We will be attending Rockfest at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City again this year. Yes, I'm a mom and yes I still enjoy rock music and yes I think that's ok and no, I don't think that makes me a crappy role model. Moms enjoy a little fun too now and then... The lineup is going to be good and they are having it earlier in the season, which hopefully means we won't die from heat exhaustion out there this year. :)
However, the parts I am not looking forward to are the people stomping all over me as I try to enjoy the show, pot smoke floating through the air (gross), and the general nonsense that comes with dealing with a show of this type. Last year I ended up with a giant gash on my neck that almost makes me want to reconsider going this year.
You have to excuse the lack of makeup and flat, sweat-soaked hair - hey, it was like 95 degrees out there, you wouldn't look like a million bucks either...
In thinking about the summer concerts, it brought to mind a post I wrote on my Myspace blog (I know, Myspace is so last week and I never use it but I keep it around because I have pics on there I haven't saved yet, lol) so I thought I'd recycle the post and bring it back to my new blog for others to enjoy."After attending Rockfest yesterday, I feel the need to express to the masses a few little points on what I feel should be necessary outdoor concert etiquette. Let me start off by saying that Rockfest was awesome and the bands were great. Seeing STP reunited was an experience that I wouldn't trade for all of the nonsense that went on throughout the day.
When attending an all day, outdoor festival, there are people that are smart bring a blanket to sit on and place their things. Those that aren't so smart go wandering through the crowd stepping on whatever is in their path including blankets, bags, food, drinks, and people. Sometimes the occasional blanket step is unavoidable and must be excused, especially when the offender is at least making an attempt not to step on you or the rest of your stuff. "Excuse me" can be pretty powerful words, people, USE THEM. There were also major offenders. People who would step on your blanket or you or even OVER you when they can see you sitting right there. Obviously their mothers did not teach them any manners either because there was no "excuse me" forthcoming. To these people I issue a warning: if you are going to come trampling over me and my stuff and step in my nachos or knock over my $5 beer and I happen to have a lit cigarette in my hand, expect to be tagged with a small reminder on your leg of why you should not step over or on people at concerts. I counted yesterday and there are 7 people out there with a small circular burn mark on their leg as a reminder from me to them not to step on me when there is a perfectly reasonable grass path in which they could have gone around. The people on the blanket behind me offered to take up smoking and follow the same practice, as they were getting pissed off from being stepped all over by offenders also.
Secondly, when attending an outdoor festival such as Rockfest and you intend to partake in alcoholic beverages, PACE YOURSELVES, PEOPLE! There were a ton of people that 2 hours into the festival yesterday that were passed out and ended up being carried out of the place by their friends at the end of the night. You paid $30 a ticket and $30 in beer probably to see one band for an hour, smart move. And a side note to the guy who was passed out face down in a puddle of his own puke before the concerts even started: First rule is PACE YOURSELF and second rule is GET NEW FRIENDS. If you are friends with a bunch of assholes who amuse themselves by kicking the crap out of you while you are face down in the ground in a puddle of your own puke, it's time to trade up and get new friends, man. Especially in 90-something degree weather where you could have alcohol poisoning and die of heat exhaustion and your friends' concern is kicking you in the kidneys and laughing and the people that actually go to get some help to assist you don't even know you, I see this as a problem and it's time for a trade in.
My third and fourth concert etiquette issues are a little controversial and touchy for some. The third is going to address weed. Let me start off by saying that I am not a weed smoker, but you wouldn't know if by the bloodshot eyes I have from inhaling second hand smoke out there. This, however, is not my complaint. If you want to smoke weed, that's entirely up to you; however, to those that got asked to leave the concert yesterday or got arrested because of weed, here is a piece of advice that may apply to you: WEED IS STILL ILLEGAL, people! If you know this and choose to do it anyway, certainly it's your deal, but then don't bother being indignant when you get busted. You would have been better off taking the money you wasted on frying your brain cells and put it in the Bikers for Babies fundraising cans and enjoying the concert in its entirety. Note to these people: $30 for a concert ticket, plus whatever weed goes for these days (I have no clue) to see a band or two for a couple hours and then get kicked out or arrested? Probably not economically feasible...especially if you were one that got arrested and had to come up with bail money also.
The fourth issue regarding concert etiquette is also a little sensitive for some, including myself but I am proud to say I was not an offender. This is wardrobe, especially for the larger folks. To the women, if you have 3 spare tires where abs used to be, a bikini is NOT a good choice for you. It's not cute or sexy and trust me, NO ONE wants to see this. I know, it's hot outside, but there are plenty of other appropriate cool-to-wear objects that do not subject others to their eyeballs burning for having viewed you in this state. If it is a tan you are trying to achieve, your back yard might be a better venue for this. Case in point:
I don't know any of these women but let's just say it and put it out there - Good Lord! And I'm going to go equal opportunity on the sexes here to be fair. Men, if we cannot see your belt from your gut hanging over it, there is no reason on earth to remove your shirt. Try a loose tank top to stay cooler for future events. Everyone will be happier for it. Keep in mind that as I write this, I am fully aware that I have five children and that no one wants to see my stomach, therefore a camisole that covered it was satisfactory temperature wise and pleasing to the eyes of others in mixed company.
Another side note to the men....those of you that scream for chicks to take their shirts off at concerts are the ones I am addressing here. Are you really that lame that you can't get some action at home and have never laid eyes on a set of boobs before? However, to the ladies, if you've got a great set and feel the need to show them off, go for it. However, if you are like me and have had five kids and they aren't where they used to be or weigh 300+ pounds, if you hear a man hollering to see tits, it's probably not at you, keep them put away.
My last concern is purely a safety issue. By the end of the night people were launching full water bottles through the air. Granted the mist from the water flying through the evening air was cooling, but did any of you think about the poor sucker that got whacked in the back of the head by the half full water bottle coming down? I counted probably 30 water bottles spinning gracefully through the air shooting water last night and with the crowd as packed as it was, I have to believe that there were at least 25 people who went home with a huge bump and bruise on their head. So last etiquette rule on my little diatribe here: WATER BOTTLES ARE FOR DRINKING AND SHOULDN'T BE LAUNCHED IN THE AIR AS MISSLES.
However, like I said at the beginning of this little editorial, Rockfest on the whole was a great time. The weather was fantastic, spending the day with Paul, and the rest of our group made for great company. The people on the blankets sitting around us were all great and I ran into some old friends, which was great also. The music was good and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience as a whole. And my wonderful guy Paul, who in general refuses to buy concert t-shirts, bought me a concert t-shirt. :) I hope all of the others that attended had as good a time as I did and got home safely."
A couple more pictures for your perusal....this is what being mixed up in a crowd of 50,000 people looks like during the day...
lol this post was awesome. I used to go to concerts all the time and I agree with all the points you made. Not sure if they had a mosh pit there but just an fyi to people who are standing by them, if you don't want to get run into, hit, punched stay away from the mosh pit. Even standing outside of it you can get hurt.
ReplyDeletePart of the reason I don't go to concerts is that I don't like being around a lot of people. Concerts seem to give people an excuse to be stupid...no thank you! My bff used to block me when we'd go to shows (I'm only 5' 1" & these shows would get a little rough). ; )
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