I’d like to take this time and this space to write about a new phenomenon I’ve recently noticed at shows of interesting, sophisticated artists such as Andrew Bird. The phenomenon can be described thusly:
At the very beginning of the set and throughout, young, often short, hip-looking girls, usually in a group of three or four, begin dancing (some might call it “grinding”) to the music, no matter how slow, morose, mundane, or waltzy. Often with one hand raised to the air (the other holding a water or coke bottle, some with a beer since they scored a full-proof fake ID), shaking their heads to the beat, no matter how slow, morose, mundane, or waltzy, Cheshire cat smiles, butts wiggling, they prance through and around the crowd, until they find a spot in the middle front so that they can further rub behinds, twirl, and sing along.
Of course they sing along: they know all of the words. They often know the artists’ entire catalogs. They’re fans. But they dance, carefree, joyous, while the older crowd, who have studied the artists’ work with equal rigor but with a different kind of vigor, squirm and shrug and make sidelong glances at their fellows as if to say “What the fuck?” Sometimes they even say “What the fuck?”
I declare here and now that I shant be a “What the fuck?”er anymore. Why? Post-Rockism, that’s why.
It’s good that lots of different people of lots of different ages attend these shows to support our favorite artists. Yes, the artists puts forth a certain kind of aura during a show that makes such behavior a bit unseemly, but the concert is for the fans and, as I stated early, these kids are fans. They knew just as many lyrics as I, only they sang them Kelly Clarkston-style instead of mouthing them like the rest of us standstillers or silentswayers.
Yes, they “grinded” to “The Naming of Things.” Yes, they kept moving around and bumping into people. We should all wish we could act that way without a few drinks in us. But they were fans. They enjoyed the show. They paid their allowance money to support Andrew Bird. Sure, they may have let out a couple of yelps during silences meant by the artist to be silent or even reflective, but they milked everything out of the show that their dear, young hearts could. They are too young to know how to act cool. Theirs was a pure enjoyment, although some of the finer points of the show may have been lost on them.
So I say, bless you, my young ones. Sadly, you’ll learn soon enough how to stand in one place and be cool. Until then, grind like coffee grounds.
–Posted by Scotter
4 Comments
silentswayers
My favorite type of crowd at any show is one that is excitable but not too rowdy. They show their enthusiasm and perhaps even dance, but not so much that they disturb those who just want to watch and listen. And at a metal show, moshing is allowed but it must be within a clearly designated area.
Im of a younger generation and, I am male, so I think im inbetween silentswayers and grinders, but I know something you dont. As the Flaming Lips put it so well, the punks are finaly taking acid, the kids are finaly taking X. Its not $15 for a chevy anymore. The drugs are getting cheaper and the kids are getting to them. The first time I realised how wide spread the use of ‘party’ drugs within the music community was at an Andrew Bird show actualy. It was in Tallahassee, Fl. I asked a friend if he thought it would be ok to bring a J or two into this venue Mr. Bird was playing that night. My friend then went on about how drugs are becoming an american epidemic and to watch for the vics and water bottles at the show in the hands of fans, people shouting every word. A few months later I was at a house party with a girl I had just started going with, there were friends of mine, friends of hers, friends of friends, and people I just didnt know. Well there was a pool house with music blasting that I instantly recognized in the back, wich is weird because the music in the main house where people were grinding was some top 20 rap songs I had never heard before, and in this pool house there were black out shutters, a disco ball in a corner, strobe lights, even a fog machine and coolers of water. The music that was playing was anything from LCD Soundsystem to Hot Chip to Feist.. Then MX Missiles came on, and these people were rolling to it. Im not sure, maybe its the drug scene in Fl is musicaly informed or the youth is taking up public drug use. Whatever it is, its a change for the better I think.
Im of a younger generation and, I am male, so I think im inbetween silentswayers and grinders, but I know something you dont. As the Flaming Lips put it so well, the punks are finaly taking acid, the kids are finaly taking X. Its not $15 for a chevy anymore. The drugs are getting cheaper and the kids are getting to them. The first time I realised how wide spread the use of ‘party’ drugs within the music community was at an Andrew Bird show actualy. It was in Tallahassee, Fl. I asked a friend if he thought it would be ok to bring a J or two into this venue Mr. Bird was playing that night. My friend then went on about how drugs are becoming an american epidemic and to watch for the vics and water bottles at the show in the hands of fans, people shouting every word. A few months later I was at a house party with a girl I had just started going with, there were friends of mine, friends of hers, friends of friends, and people I just didnt know. Well there was a pool house with music blasting that I instantly recognized in the back, wich is weird because the music in the main house where people were grinding was some top 20 rap songs I had never heard before, and in this pool house there were black out shutters, a disco ball in a corner, strobe lights, even a fog machine and coolers of water. The music that was playing was anything from LCD Soundsystem to Hot Chip to Feist.. Then MX Missiles came on, and these people were rolling to it. Im not sure, maybe its the drug scene in Fl is musicaly informed or the youth is taking up public drug use. Whatever it is, its a change for the better I think.