I was a depressed teen, not knowing what to do in life. I chose to move to a larger city (Ottawa) to go to college, and the first month there SP were touring. I did not know anyone there, but I bought a ticket and planned a bus route to get to the concert. I loved the album so much that summer, that I wrote a letter to Billy, I never sent it or kept it. The album helped with my sadness. The night of the show I felt alone, but in the crowd I was excited and I felt like I belonged. There is a beauty that comes from sadness. This was the first and only concert I ever went to alone. The bus ride home I talked with some fans but they got off at a stop before me. I went to the last stop on the line that night, but it was still far from where I lived. I didn’t know where I was, I had not thought this through. Terrified at this abandoned outdoor bus terminial, I figured out  what  street I was near and I either used a pay phone or waved down a cab ride because this was before cell phones. In any case, I made it into the cab and I was relieved to have enough cash on me to pay for the ride home. The loneliness I felt after the show was intense, but the music made it worth this experience. I felt stronger after and that I could make out okay on my own.

I still struggle with loneliness all the time and I am grateful for this album.