave-eerily-prophetic-warnings-attack-days-911
“Living With War.” What facts did major media and US Gov’t declassified docs reveal?
https://youtu.be/xEZAXFbAnbA
Ian, I don't know if you have heard but Crosby has recently trashed Neil in an interview, calling him "the most selfish person I have ever known.." etc.. Meanwhile his new album is receiving "critical acclaim." In my view the guy is just too much of an asshole to even bother with his music.
30 years ago today Nirvana released Smells Like Teen Spirit. 1 year ago, Toots Hubert died, the man who gave Reggae its name. Alan in Seattle
Hello again,
Again, so many thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers over the difficult past month.
We just recorded an episode of Thrasher's Wheat Radio 2.0 Vodcast w/ Tony @ WBKM.org
Check Episode #9 - September 11, 2021
On this episode we discuss our recent troubles, as well as, thoughts on 20th anniversary of 9-11 + Farm Aid 2021 logistics + Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real @ FA2019
peace & love to all
thrashers
TRASHER
You're great.
Welcome back.
Good to see you back safe and sound. Keep on, keepin' on for peace and healing dear Thrashers. We love you!
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