A public mental health struggle
Making bipolar disorder work: Blue October rocks home on Preakness Saturday
It doesn't seems fair that the more Blue October lead singer Justin Furstenfeld broods, the more penetrating his songs get and the more rich and famous he gets for writing and performing them.
How can you ask a man to stay torturously angst-ridden in the name of success?
More than a decade ago Justin, along with his brother/drummer Jeremy Furstenfeld and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Delahoussaye (he's the one that adds all those dramatic violin runs in past hits like "Ugly Side" and "Balance Beam") formed Blue October right here in Houston while attending Houston School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Together they had an obvious ability to string hooky string loops and arena-worthy song arcs together.
And tonight, they return home to Houston — to play at Sam Houston Race Park of all places (the track is doing summer concerts and the organizers wanted a big one for Preakness Saturday).
It was, however, Furstenfeld's battles within his own head — his often public struggle with bipolar disorder — that provided the gnawing, self-punishing, melodic screams that elevated Blue October from a local Houston club act to a national sensation that sold over million copies of 2006 release "Foiled," and toured with rock superstars like the Rolling Stones.
Furstenfeld is now a father and has proclaimed he is much healthier and "... no longer a danger to self." Then again, when he tours solo (between Blue October albums) he often plays under the name 5591 — a reference to the number he was admitted with during a stay at a mental institution.
Clearly, he still has issues weighing on his mind which — while not something to make light of — have helped generate a new sonically mesmerizing set of songs on the group's latest disc "Approaching Normal."
(The title says everything you need to know about where Furstenfeld feels he stands right now.)
Singles like "Dirt Room" and "Say It" helped the album reach No. 13 on the Billboard 200 album charts and continue their national rise.
Furstenfeld's demons have provided a lot of entertainment. The least you can do now is come on out to the racetrack and welcome Blue October home in style.
Blue October, 8:45 p.m at Sam Houston Race Park
Tickets: $15 in advance; $20 at the door
