Average Jane Rocks Out, But Only Briefly

My husband and I went to a concert at a nightclub last night. The lineup was Conquest, Lacuna Coil, Shadows Fall and Stone Sour.

I should back up and mention that ever since I went out of town last weekend for a conference, I've had one shoulder spasming extremely painfully. I have a chiropractor appointment today, but that didn't help me yesterday. I had my husband put some Flexall on my upper back and shoulder and I soldiered on.

We got to the show and I was not at all put out to be asked for I.D.

It was a sold out show and the first band was playing by the time we arrived. We made our way as close to the center of the floor as possible and noticed that a mosh pit had already formed, off to the right. Note to selves: stay away from the pit.

After the opening act, we moved back into the main part of the club to get beers and a little fresher air. We noticed a great, upper level area that seemed like the perfect place from which to watch the show. Naturally it was a VIP area and we lowly peons were not allowed in. Considering that I'm acquainted with one of the club's owners, it made me mad at myself that I hadn't just gotten in touch with him ahead of time.

I gave up trying to reach the main bar and just bought a $5 Miller Lite from an auxiliary bar near the door. Lacuna Coil - the band we were mainly there to see - was up next.

We managed to get back to the center of the floor, but we were fenced in by gigantic men, many of them 6'5" or taller. I guess we grow 'em big in the Midwest. Seriously, though, even on my tiptoes I could barely see the stage and my husband later said that he was in the same boat.

Lacuna Coil's lead singer is apparently rather short as well, and I only got a bare handful of glimpses of her performance.

I was interested in seeing how a metal crowd would react to a female vocalist and, as far as I could determine, they reacted pretty much the same as they would to a male vocalist. I did hear one fan near me shout out an anatomically-questionable desire, but it sounded sincere, if that makes any sense.

The mosh pit remained a looming threat, particularly as crowd surfers tended to end up back on their feet not far from us. More than one pumped-up mosher shoved his way out of the pit in our direction, but fortunately no fights broke out.

There were still two bands left to go when Lacuna Coil finished their set, but my husband and I had had all the crowd and heat we could stand already. My shoulder was aching and so was my back. We left and were home watching "Heroes" before 9:30.

I know it sounds crazy that we're actively working on a heavy metal album when we can't even make our way through a few hours in a concert crowd. However, it's a lot easier to perform eight or nine songs and then go sit down backstage than it is to stand in a sweaty crowd all evening. That's what I keep telling myself anyway.

Comments

[Pharmgirl]

Sounds like fun! I saw Fountains of Wayne at a bar last weekend, and never really saw the stage, either.
Oh! And I was carded at a restaurant, of all places, during a work function! "Anyone who looks under 30" the waiter said. Well...OK!

[kevboy]

Your description of being fenced in by 6'5" men at a metal concert reminded me strongly of Wayne's World. I was very hopeful that the next paragraph would involve you or your husband saying "Excuse me... I'd like to get by now." Then an action scene where you zapped them with a homemade Taser. Oh, well. I was still amused!