I'm not quite sure how to start this...I'm not really good at these things...but here goes.
I found out yesterday that one of my friends from back in Rochester died last week. No, I didn't know him that well and I hadn't seen him recently but he had a significant impact of my life. His name was Brian Oster. He was the organ player for the Blackouts, a popular ska band in Rochester. My first show, my first real, show, not a warped tour or something was with the Blackouts and the Toasters. I can't even describe to you what that was like. Instantly, my friends and I fell in love. The unity, the togetherness, the feeling that those of us who never really belonged, had a home here. The scene, the lifestyle, the music. All of it. It was ours.
Through the years we followed the Blackouts to almost every show, being the cute little scenster kids we were. Soon they came to know us well and Brian always had kind words for us. Brian was truly a steller musican, and to date it's hard to say I've seen a better live show.
With out Brian and the Blackouts, I doubt I'd even be the same person I am now. I moved to Boston primarly for the music scene, the Rochester scene having long since died. I moved here to make something of myself and do what I loved more than anything: design for musicans...and holy shit I'm actually doing it. I can't even really fathom how I managed to pull all this off.
So thank you Brian, thank you for everything. In your short life, you had more impact than you will ever know.
