This week, I thought we’d look back on some of my favorite comics I’ve done about music. Here’s one about seeing Paws for the second of the four shows they’ve done in Portland so far.

The fact that I saw them again on Saturday might have something to do with why I’m thinking back on this particular comic.

I first saw Paws in Austin at SXSW in 2013. I fell in love pretty instantly and managed to see them 5 or 6 times while I was there. Since then, I’ve caught them in Chicago and 4 times here in Portland. I’m mildly obsessed.

I think the reason why is that they write and perform with absolute sincerity. There’s no artifice, no games, just music and connection.

Another reason they’ll always be special to me: Seeing Phillip Taylor (ignore the spelling above) sing about losing his mother to cancer made me reflect on how close I’d come to losing my own Mom and was part of the reason I worked to have a better relationship with her over what turned out to be the last 4 years of her life. We’d always been close, but I put effort into making it better than it had been and now that she’s gone I’ll be thankful for that time I had with her for the rest of my days.