This week, a significant portion of my childhood was ripped away from me. RIP. Rest in Pizzle. Peace and love boys. It’s over.

This week, Aer retired.

If you are not ~hip~ to the Aer Train, I’ll fill you in. Aer is a hip-hop, summer-time vibin', frat star lovin’ pair of individuals from Wayland, Massachusetts. The two started releasing mixtapes in high school and grew from there. Several albums later, they’ve been playing huge shows all across the world and gaining more success than I could have ever imagined when I first saw them back in 2013.

Now why does this loss of a band hit me so hard? Well, I’ll tell you.

Aer was my first band that was my band. It wasn’t the Brazilian music my dad was trying to put me on to or the new hip-hop album my cousin was pressing me to listen to. It was the band that I discovered at first tape and dragged my friends to, only to have them begging to go the year following.

They were the group that was from the town over. They were the band that wasn’t that much older than me.

They were the duo that made the nonsensical music videos that I spent so much of my time watching. They are the ones that created a Youtube TV show for their roadside entertainment.

I saw them so many times. I had never been pressed to see a group more than once, and quickly it became three or four or more. I just could not get enough.

And their shows were something else. Kids from all the surrounding high schools (all high school kids I swear) pushing each other for a good row at the House of Blues, or jumping around at Paradise Rock Club. Those boys early on created a good vibe for shows.

They were our local boy band.

They always drew the same crowd: high school kids -- sophomore guys that think they are so chill cause they listen to Aer, girls that come because they heard Carter was going to take his shirt off. Again.

Though, in reality, I don’t think Aer is that amazing of a group or anything that special. I don’t think their music is produced in a way that is stronger than the next guy. I was surprised when they stopped being my underground band and started becoming so popular. I kind of thought they were going to stay about the same wavelength.

But they did get popular. And that is so great for them. It must have been a wild ride and I have no idea why they are letting that all go now. I have my conspiracy theories, but I just don’t know.

I’ll miss having that first group that I followed from beginning to end. That’s big for a girl that spends the majority of her time searching for new things to listen to. But alas, they have chosen this path and I am not one to stand in their way.

Carter, Dave, I’ve truly enjoyed coming on this journey with you. Please come chill in Bline sometime.