"Communicate" by Jonezetta, Saturday, January 30, 2021

Jonezetta's Popularity brings back memories of being 21. Although the album had come out the year before, I had been hesitant to buy it. But after tours with Anberlin and MuteMath I decided to buy the album and put it into the CD player of my 2001 midnight blue Toyota Corolla S, my second car, and the car I had paid for with my own money. This album is one that is forever linked to the hot black interior, the red night driving display, the drivers licenses-less friends and the friends of my little sister that I had to tote around. It was also the summer that I decided it was time to go to Cornerstone.

I'VE BEEN DRIVING ALL NIGHT. My friends don't always vibe with my musical tastes and that's ok. I'm a little scared of people who like the same music as me. It makes me wonder when someone's going to hand us a big cup of Kool-Aid. However, Popularity was quite a hit among my friends. It's dancey and just '80s retro enough to be put in your playlist sandwiched between Journey's "Separate Ways" and Def Leopard's "Pour Some Sure on Me." I saw them at Cornerstone twice in 2007. They had a set in one of the bigger tents. Then miracle of all miracles happened. Relient K's band burned down, pushing Skillet and Anberlin to close the night, and a slot opened up for Jonezetta to play main stage. When they played "Communicate" they dedicated the song to Anberlin, their good friends who took them out on the Cities tour and helped them achieve they success they had so far in their career.

WILL IT EVER FEEL THE SAME? I talked a little about the demise of Jonezetta when I talked about Corey Crowder last year. In November, after Cornerstone, some friends decided to drive to Charolette to see Family Force 5's Halloween themed tour with openers The Secret Handshake and Jonezetta. Going to the concert was more fun than the concert. It was a small club venue and we were used to the the bands having more space for their show/theatrics (think FF5). Main stage at Cornerstone earned them another on main stage. It didn't go so well. It seems that the crowd was not into their new songs and the band didn't have the energy they once had. Something was off.  As all good things must come to an end, so do most bands after 1 or 2 albums. The music industry imploded with the housing crisis of 2008/2009.  Just as the bands of young adulthood break up, we too move on. I sold my car to my dad when I came to Korea for student loan payments. Friend groups have splintered--some moved away, some have stopped being friends. Cornerstone ended in 2012. Life is full of sad goodbyes, but it's better to have the sad goodbye than to never have had it in the first place. What's left is a few Apple Music shuffles and memories of being 21 with keys to car and driving to Illinois for a dusty concert.


Read the lyrics on Genius.



 

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