‘Tis the season of concert fever. be warned: symptoms may include loss of hearing, injury to vocal chords and a confetti-glitter mixture permanently on all of your clothing. From April to August, it is strongly advised that you ignore event calendars and deactivate your Ticketmaster accounts, for this time frame is when it is most tempting to purchase those bank-account-emptying festival passes. Unsubscribe from artist E-lists, unfollow Twitters and unlike Facebook pages, for those fan pre-sale codes will only make immunity more difficult.
It is also wise to avoid those already infected, for this fever is easily transmitted through the air. Easy-to-spot signs include daisy chain crowns, crop tops and any kind of patterned clothing. though appearances may vary. Bohemian leather bags with long fringe and vintage sunglasses are also tell-tale signs. In regards to behavior, expect constant cheering, fist-pumping at even the softest of drum beats and incorrect lyrics to be belted out in whatever key the song is not. Those who have it the worst can be spotted the easiest, for they are often found crowd-surfing.
Should you find yourself in such circumstances, stay calm. Be prepared for a complete and utter violation of personal space by fellow crowd members. Try not to focus on the seizure-inducing strobe lights and that deafening speaker that is so conveniently right next you. Forget about how you waited in line for miles just to get in, then got excited at your incredible view of the stage, only to have a seven-foot giant stand in front of you in the audience (and on top of that, they decide to put their girlfriends on their shoulders). All are part of the experience, and ignoring them is your best shot at prevention.
Many of you will find yourselves with the fever before the end of this month. Once it has been caught, treatment is minimal; there is little that can be done to escape the addicting qualities of the invigorating concert experience. Although the levels of extremity fall all along the spectrum, it is quite difficult to resist the syndrome. You may as well embrace it and move forward, for I have yet to see a successful cure. However, there are worse things than finding yourself caught.
There is something to live music that iTunes or Spotify will never quite capture, no matter how high the volume or how great the headphones. It can be found in the glimmer of the lead singer’s eye as he turns the mic to the crowd, in the sheer intensity of the drummer’s focus and in the elation of the guitarist as she goes back to back with the bassist. Seeing the faces behind the tunes brings something out of songs that can’t be heard through a recording that was done a hundred times over, and though it may lead to tattered shoes and sweat-covered T-shirts, you’ll leave with much more. And if you find yourself lacking cash because you fell in love with it all, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
