The Ever Hospitable Johnnyswim
How the smallest act of kindness made for an unforgettable show.
Amanda Sudano and Abner Ramirez of Johnnyswim at The Regency Ballroom in San Francisco singing their song Home.
Can I tell a quick story about Johnnyswim?
Mom and Dad date night at the Johnnyswim concert in San Francisco!
Last night, Allie and I went to their show in San Francisco. Their music has played a big part in our lives since their first album, Diamonds, came out while we were newly married and living in San Francisco.
A few months back, I got Allie and me tickets to the upcoming Johnnyswim show. I saw they had VIP tickets available to take part in a pre-show Q&A, so, you know, why not?
We got to the city early and attended the Q&A. I knew Amanda and Abner were cool, but they were incredibly down-to-earth, so much cooler than I had ever thought.
I got to ask them about my favorite song, “Touching Heaven,” a song I’d rock Raegan to sleep to when she was a newborn.
Allie asked them about the song “She Checks The Weather,” a beautiful song about Amanda’s struggle with long COVID, a condition Allie’s cousin, Sue, struggles with, and even wrote a book about.
Amanda Sudano and Abner Ramirez of Johnnyswim at The Regency Ballroom in San Francisco during their VIP Q&A with fans.
The Q&A felt personable and easy, and it felt as if we were casually chatting with longtime friends we hadn’t seen in a minute.
Eventually, the show starts, and it’s perfect. The Regency Ballroom was one of the few music venues in San Francisco I hadn’t been to.
Johnnyswim played tracks from their new album, When The War Is Over, including “Psilocybin,” a song Amanda wrote for Abner as the often optimistic husband and dad struggled with feelings of hopelessness. As an often optimistic husband and dad who’s struggled with hopelessness myself, I needed that song last night.
At one point, the duo made their way into the crowd and somehow ended up right in front of us as they played their song “Home.” After recording a few seconds, I thought, “lemme experience this special moment myself,” so I put the phone down and basked in the moment.
Amanda and Aber eventually got back to the stage, and at this point, it’s feeling a little warm in the venue. In the middle of one of their slower songs, someone hits the floor with a medical emergency. Seeing this, Abner stops the show and calls for medical assistance. Amanda runs to the back of the stage, grabs a couple of bottles of water, and passes them through the crowd over the person on the ground.
The crowd gave space for this person to get the medical attention they needed, all while Amanda grabbed more bottles of water to pass out to anyone who needed them.
Johnnyswim performing at The Regency Ballroom in San Francisco.
Before performing again, Abner checks on the person while ensuring the crowd is calm. The person gives a thumbs-up on their way out of the venue, signaling they were alright, and Abner calls out to say they’ll be holding some special merch to the side for them since they’d have to miss the rest of the show.
The show continued, a good time was had, and when the curtains closed, we got back into the car and listened to more Johnnyswim. But on top of the Q&A, the show, and the music, I couldn’t stop thinking about this interaction.
From the stage, Amanda and Abner oozed hospitality - the type of couple whose home you can walk into and immediately feel as if the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders.
The instant one of their guests went down, the party paused, and that person's health was all that mattered. They didn’t freak out; they acted, immediately getting security, water, and assistance to the one of hundreds of concertgoers who needed it most in that moment.
Dealing with a medical issue in such a public space is hard and can feel embarrassing. It’s among the last things anyone would want to go through during a concert. Regardless, Amanda and Abner acted in love, which on an already memorable night made the experience feel a bit more special.