Summer Music Festival Fever

I count down the months and days until Ska Fest in mid-July. Can you say that there's as an exciting music concert in your list of things to do this summer? Especially an annual festival that is over thirty hours of partying over the period four days. Perhaps it could be thought that freedom of expression as an extension of carpe diem. While seizing the day, why not celebrate one's uniqueness? Dancing to the heartbeat of a local show is the most wildest form of expression without fear of judgement, only acceptance if the vibes are right. If you've never been to a live show, find a concert listing and rectify that situation this weekend.1

What could be better a better place to explore the heat of the night come summer-time? The summer's full of outdoor festivals and concert series for every taste of music. It is a great excuse to go road tripping, cruising the opposite gender at a county fair or feeling the bass vibrate your bones at a rave with D.J.'s trying to out-spin each other in duels. Movies might have great air conditioning, but try having a conversation in the middle of a two hour movie. Leave that to a matinee, the siesta’s over by the time the music starts, so grab some foam earplugs and party hard.2

Talking from experience, believe me, after five years of concerts, you'll start to notice the high-hat cymbals and wail of a great voice will give you a nice headache for the next two days. I should have invested in earplugs a while ago. But then again, I don't think earplugs help much. Especially noticed I should start stuffing them in my ears after yelling at a set of twelve inch subs in a tower speaker at a metal show. Before I try to deny that I will completely digress, I should share a few crazy stories of why I think nobody should go throughout summer without a few shows or festivals to attend.3

On the west coast of Canada in Victoria BC, I won't be shy in saying, I'm very lucky to have such a huge live music scene alive and well in my town. It might not be the same as Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal. But in terms of knowing half the people at the show from high-school or other shows, the friendly factor is definitely a unique intimacy experience in itself. If you don't like crowds, because like swimming just jump in and learn.4

From sitting and chilling to a sweet sounding three piece jazz combo with a few friends is a way to bring in summer as much as firing up the barbeque. There is always opportunity to do something new at a concert; learning to salsa with two gorgeous girls that I wouldn't have dreamed talking to, let alone dancing with at the Latin Festival concert, I can say I've had a bloody good time at festivals. I taught a bunch of people how to do the ska dance, because it's no good to miss out on such fun dancing.5

Dancing to some amazing acts like The Toasters, The King Pins, General Rudie, The Slackers, Westbound Train, Chris Murray, The New York Ska Orchestra, Mad Caddies, and Long Beach Short-Bus (formally Sublime) have been highlights of my ska music life. I could go on about ska for ages as it keeps the grin on my face, even just thinking about it. The experience of swimming through a sea of bodies to find your friend in the middle of one of the friendliest mosh-pits is unbeatable. Stripping down to shorts and dancing in the heat of the crush of bodies with hotties soaking up amazing music is a drag, eh? Ever since a good friend dragged me to a show, I learned about an underground scene that was just amazing in its upbeat crazy cheeky tunes rolling around in my head.6

Not that I'm that crazy in a show, but people often think I'm on speed or crack, because I'm so random. Nope, though I am poet, it's just a bag of skittles; inhaled all at once which may haps should be illegal. Other then dancing all night and bouncing off everyone and every wall in the place, tons of good memories make it worth to outweigh the hangovers. High on the list was getting kissed by the vinyl skin-tight clad lead singer from The Kingpins after the show while we were chilling with a beer. I love getting jumped on by a few buddies from a local band called the Kilt-Lifters in the middle of the dance. Drinking up with my buddies from another local band, One Drop, isn't exactly normal activity that you could find in the movies theatre. Never dream that your pop-star would ever run through the crowd.7

I can go on about the Victoria Ska Festival, because I've been three times over the last four years, It's an radical example of what happens when festivals become popular enough for people to travel from all over Canada and from the States. It's my favourite as I usually find a ska show every month to go chill with my friends at the show and catch up. I have had some amazing festival experiences with other genres of Jazz, Folk, Latin, Country, Rock; even a Rave wasn't so bad if I hadn't felt the worst hangover from having my brain rattled by so much bass.8

Everyone should search up where they can locate some awesome shows of their favourite type of music. Festivals are a great image builder as well. It shows the boring adult world that though yes shocking, but young people can meet and party in a large crowd and not destroy everything sight as a mob. Not that I condone actively planning to compare anarchy and live shows at all. Just a guess, but a music concert is probably going to be more fun and much less painful then of getting nailed with the wet end of a fire-hose or thrown in the holding cell of the police station.9

Live music concerts have other spin-offs besides the CDs that artists live off of in terms of their touring. Going to festivals definitely supports the local music scene. New bands can open for more popular touring groups and get their feet wet. They get to remember why they started recording and maybe Bonehead, I mean Bono or whatever his sunglasses face from U2 would take a bit of humble pie hanging out at a local show. It's an awesome explosion of energy at a concert and the meeting other crazy kids makes shows addictive. Even finding love, whether of music or that special one, is a bonus in the middle of a local show.10

Intimacy cannot be digitally replicated to CD or some DVD tour video. There are incredible feelings of euphoria, unity, and even respect just from people hauling you back up in the mosh-pit or not decking you for stepping on their foot or giving you the cold shoulder when you hit on their girlfriend by accident. Call me crazy, but winter is for studying, working and dreaming of summer sun so the siestas and festivals can start again. Cya at the show and live it up for carpe diem.11