Last week, I traveled to New York City with my boyfriend for a Blake Shelton concert at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Besides the actual concert, we visited the 9/11 Memorial, Times Square, and my best friend Madison's apartment. We both had a great time being tourists for the day, and honestly, the concert was pretty good. This is coming from someone who has always had an aversion to country music, so what I'm telling you is anything but biased. I'm surprising myself as I write this, but the concert and its entire atmosphere made me realize a few things (some being significant, most of them not).
1. There is such a thing as going to a concert and not being pushed around for 4 hours.
I’m not used to being at a concert where the majority of people are laid back. The kind of concert I’m used to consists of a general admission standing room and a lot of pushing. The people are nice there too, but when it comes to who is closest to the stage, it might as well be the Hunger Games
2. I shouldn’t have worn that flannel shirt.
I know it looks good on me, and besides that, I know it is one of my favorite shirts. The problem lies in the fact that everyone else was wearing the same exact thing. On the bright side, however, it doesn’t seem as if the crowd at country concerts cares about fashion all that much.
3. I'm not sure what a honky tonk is, but I'm not entirely opposed to the idea of going to one.
The name is so outrageous that I really feel the need to experience one firsthand.
4. Old people have concerts too.
Before you get criticize me for this one, I’ll clarify by saying that I am in fact aware that old people play music too. Nonetheless, it seems like the average age for a country singer might be higher than that of a pop, rap, or alternative rock artist. Not that any of this matters, it’s just something I noticed because Blake Shelton is undeniably an old person (sorry Mom and Dad- this means you’re old too).
5. Country music really isn’t as awful as I once thought it was.
If you’re anything like me, you yell at your friends when they play country in the car. It’s not something I would have ever downloaded before, but since my boyfriend likes it, I semi-reluctantly went to a concert with him. Once I got there, I realized that country isn’t all that horrendous. I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but I was enjoying the music. Although I’d never tell a soul, as that would mean acknowledging the closet country fan that has been in me all along.
So if you're wondering whether or not I'd recommend a country concert, the answer is yes. Just don't tell anyone.
