Rock and roll will save your soul -- if you can stay awake

Once the kids are in bed and I manage to get out of the house to go to a show, I'm not home free. If the show is at the Holocene, I'm OK because I have to stand. If the show is at the Crystal Ballroom and I'm on the floor, I'm OK because I have to stand. If the show is at Berbati's, I'm OK because I have to stand. The Aladdin is another story. I saw three shows at the seated Aladdin in October and November and I fell asleep during all of them at some point. Yael Naim is mellow, so maybe that's understandable, but I also fell asleep during Dengue Fever and Yeasayer -- hardly musical sedatives.

Sure, I'm tired from working and parenting and going out after 9 like I'm still 21 is probably not a great idea. I don't blame that. I once fell asleep when I was out with friends at what used to be North By Northwest (now Music Fest NW). I was sitting at a table and at one point I drifted off and slumped onto the table. I was completely sober and I didn't have any kids at the time. I also fell asleep watching "The Fugitive" and I was 21. Not to mention that it's, you know, one of those edge-of-your-seat thrillers.

So, of course, I blame my dad. He could -- and still can -- fall asleep anywhere. We were once watching the NCAA tournament together in the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis. There were 30,000-plus people around us cheering and Dad put his head in his hands and fell asleep immediately. Add my genes that to a seat and a full day of work and parenting and the only thing rock and rolling is my weary head as I'm trying to stay awake. After my string of Aladdin snoozers, I went to the Doug Fir to see Thao and The Get Down Stay Down and was waiting for my party to show up. I went back to sit at the bar and fell asleep sitting straight up on the bar stool. At the Crystal Ballroom balcony back in October, I went to sit in the balcony for a show and fell asleep between acts. I finally moved down to the floor for Mates of State and Santogold.

I love the music. That's why I show up. I don't have the energy to dress well. Or to order a martini. Or to dance well. Say what you will, but being a dork takes less energy. And I need all the energy I can just to stay awake.