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Saturday, October 11, 2014

On Rocking On

Last night I was blessed to be able to go last minute with my friend to see Adam Cappa, Kutless and Jeremy Camp in concert.  Here are random thoughts and musings I have had in the past 24 hours.

GET ON YOUR FEET.  I completely understand and appreciate that rock music may not be everybody's cup of tea.  I get it.  Really, I do.  I married a non-rocker.  Bless his heart he had no idea what he was signing up for.  But my non-rocker understands that when you go to a Christian rock concert you should stand up.  I don't understand the "older" people who sit in a Christian rock concert in the VIP rows with cranky looks on their faces when the people around them stand up.  

CHANGING MY MIND.  So a couple of years ago I listened to a song by Adam Cappa but I didn't love it right away so I sort of wrote him off.  I'm a little sorry I did.  He was good.  I actually appreciated his opening set more than I thought I would.  My apologies Mr. Cappa.  

MEMORIZING YOUR LINES.  I found that it is important to not assume the audience knows what to sing when you thrust your mic at them and demand they sing with you if you are an opening act.

A FIRST!  I've been to a fair amount of concerts in my pre-kids or early-parenting days.  But it's been a while since I've been to a show.  I could list all the artists and bore you, but I won't.  However, last night I saw Kutless for the first time and though I have long liked their music, seeing them live was a whole new experience.  They were very good.  My Mom would not have liked the "loud" but they were rockers and they were fun :)  

MARCHING TO THE BEAT.  Did you know I would love to be a drummer?  No seriously.  I LOVE percussion.  It's not going to happen for me and that's totally okay, but I really love watching the drummer during concerts.  They are fascinating and not to be overlooked.  I once told a praise team friend that I would love for my kids to play drums.  He argued with me that I probably wouldn't like that so much.  And I can't say for sure, but I really think I WOULD like it so much.  I will gladly suffer through years of bad drumming if it means having a drummer in the family.

MUSICIANSHIP BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION.  I am always always amazed at the musicianship that I see on stage at these concerts.  Last night was no exception.  Perhaps it's not something you can fully appreciate until you've actually tried to play a guitar.  I guess I don't know. But watching a professional walk down the aisles playing, watching them jump around or off the drum platform, even watching their fingers as they play something ridiculously intricate and precise and difficult is just amazing to me.  So fascinating to just watch them do what seems so perfectly easy for all of them.  

I BLAME IT ON THE HAIR.  So my friend and I are standing in the building waiting to get in and this guy walks by and right away I make some comment to her about how maybe our sons will grow up to dress like that.  I said it in a not-so-nice way.  It wasn't my best moment.  And then later we see him on-stage and I realize he is the bass guitarist for Kutless.  And he was good.  And he was fun to watch.  I'm not sure I can describe his hair, but we'll just say it was rocker hair and it was blond.  And all of a sudden I picture Hunter with his hair cut like that and rocking away on a guitar (or drums, your choice buddy) and I think, "Um, yeah, I'm totally okay with that."  Permit me to get serious here for a minute: I honestly don't care what my children decide to do with their lives as long as they are passionate pursuers of Christ.  That said, if Hunter wants to join a Christian rock band I will pack his bags, load his gear and drive him to the bus.  In the end, I had totally taken back my first judgment (I need to lose the critical) and decided that guy was actually a pretty cool looking dude.

EXCEPT FOR THE PANTS.  Slim fitting jeans are one thing.  Skin-tight skinny jeans are another.  I do not care to see men in skin-tight skinny jeans.  I'm sorry.  And I think every single guy on stage was wearing them - even blond bass guitarist.  I also saw one guy in a pair of what could only be described as skinny shorts.  No.  Just no.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN.  Possibly one of my most favorite parts of going to concerts is watching the set up between acts and take down at the end of the show.  I realize this is strange.  But after years of traveling to shows with our worship band I have more appreciation of what it is to load and unload all that equipment.  I'm fascinated at all their special cases for their amps and boards.  I like seeing what kind of mic stands each person prefers.  I marvel over the complex setups they have all precisely placed on the floor.  The sheer amount and cost and scope of the equipment on the stage is mind-boggling to me.

All of this goes to show that I'm not really a typical or stereotypical young Mom of 3 kids.  And I'm totally okay with that.

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