The Lexicon: The shooting stars crossing my mind

Courtesy of Alexis Schlesinger

By Alexis Schlesinger Editorial Staff For nine days, I couldn’t get out of bed. Well, that’s an exaggeration. And a lyric from Escape Durgin’s song “9 Days.” But for those of us lacking a Valentine, the days leading up to Feb. 14 can certainly drag on. Between the corporate boom of pink, heart-shaped decor, and an increasing number of friends revealing romantic plans, I have to admit, there were moments where the insistent choruses of “You can still enjoy Valentine’s Day without a partner!” started to piss me off rather than give me hope. After being dramatic for a few days, I ended up making plans for myself. I went alone to two shows on Feb. 14, and saw six artists I had never seen before. Now, I’m happy to report, the cornballs were right. You do not need a romantic partner to enjoy Valentine’s Day - or any other day for that matter. You need to engage in your community though, if you want to make the kinds of connections that will sustain you. I’ll take the time in a future article to rattle on about how important community is, and how the community I’ve found in my local music scene has healed me in ways I can’t describe, but there is a much more pressing matter to address. Lowell is home to one of the greatest rock bands to ever hit the scene. It’s no secret that the Lowell scene is packed with talent, but the striking energy of Escape Durgin makes them stand out as a community staple. Escape Durgin is made up of Quinton Gibbons on guitar and vocals, Michael Sirard on guitar and vocals, Sean Connors on bass and vocals, and Avery Stout on drums. The love this band has for each other, their music, and their community lights up the room, and is rightfully returned to them tenfold by their fans. The show I attended was one of two back-to-back show days for Escape Durgin, for which the band stated they would be playing two entirely different sets. While I have absolutely no idea which songs they played on Feb. 13, I did have the pleasure of hearing seven songs off of the band’s self-titled album, as well as two unreleased songs - “Hands” and “Make things right.” It’s one thing to have well-written and well-recorded songs on your discography, but it’s another to be able to perform even better live. To go back to my earlier point, connection is everything. Escape Durgin’s songs are performed so tightly, and while it’s clear they’re also well-practiced, it’s their passion and care for the art they make that ultimately transforms the room. Of all the songs performed that night, my favorite was easily “Free Shipping,” and this seemed to be a shared sentiment from a good portion of the crowd. “Free Shipping” is a breakup song. Perfect for Valentine’s Day! Ironically, hearing “Free Shipping” live felt like anything but heartbreak. “Free Shipping” builds in tempo and hope as Escape Durgin tells a story of moving on from someone you still have so many things to say to. Gibbons, the vocalist for this song, goes from “wondering what it’s all for,” to “seeing a man who looks just like him” and “realizing he will be fine,” after ripping a fantastic guitar solo. As a full-time hopeless romantic and enjoyer of metaphoric use of star imagery, I was also particularly taken by “Skin.” I think the lyric: “If you looked inside my brain / would you be surprised / that it looks like a shooting star every time you cross my mind,” speaks for itself here. After being completely charmed by what I heard from Escape Durgin that night, I listened to their self-titled album in full. While I am slightly bummed out that this is the only album they’ve released so far, it’s been on repeat ever since the show. For now, I’m anxiously, but happily, waiting for announcements of future shows and releases. Escape Durgin, whoever told you they “don’t love you no more” is really missing out.