I remember back in 1996 when I was having coffee while a freshman at Ohio University and I heard some great songs coming over the loud speaker. I asked the girl at the counter who the band was and she told it was the Vigilantes of Love a group led by Bill Mallonee.

Last night, Carmel and I watched Bill play at Scottie McBeans in Columbus, Ohio. It was a great show. He played some of the older VOL classics like "Resplendent" and "Skin" and some of the newer ones too. Of the newer ones, I especially liked "Apple of My Eye," "The Kidz on Drugz (or Life)" and "I Will Never Be Normal (After This)."

Bill is a Christian, and I found out last night, a Catholic who returned home to the Church after some years away. Some of his newer lyrics had made me wonder about the Catholic connection and the candles to the Sacred Heart, St. Michael, and the Blessed Virgin Mary with prayers in Spanish and English beside the Cd’s he was selling had really, really made me wonder. We sat next to two Catholic priests in training too, which was really cool since they were both around my age.

It was an amazing night and I was glad to have seen him live again and to have bought a couple of his new Cd’s. As an example of how wonderful Bill is, when Carmel told him we were engaged, he gave her his newest CD as a wedding present to us and signed it!! If you get the chance, check out Bill and/or VOL. They are awesome!