Sing & Dance

I have been a terrible concert-goer lately. I used to live in the Midwest where concerts were few and far between (read: I had only been to two concerts by the age of 19). When I moved to the East Coast, I started going to shows left and right. I saw bands that I knew I loved (New Found Glory, Dashboard Confessional, etc.) and bands I thought I might like (The Cab, Sing It Loud, etc.). I went to Warped Tour for the first time ever in 2008, then again in 2009.

For those of you who are not live music fans (or do not have the means to see live music), summer is primetime for concerts. You can watch a band perform while you are sitting on the lawn with a picnic, in an outdoor moshpit or in a theatre with coveted air conditioning. Whether correlated or not, most bands/artists also tour during the late spring to early fall time period. So, since 2008, when I started getting into the live music scene in Maryland and DC, I have been pulling out my sunscreen and getting out there to the concerts.

This summer started out differently though. I thought 2010 was going to be another year of fist pumping, crowd swaying and overall musical ecstasy. It was not. Well, not until a few weeks ago. After feeling lame for missing concert after concert, I purchased Warped Tour tickets for a good friend, Diamond, and me. I was unsure whether I would feel too old at Warped (which, I realize, most people start feeling at a certain age), even though I am only 21. (Side note: I did feel a little old, but only because the average age there was around 15. I still had a blast though. And my mom didn’t have to drop me off in a mini-van like everyone else. Score.) Diamond and I met up with another friend, Melvin, and we rocked it out. We wandered around in the blazing heat, got sunburned (even with me obnoxiously slathering on sunscreen), moshed (okay, SHE moshed, while I watched; I told you I felt a little old) and overall had a great time. We got to listen to (and meet) Alkaline Trio, which was awesome (and Diamond loved it!).

The adventure continued the next weekend with the 2010 Honda Civic Tour. It wasn’t until I actually got to the venue that I realized I had went to the same festival two years earlier in 2008 when Panic! at the Disco was headlining (Side note: Is there supposed to be an exclamation mark at the end of “Panic”? 2008 was around the time period in which the exclamation mark was becoming obsolete in their band name.) This year, the Honda Civc Tour included Paramore (as the headliner), Tegan and Sara, New Found Glory and Hathawatha. I love New Found Glory (they are actually one of the first bands I got interested in when I gained my own taste for music) and Tegan and Sara have recently caught my attention (due to the exposure from a really good friend). I was not especially pumped about Paramore, but the two girls I went with (shout-out to Paris and Leah, both of the awesome type) were extremely excited to see them. The arrangement for the concert was on a grassy hill. We had a picnic, watched amazing bands perform amazing music, danced ridiculously and had the best time.

After I left that concert, I realized how invigorating live music is to me. There is something so awe-inspiring about watching, listening and feeling someone play their music in front of you. They are putting their musical ability, and often emotionally-packed lyrics, in front of you, for you to judge. Paris and I were discussing that we actually met at a concert (The Hush Sound) and our first concert together was New Found Glory (so it was great for both of us to see them again). Our friendship began with music. We’ve moshed together, we’ve danced together and we’ve sang (quite loudly and out-of-tune) together. Paris is not the only person that I share this connection with. I can vividly remember sharing moments with my friend over music and a musical experience.

The real message behind this blogpost is really that I wanted to give thanks. Thanks to all of my friends that I have shared that connection with. Thanks to all of the musicians out there, signed or unsigned, nationally- or locally-known, playing huge venues or just in front of the mirror. You are amazing. Let yourself be heard.

-Ann Marie

PS: Although I took the photo of Paris and me, the Warped Tour photo was taken by the lovely Melvin Santos

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