Hours before deadline, I began working on a project that had been fermenting in my head. 95.5 WBRU, the local alternative rock station in Providence was holding a contest where you had to redesign the artwork for the newest Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness album Zombies On Broadway.

Having loved Andrew going back to his Something Corporate days and devoting countless hours of my life to listening to Jack’s Mannequin over and over again I decided to merge my adoration for all three incarnations into one piece of artwork, paying tribute to what’s come before to now.

After sending my submission with minutes to spare, I went about my life business as usual. I’ve been dealing with another small vitreous hemorrhage in my left eye, and after an awful trip to my optometrist that following Monday I got a surprise phone call from Becca at WBRU. I won.

I what?

I won.

Now I don’t normally win shit. When I was 15 I won a wrestling trivia contest on AM radio, and allegedly won a gift certificate to the Chieftain. I can confidently say that after 19 years I’m not getting that gift certificate and Mr. X is probably dead. But here I was, winning this amazing contest and getting hotel accommodations, 2 tickets to the sold out show at House of Blues in Boston, and having the opportunity to meet Andrew following his sound check. How fucking cool is that?

The last three times (!!!) Andrew has been in New England I’ve missed him, and while I would have killed to be at the Everything In Transit anniversary tour this was an awesome consolation prize.

Becca from WBRU was a peach to deal with and didn’t mind my million questions, and Rob from the label was amazing and made sure I was set up for a great night in Boston. The concert was amazing, and the atmosphere was electric.

If there was just one thing missing from the night, it was my girl Konstantine.