When people ask me  how I came to be a music journalist I have a few stories. Usually it consists of a combination of:

a. I’ve always loved to write

b. I grew up going to concerts

c. I realized I could combine both these passions when I saw “Almost Famous” for the first time

d. From the moment I covered my first show (Gavin DeGraw for my college paper) I was hooked

But, when someone asks me what it is I love most about music (as my roommate Monica did recently) I’m often stumped. It’s really not a difficult question, its just that it’s so hard to pin it down to one thing. However, while seeing Coldplay up close last week and covering the show for Rolling Stone, (two dreams accomplished in one night) and hearing one song in particular, it all hit me:

What I love most is the ability music as to take you back to a specific moment in time.

As Coldplay began “Clocks,” I was instantly transported to senior year of high school when my crush at the time recommended the song to me. It’s funny actually, how the moment frontman Chris Martin began the song on piano I was suddenly a teen again.

During their performance, a diehard Coldplay fan sat next to me and began to tell me, in great detail, the story behind their upcoming album and every song he thought they’d play. After the show, I noticed a group of fans waiting outside the backstage door, hoping for a glimpse of their favorite band. I once again bumped into my concert buddy who was beyond excited to see Coldplay’s former manager walk by and asked me to take a photo of them.

I came to learn that without that manager, Coldplay may have never recorded their debut album. You see, he lent the band the money they needed to record and release it. Without that record my former crush and I would have never bonded over music and I certainly would have never covered Coldplay’s “Live on Letterman” broadcast (watch above) for Rolling Stone.

It’s crazy how things work out sometimes. The entire summer I was confused as to what my path as a music journalist would lead to but as I began to write my review on my subway ride home, everything made sense. Now, whenever I hear Coldplay I’ll think of my new friend and waiting to meet the band, something I’ve done since the very first concert I attended.