A few months ago there was a quick going around Facebook where you could find out how much of a music snob you are. I didn't too badly, something in the 50%'s I believe. A music journalist friend scored up in the 70's I think, and lodged and objection that too many of the questions were US-based (like have you attended Coachella, that kind of thing). My boyfriend scored something like 85%. One of the things he got points for and I did not was the statement, "Agree or disagree: I have skipped seeing a band that I like perform live because I wanted to wait until I could see them in a smaller venue." That is him all over. His ideal perfect concert situation is to sit in the front row of a show at a coffee house or small room or basement where the performer is about three feet away, and ideally there are only about ten other people in the room, although it might be even better if none of them were there at all.
I am different, because I have long loved being part of a big crowd of people all doing the same thing at once. That's one reason I love large sporting events, and I'm sure it's one of the things I love about the church where I sing in the choir. But I especially love it as a way to listen to live music.
I grew up in large stadiums. My college wasn't in a big city, but during high school I was able to see a fair few bands perform in big venues, and I've been able to see a few here and there since then.
Last night, I was transported back to that time. The band Heart played at our local Performing Arts Center, a 2000-ish seat theater that is usually host to touring Broadway musicals, and is the home venue for our local Symphony. It has white walls and brass trim and red plush seats, so you wouldn't immediately think of it as a rock venue, but it was perfect.
The stage was fairly spare, just a drum kit and a keyboard and stacks of amps, low-lit in blue as we all took our seats. The crowd was all exactly my same age, dressed in what they wear to go see an 80's cover band at a bar. We looked good, but let's face it, we're all a bit older. There was no opening act, and the whole show was finished by 9:30 pm, which is good for a Sunday night because we all had to get up and go to work today. A local DJ came out and greeted us, and introduced the charity to whom a donation was being made from the night's proceeds. People filtered in, and the ushers futilely tried to them them not to take pictures with their phones.
When the lights went down, though, and the white streaming sunburst of stadium-style lights swept down, and then up, we were all on our feet, and the sound we made was one I haven't heard in years and years. It was dark, so you couldn't see the plush seats or the brass railings. You could only see the rock and roll stage and then the crowd of people with their hands in the air, as one. I was exactly transported back to McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado, where I last saw this band in August of 1980, according to some Googling I did today.
My boyfriend beside me did very well. He is a bit younger so he doesn't identify with big 1970's stadium rock as personally as I do (I remember being swept away with nostalgia and passion one time when my guitar teacher's band performed their cover of Photograph by Def Leppard, and I turned back to catch his eye and share the moment with him, and also my sister who was also there and is also younger but not as much as he is, and both of them just stared at me, clearly feeling nothing at all, they could have had the same expressions while listening to Hold music while waiting online to talk to their bank or some government agency. How is that even possible, for them not to hear it, not to be moved in the same way? The sounds are just out there, for everyone equally to hear!) and during the first few songs that Heart played he was standing with arms crossed in front of him, but by the time it was done he had grabbed me in his arms and swayed along with one of the power ballads, and cheered, and was certainly smiling along with the faithful who had just seen a wonderful show.
This is where I come from. I grew up in that space that I was once again in last night, and it was such a privilege to be able to be in it again, so exactly.
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