I look again at my teen years and really feel a little bit dangerous for my mother and father. They raised me listening to Opera and classical music, and I as a substitute determined that punk rock was my factor.
I might sit in my room blasting bands just like the Ramones, NOFX, and Bikini Kill, a lot to the annoyance of my mother and father. They thought it was a part I might develop out of, identical to they did with my fascination with tattoos and piercings.
Sadly for them, they have been fallacious. Now I am my 40s I’ve loads of tattoos and piercings, and because of my favourite bands reuniting, I have been going to plenty of punk live shows currently.
Just lately, I went to see a Bowling for Soup live performance in Portland, Maine, and I left the venue not solely with ringing ears and drained ft but additionally with a reminder to maintain being myself.
A stranger subsequent to me gave me perspective
Whereas watching the opening act on the tiny venue the place the band was taking part in, I seen a person in his 70s standing up near the balcony, recording all of the songs. I am going to admit I believed he was the dad of one of many band members as a result of he stood out in a crowd stuffed with rainbow-colored hairdos and septum piercings.
When the opening act ended, he left, and I swiftly moved to the spot he left open. I used to be shocked when he got here again to see the second opening band. He was sort and made room for me to see the stage, too.
We bopped our heads and smiled with out a lot interplay at first. I needed to ask him all of the questions as a result of I do know my mother and father — who’re of comparable age — would’ve by no means of their lives gone to a punk present.
He knew all of the songs
When Bowling for Soup lastly took the stage, he was ecstatic. He wasn’t simply there to see a member of the family play like I believed; he was right here for the principle act.
The band — recognized for his or her humor and banter between songs — performed effectively into the night time, and the person by no means stopped dancing and signing. At one level, they made a joke about how males are assholes, and once I raised my arms to clap, he checked out me with a tragic face and stated, “Hey, not all males!” When the band then stated that ladies is also assholes, I jokingly gave him a severe look so he would not cheer.
We turned friendlier all through the night time, cheering on our favourite songs and singing alongside. I used to be transported again to highschool once I thought I would by no means slot in. I needed I had requested him how he was feeling; possibly a baby launched him to the band, or possibly he was a punk at coronary heart.
Both method, he jogged my memory that there is not any such factor as being too previous to take pleasure in one thing you actually love. And that punk shouldn’t be lifeless.
