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dominathan

It's Still Rock and Roll to Me

by dominathan at 11:39 PM on March 21, 2005

This past weekend I went to a punk concert. The headlining band was Rise Against, an Australian politics-driven, rock group. I also caught Closet Monster, an opening band, who put on an excellent show. Rise Against was loud and distorted, a high energy mechanism of music. Of course the kids (myself included) went nuts.

You can see the craziest fashions at punk shows. I personally love it. These people must spend hours getting their hair spiked just right, and assembling 20 piece wardrobes, to go jump around and have whatever style they came in with washed away in a pool of sweat, and drinks.

Some of the people I took note of at this concert were:

The Music Lover: This guy is smoking a joint non-stop, often sport straight long hair. At first glance he appears to be like any other drug induced teenager, but one look at his face tells you no matter what song this guy is listening to he would pour his whole heart and soul into it. (short of Britney Spears)

The Rock Snob: This one is here because I actually saw a guy I used to work with who, by chance, is a Rock Snob. This guy listens to some fringe of popularity band and thinks his opinion is devine when it comes to music, and only what they like is respectable.

The MoshMen: A whole bunch of guys who go into the mosh pit and come out with ripped or no shirts, completely wet, and sometimes covered in blood. I hate it when one of these guys brushes past me. It is like a full body wet willy.

The small teenage girl: These girls often baffle me. They like the music and often wander into the mosh pit. I'm not sure how they survive, having to coexist with the MoshMen.

comments (9)

Oftentimes they don't. Back in the day, mosh pit gang rapes were quite commonplace. There's no way for security to penetrate the wall of punks. And somehow it seems that mosh pit gang rapes have got to be the worst kind.

by anna at March 22, 2005 7:50 AM


Goth rock shows crack me up. Not as much fun as a punk show, but way easier to laugh at people. I try to go wearing the brightest cloths I own. I went to a Marilyn Manson show a few years back wearing a bright orange shirt. I was hard to miss.

Goth rockers are the finniest little posers. They stand around and act like they don't care and pretend to be depressed. I know better. After the Marilyn Manson show, you should have seen all the poor, little, depressed goth kids get in their Lexus and Mercedes cars to go home. They have it so tough. I'd be depressed if I were rich too.

by MrBlank at March 22, 2005 9:42 AM


A full body wet willy, heh, that's great... Everything gets wet, save the inside of your ear... heh heh.

by Ex Crimson Guard NCO at March 22, 2005 3:27 PM


Folkie sorts may be worse. All that ernestness, like @ a World Bank protest.

by anna at March 22, 2005 6:23 PM


I don't like indie rock fans. They get all uppity on you because your clothes aren't from the thrift store and you've never heard of the bands they like. But they seem not to actually like or appreciate music.

by jean at March 23, 2005 3:12 AM


Well it goes beyond that. There's a whole scene with music, films (not movies,) fads, things and so on. The trick is to be into something so obscure that you are the only person on Earth who's heard of it. That's hip.

by anna at March 23, 2005 7:56 AM


There is always the opposing reaction too; somepeope will hate it just because it sold a million records. They will toss around catch phrases like "sell-out" and talk about how if they were famous they would never do that.

My reaction: this is why they will never be famous... amusing yourself is easy. Making something that is appreciated by many is the challenge of so many arts.
Also if a million people buy the record it must have some good qualities. They can't all be wrong can they? (maybe they can... after all Bush did get re-elected)

by dominathan at March 23, 2005 3:08 PM


There is always the opposing reaction too; somepeope will hate it just because it sold a million records. They will toss around catch phrases like "sell-out" and talk about how if they were famous they would never do that.

My reaction: this is why they will never be famous... amusing yourself is easy. Making something that is appreciated by many is the challenge of so many arts.
Also if a million people buy the record it must have some good qualities. They can't all be wrong can they? (maybe they can... after all Bush did get re-elected)

by dominathan at March 23, 2005 3:09 PM


I like the way artsy-fartsy bands are always talking about how it's all about the music. Dude, it''s all about the Benjamins and you know it. At least rappers are honest about it.

by anna at March 23, 2005 6:02 PM