My Calling

R-Not: Chuck Bowely Bassist

A Fear-Driven Yes 

I got a text from an old friend of mine from high school, Mike. It was an image of a flyer for a show in Ithaca, NY, at a place called Deep Dive. His band, R-Not, was going to be playing with four other bands on the lineup. 

Typically, I would have been apprehensive. 
Why? 
Probably because Ithaca is just under a two-hour drive from my place. Not that it's that far, but resistance—as we know—has a funny way of telling you everything is not worth doing. 

I don’t think Mike anticipated me coming with all of my camera gear and taking photos, let alone immediately responding with, 
"I'll be there!! I'll get some photos too!!" 
Once I threw it on my calendar, that was it—I was going. 

Fear always creeps in, and instead of using that as a way to avoid anything and everything, I listened to Joe Rogan. His concept is just this: 

"If it scares the shit out of me, that tells me I need to do this." 

Fear is my compass—not steering me away, but straight into the shit I need to face. 

I even bought a ticket, not even thinking that Mike was probably just going to get me into the venue anyway. But I have no issue supporting local venues and bands. I was beyond excited. This was to be my first show with a full lineup of bands. 

The Drive, The Arrival, The Vibe 

A million thoughts ran through my head, wondering if I had the chops to do this. No time for that bullshit. I have shit to do, and I know this is going to be a great experience—not to mention the other bands that were on the lineup. 

The drive was beautiful. The weather was perfect. I arrived around 4:30 in the afternoon to a train in the middle of someone’s yard. Mike had rented a place to stay that was literally a train car. 
I mean come on—this is already cool as fuck. 

I met the other guys, Chuck and Paul, who were super welcoming. It had been years since I’d seen Mike. We barely enough time to catch up, but the vibe was instant. 

We didn’t have enough time to take photos at the train car, as the venue wanted R-Not there earlier than anticipated to get the soundcheck done. 

We set out for Deep Dive. This was a great venue. The stage was a perfect size and the light setup was phenomenal. Outside, there was a river on each side of the venue and a big porch out back on the water. It was beautiful. 

Show Time 

Before the show started, I was able to get some decent B-roll shots and some promo shots under the bridge not too far from the place, with graffiti on the wall saying: 
"Eat s’mores, not meth." 
I mean, I could not agree more—and what a perfect backdrop for some killer band photos! 

It was time to head back inside. The show was about to start. 
There was an entire crew that came from the woodwork—all of whom we were friends with in high school. 
The tone was set. 
The magic was about to happen. 

I had no clue this show was going to be off the charts. None of us did. I mean, we always want a show to be killer—but this one was beyond what anyone expected. 

R-Not was second to last in the lineup, and the place was packed by the time they hit the stage. 
Not to mention, there were two birthdays being celebrated with PG-rated strippers and a DJ dressed like a stripper (also PG), which were beyond entertaining and added to the magic unfolding before my eyes—and my camera. 

R-Not killed it, and my camera was able to capture the pure pandemonium in the crowd, and my lens caught every second of it. 

A Turning Point 

This was a huge step for me, and I was grateful that I was there catching such a magical experience. I was able to catch up with old friends, and it was the first show I had been to in over ten years. 

It’s hard not to get emotional talking about it—but I do, and rightfully so. 

As the night wound down with Secret Service Men as the last on the lineup, everyone was making plans for what was happening after the show. Luckily, I’ve been sober the last 2+ years because I needed to give a few friends a ride to where they were going to end their night. 

I dropped them off and said my goodbyes. 
It was just about 1 AM, and I had a long drive home. 
It was quiet and peaceful—nobody on the road—so I had plenty of time and headspace to reflect. 

Even now, I choke up a bit talking about it. 
This show was the pivotal point in my head. 
This is exactly where I needed to be. 
And this is exactly what my future needs to be as well. 

A big thank you to my friend Mike, Chuck, and Paul for allowing me to tag along and get the best footage I have ever gotten. 

This one will go down in history as setting the tone for the rest of my life. 

It’s been a day or two, and I still get emotional with happiness with how everything went that night. 
My fear led me in the right direction—and I said fuck you to resistance. 

If I can say anything, it’s this: 

Don’t be your worst enemy and not allow yourself to experience life. 
There is an entire world of experiences out there. 
And now—I’m going to capture them, one image at a time.