I guess that could have double meaning, but it doesn't here. I first heard Howie when he opened for the Goo Goo Dolls back in, I think it was 2002. Actually, yes it was 2002, July 1st, 2002 to be precise(I checked the ticket stub. Yes I save concert ticket stubs).

I can't recall much about the Goo Goo Dolls set, but I have clear snipits of Howie's set. I remember questioning his, what I thought at the time was, excessive use of prerecorded material. Little did I know that none of the looping and back tracking he utilized, were pre-recorded. On the way out of the venue my friend who took me to the show as a belated birthday gift, and I were handed a CD sampler of Howie's music. My friend didn't want it so I took it, and for the next couple of days I forgot about it, but then I rediscovered it in my handbag. After that I listened to it pretty much non-stop for about a week, especially "Ghost". I wasn't having the best time in my life at that point, and it really calmed me, put a different spin on things in my head, not a new view point, just a story to focus on that could distract me from my own problems.

After that week or so of non-stop playing of the sampler, which I believe I still have somewhere in a CD carrying case, I bought a copy of Australia from a local independent record store, the rest is history, well my history that is. I think I've seen Howie play up to 8 times since 2002, the last time was almost exactly 4 years ago to the day. He hasn't toured in my area of the U.S for quite some time, which is disappointing, but understandable, considering that artists go where they get the most radio play and the most record sales, and Portland, Oregon is, as far as I know, not a mecca for Howie Day listenership.

In all honesty, the last time I saw Howie play, I don't think he was in a good place in his personal life, so his musicianship was not up to par with how I'd experienced it at previous engagements. The crowd was also, inundated with teenage girls, and they would not stop screaming. The energy of the crowd was not positive, I felt oppressed, put out even, and Howie did not appear to be in a good mood. I'm hoping, near praying(I don't do that), that the next time I see him perform he's back to the way I remember him back in his prime, say... 2003.