Rock & Roll
I really don't think I go to concerts often enough. Come to think of it, I have been to 3 in my life ... wait, 4 ... ok, 3 and a half. What brought this all to my attention was the 2005 Summer Concert guide for Colorado Springs in the newspaper this morning. I think it would be great to go out with some friends and enjoy a concert of two this summer. Hey, if I get 3 (and a half), I can double my concert-going experience in a summer! Not too bad.
My first concert ever was Steven Curtis Chapman and Newsboys. I really don't recollect how old I was, but I would venture I was in junior high. I'm not even sure how it was organize or even who went, but I'm pretty sure Matt and Nate were there, and I suspect Mo was there. Josh and Jesse might have been, but I doubt it. Anyway, the concert was at McNichols arena in Denver. That's all I've got for that memory. I think I lived a desensitized childhood because I don't have a lot of solid memories from when I was young; at least not good ones.
My second concert wouldn't be until my freshman year of college. I have a much better memory of this either because I was just older, it was more recent, or it was a much better experience. I would submit that it was because of all three. This concert featured Our Lady Peace, Oleander, and Creed. With comparison to my previous concert experience, this was a hard-rock concert. (To those that would mock me now because of my naiveity, feel free. I fully admit I was lost in the world of music and didn't know which way was up.) I had gone to mainly see Creed; Jesse had gone to see Oleander; I'm not sure if Josh had gone just to hang out with us, or for the show. Looking back on it, I don't believe it is the latter as Josh is quite the music nerd, and I don't believe he would have thought super highly of those acts. One of the best thing about this show was that, despite our lack of effort to get their early, we were able to sneak our way to the front of the venue; if there were seats, we would have the front row. When you are standing in the front of the crowd like that, there isn't much room to move. And, the movement you make is entirely based on the rest of the crowd. Whether there is a mosh pit and you are getting pushed around there, or everyone is jumping and you are almost forced to jump because of the movement. In this instance, there were barricades at the front to keep us from getting on stage. These performed a secondary function, beneficial to those graced with front-row seats: foundation. When you have something to hold onto, it both keeps you in your place in the front and prevents others from taking your spot, and keeps you from getting sucked into the sea of eager concertgoers. I remember jumping til I sweat, and singing my guts out, and smiling ear to ear the whole show. I was with my best friends and we were all having an incredible time. There is no particular song I remember, but I remember being alive.
As I begin to write about the "half" concert I went to, I recall a few other concerts I have been too; I'll cover all those quickly at the end. I call it a half concert in the sense that it was a small venue, I didn't pay for a ticket, and they were the only act playing. That said, there is nothing "half" about MXPX. Much of my music appreciation comes from my best friend through college: Josh. When Josh and I didn't really have other people to hang out with, we would hang out with each other. Inevitably the conversation would lead into what music Josh had been listening too lately and what he liked and how it moved him. Despite my efforts to avoid this conversation, it would always come up. The MXPX show I am talking about happened at the base of Copper Mountain in 2003. I'm not sure how many songs they played, but jumping up and down in snowboard boots with a foot of mountain air around me made for quite the experience.
The 3rd concert I want to share is also involving MXPX. I think this was in 2003, maybe 2004. Just like Josh got me motivated to listen to more MXPX, he also opened my eyes to Chris Carrabba. Most of you might not know that name, but if I put in the context you will. Chris Carrabba was Dashboard Confessional before it was a band. Chris was the original. Now, you want emo? Listen to Chris' original work, pre-MTV. Well, the show Josh and I went to was MXPX and Dashboard together. I think there was another band, but I don't recall them. I even don't remember much particular about the show, but as a whole I had a good time.
A few of the other concerts that came to mind as I wrote this out were Finch, POD, and the most recent was a small show at 32 Bleu with Anna Nalick before she had her song on the radio. That was a good time. I thought she was amazing the night we saw her, despite her sore throat.
So, this summer, might be Ryan's summer o' music. But then again, the common denominator for the concerts I went to were my friend Josh. He's not around, so maybe I will wait for him to get back to go to more concerts.
My first concert ever was Steven Curtis Chapman and Newsboys. I really don't recollect how old I was, but I would venture I was in junior high. I'm not even sure how it was organize or even who went, but I'm pretty sure Matt and Nate were there, and I suspect Mo was there. Josh and Jesse might have been, but I doubt it. Anyway, the concert was at McNichols arena in Denver. That's all I've got for that memory. I think I lived a desensitized childhood because I don't have a lot of solid memories from when I was young; at least not good ones.
My second concert wouldn't be until my freshman year of college. I have a much better memory of this either because I was just older, it was more recent, or it was a much better experience. I would submit that it was because of all three. This concert featured Our Lady Peace, Oleander, and Creed. With comparison to my previous concert experience, this was a hard-rock concert. (To those that would mock me now because of my naiveity, feel free. I fully admit I was lost in the world of music and didn't know which way was up.) I had gone to mainly see Creed; Jesse had gone to see Oleander; I'm not sure if Josh had gone just to hang out with us, or for the show. Looking back on it, I don't believe it is the latter as Josh is quite the music nerd, and I don't believe he would have thought super highly of those acts. One of the best thing about this show was that, despite our lack of effort to get their early, we were able to sneak our way to the front of the venue; if there were seats, we would have the front row. When you are standing in the front of the crowd like that, there isn't much room to move. And, the movement you make is entirely based on the rest of the crowd. Whether there is a mosh pit and you are getting pushed around there, or everyone is jumping and you are almost forced to jump because of the movement. In this instance, there were barricades at the front to keep us from getting on stage. These performed a secondary function, beneficial to those graced with front-row seats: foundation. When you have something to hold onto, it both keeps you in your place in the front and prevents others from taking your spot, and keeps you from getting sucked into the sea of eager concertgoers. I remember jumping til I sweat, and singing my guts out, and smiling ear to ear the whole show. I was with my best friends and we were all having an incredible time. There is no particular song I remember, but I remember being alive.
As I begin to write about the "half" concert I went to, I recall a few other concerts I have been too; I'll cover all those quickly at the end. I call it a half concert in the sense that it was a small venue, I didn't pay for a ticket, and they were the only act playing. That said, there is nothing "half" about MXPX. Much of my music appreciation comes from my best friend through college: Josh. When Josh and I didn't really have other people to hang out with, we would hang out with each other. Inevitably the conversation would lead into what music Josh had been listening too lately and what he liked and how it moved him. Despite my efforts to avoid this conversation, it would always come up. The MXPX show I am talking about happened at the base of Copper Mountain in 2003. I'm not sure how many songs they played, but jumping up and down in snowboard boots with a foot of mountain air around me made for quite the experience.
The 3rd concert I want to share is also involving MXPX. I think this was in 2003, maybe 2004. Just like Josh got me motivated to listen to more MXPX, he also opened my eyes to Chris Carrabba. Most of you might not know that name, but if I put in the context you will. Chris Carrabba was Dashboard Confessional before it was a band. Chris was the original. Now, you want emo? Listen to Chris' original work, pre-MTV. Well, the show Josh and I went to was MXPX and Dashboard together. I think there was another band, but I don't recall them. I even don't remember much particular about the show, but as a whole I had a good time.
A few of the other concerts that came to mind as I wrote this out were Finch, POD, and the most recent was a small show at 32 Bleu with Anna Nalick before she had her song on the radio. That was a good time. I thought she was amazing the night we saw her, despite her sore throat.
So, this summer, might be Ryan's summer o' music. But then again, the common denominator for the concerts I went to were my friend Josh. He's not around, so maybe I will wait for him to get back to go to more concerts.
