Thanks for this post – it resonated with things I’ve been thinking about recently too. I made a comment on Mark Jennings’ blog along these lines the other day: http://bit.ly/dwECBe

The thing I struggle with the most when living (and making a living) in the business world is the regular compromise with authenticity that is often required. It doesn’t absolutely have to be that way, but almost always, at least on some level or in some way.

Perhaps you have some of the same issues, which is why you were seeing authenticity as cultivated and projected before being reminded of what it truly looks like by Krystle Warren’s performance. It sounded shudderingly epiphanic. I’m envious!

So, how do you reconcile the compromise of commerce? Or don’t you have to?

On a final note, a few years ago I vowed to only see gigs in small venues from then on. I found that the intimacy and connectedness I experienced far outweighed what I lost in seeing bands I didn’t know very well (or at all). I’ve only broken the vow twice since but for what I thought were good reasons. (One time I was right, the other time I wasn’t entirely).

Even after traveling all the way to and from Helsinki, I felt inspired and energized by Bovey and the people I met there.

Thank you for insisting that I come along!