April Firsts

Across The Universe – Rufus Wainwright

Before I begin, I want you all to know that I was this close to unleashing a post about the relativity of time and other topics that would relate to how much I’ve been wasting my life lately. But then I went to a rock concert. I’ll save that other insanity for later.

I think ever since I saw the video for Smells Like Teen Spirit, I’ve wanted to go to a kickin’ rock concert and be part of a mosh pit. Well, that is exactly what happened Tuesday night.

About a month ago, Lee and Gary were nice enough to invite me to go see Jimmy Eat World. At the time, I was hesitant, probably because he was asking me while I was at work and when I’m at work I have to shut down my mind to keep from crying out. But I digress.

It turned out to be a double header, with Jimmy Eat World sharing equal billing with some young upstarts (at least to me) called Taking Back Sunday. They’ve been getting some spin on The Edge lately, so I guess that’s why they sounded familiar. The opener was this band called The Format. The songs were upbeat and the singer had a good voice. He was probably better than the two headliners actually. Especially Taking Back Sunday, who, the more I think about it, totally sucked. I cannot remember anything about their performance except that they started to work the crowd into a frenzy before Jimmy Eat World came out.

It should be noted here that Lee and Gary did not enjoy the shoving at all. It didn’t help that for the first couple of acts, we were hanging back somewhat and trying to avoid most of the craziness. At a rock concert, the craziness finds you.

I have to admit that the whole night I was waiting to bust out. I understand that my buddies were there to enjoy the music of a band that they like very much, but I felt compelled to take in the entire concert experience, for better or for worse. So when Jimmy Eat World finally came out, I didn’t exactly resist when the crowd began to pull our party apart. Lee and Gary managed to stick together and actually found a way to stay back from the front of the stage. I, on the other hand, was thrust right into the thick of things.

I felt bad for Lee and Gary that they didn’t come with me. I felt worse later when I found out that they didn’t enjoy themselves. Lee found himself having to fend off (and even scold) several waster potheads and Gary got kicked in the head a couple of times resulting in his glasses getting bent and a small bruise next to his eye (ouch). Later, we argued about the merits of the concert and though we had different experiences, I sympathize with their frustrations.

Sorry, I seem to have taken a long time to get to the point of this post:

THE CONCERT WAS FUCKING AMAZING!!!

Like I said at the beginning, I’ve always wanted to be involved in one of these sweaty, barbaric, mindless body piles and I finally got my wish. A twenty year old guy experiencing his first mosh pit. I felt like a poser, which I am. I felt afraid, which I was. I felt so good. It took some getting used to, the constant pushing and pulling of the crowd, but eventually a rhythm is established, completely by accident no less. It’s like learning to swim. At first your panicking and thrashing and trying to stay afloat, but eventually you realize that the body is meant to float as long as you keep your cool. I like to believe that I was meant to mosh.

Let me add a disclaimer: This wasn’t exactly the most dangerous mosh pit. I mean, these are pop rockers we’re talking about, it’s not exactly death metal. I like to think of it as “Baby’s First Mosh Pit”. Yeah, people were shoving the crap out of each other and the full weight of human bodies were literally falling on people’s heads and necks (trust me on this one), but at the same time there was the feeling that no one was ever going to get seriously hurt. The audience made a constant effort to protect anyone who might have fallen down. There were several times where I closed my eyes and allowed myself to be tossed around and smashed and all that good stuff. It was an experience in every sense of the word.

I kept thinking, “Is this what I was missing as a youth?” It seemed to come so naturally. I declined any offers to be put up for bodysurfing. For one thing, I had all my stuff in my pockets and secondly, I don’t think I’m there yet. But yeah, there was a sense of something lost as I looked at all the stoner trash around me. Sure, I condemn a lot of the things these kids live for. Drugs. Skipping school. T-shirts with curse words on them. A general lack of respect for authority. These are things I don’t pretend to understand. However, there is also a confidence, a sense of entitlement, within these kids that I have never known. These kids are making plenty of mistakes, but it’s on their own terms. Does that make it right? Wrong? Not for me to say. Is this a life that I could imagine myself living? Would I want to? I will always wonder.

Changing topics completely, but remaining thematically consistent, I also had my first study group today. At least I think it was my first. To anyone out there who may remember studying with me before, well…screw you. You should have made it more memorable.

I didn’t really give a crap about studying, though I could certainly use the help. The factors that contributed to my attendance were 1) I didn’t want Leanna to think I was a flake. Why do I care what she thinks? I have no idea anymore. 2) There are a couple of cute friends of hers that I’ve been wanting to meet, Arlene and Diana. Arlene is a cute asian girl while Diana is more my usual type. The whole Diana thing turned out to be a bust as she got a call from her boyfriend during the session. You could actually hear my penis softening. That leaves Arlene, I guess. Results pending. In all seriousness, it was a helpful session and I would have stayed longer if I didn’t have to go to work. Plus, I was bringing the funny.

Speaking of bringing the funny, and seeing as how I would like to actually include something funny in a post for once, here’s a transcript of an SNL skit I’d been looking for for a long time. Featuring Will Ferrell of course:

F*** this, I’m leaving!

PQ:
‘Preciate the loan, Cass. It’s all there.
Cheers. Did yeh really rob a bank, aye? Did yeh use yer word?
Yep. Still remembered to say please. Guy behind me in the queue hears this, sees the teller hand me ten grand in used bills–so he tries the same Goddamn thing. He’s still screamin’ give me ten thousand dollars please! when I’m walkin’ out the door. You think that’s good, the manager gave me his Trans Am.
I’m glad to see that absolute power’s corruptin’ absolutely.
Mm. Well, first of all, we had a bad time in the south, an’ Tulip got it worse’n I did. Figured she could use a little high life. An’ second of all: Fuck it.