Star Struck

Fan or Friend?

That is the question.

One of my favorite sports is people watching. My other favorite sport is going to concerts.

Okay. So it is not a sport. But when you are in a mob of insanely pumped people dying of heat, I am pretty sure you can count it as excercise.

It is really interesting to observe people in the crowd of a concert. You know the goal is to get to the front so that you can magically shake the lead singer's hand and tell yourself that you will never wash it again...until you realize that their hand is sweaty so you immediately wash it right after the show.

People start screaming crazy random and sometimes inappropriate things in between and during songs (you know you are a teacher when you start quietly reprimanding the crowd for saying something inappropriate). If evolution were actually true, then I would say concerts can cause us to regress to whatever animal it was that we 'evolved' from in the past. If Freud's theory of the Id, Ego, and Superego were still followed, we would return to the Id stage. I think this is why I almost get trampled at a lot of concerts. I wish more people had pity for the short people in concerts. If so, I would always be in the front row and be able to actually see the band.

But what is so great about concerts is that we are all gathered there for a reason. The musician's artistic work has impacted our lives in at least some way in order for us to care enough to be there. All of us have different interpretations and stories that relate to the musical creations. This is the beauty of art. And I think that regardless of whether or not the musician knows that their music has impacted their fans lives, those musicians still have a special place in our hearts.

I can't help but wonder what it is like to be put up on a pedestal as a musician when faced by fans. When I look at culture, I think of American Idol. Granted, I don't watch that show, but I see what it does to society. It is all about who can be the next 'idol.' Funny how idolatry is everything against what we believe.

I was thinking of this as I was watching Relient K play this week. What exactly would I say if I met one of the bands that had most impacted my life? As I thought about it more, I believe I would say words of encouragement and then be like "Dude, let's be friends."

Sometimes we forget that they are humans too. That they were created in His image for fellowship and relationship. I want to meet bands and provide them with at least the encouragement that can lift their spirits. We are called as Christians to do just that.

Ironically, I had met two people at the concert while waiting for Paramore to end. My friend and I were drawn to them because honestly, who randomly has rubix cube wars at a rock concert? As we enthusiastically watched and conversed with these people, I had expressed my disappointment in not being able to meet Relient K. More than once.

He was right in front of me.

I was so focused on meeting Relient K that I didn't even realize that I was actually conversing with one of the members of Relient K. I was so consumed by the minor details that I did not see the big picture. I did eventually apologize, but I think that this reaffirmed my thought that people in bands need friendships just as much as they desire fans.

So if you are in a band, let's be friends.