Something To Look Forward To

Sadly, the summer of 2009 will be bereft of the annual Ozzfest metal festival. According to Billboard.com, Ozzy Osbourne is working on a new studio album and is putting the festival on hiatus this year to concentrate on the album.
It's been said all you need to be happy is something to do, something to look forward to, and someone to love. Of course, I staked my summer happiness on looking forward to Ozzfest. I've seen Ozzy five times in concert, but his appeal never wears off. Even though he can't speak coherently in "The Osbournes" TV show, he sings remarkable clear on-stage. I've observed him onstage wearing the black track pants with the white stripe on the leg which are a staple wardrobe item in the TV program. I added a couple of pairs to my own wardrobe after seeing Ozzy in them. There's nothing wrong with copying a hot fashion trend when you see one. I was hoping to wear one of my pairs of track pants to Ozzfest this summer. Now my dreams of showing off my comfortable metal fashion are shattered.
As I sat in my office this afternoon, without Ozzfest to fuel my daydreams of summer, I was feeling down about tomorrow's impending snowstorm. I listened to my trusty Walkman radio as I worked at the computer. An ad came on for some festival in Willmar, Minnesota. Ignoring the ad as I peered intently at the computer code on my screen, all I heard was "Blah, blah, Willmar, blah, blah, blah, As I Lay Dying."
After an exhilarating ride home from work in my Smart car, I did a bit of web research. Yes, the actual As I Lay Dying is headlining the Sonshine festival at the Willmar Civic Arena in July. The ticket price even includes free camping!
I saw As I Lay Dying open for Slipknot in 2005 and have since listened to them incessantly on my car's MP3 player. Their lyrics are pretty much indecipherable between the singer's cookie monster voice delivery and the dark thrashing drums in the background, so I didn't even realize they were a Christian band. I usually expect Christian music to be pretty upbeat, since Christians have salvation to look forward to, and if they're Lutherans, coffee and bars after every Sunday service. I can't wait to see As I Lay Dying rock out at Sonshine. I'm picturing a giant mosh pit, full of headbanging Lutherans jacked up on giant cups of coffee and fistfuls of sugary 7-Layer bars. Now I have something to look forward to this summer.