Last week, I went to the Panic! At the Disco and Weezer concert. I was absolutely ecstatic to see Panic! since they are one of my favorite bands. But, being the person that I am, I was also people watching the whole entire time. Really, when you go to a concert, you become part of a melting pot of different people with one thing in common: your love for the artist you come to see. Personally, I think that this is amazing. But, that doesn't mean that there aren't some interesting demographics of people attending. Here is a list of the typical people that I see at almost every concert:
1. The Die Hard Fan
Here is the person that probably has every piece of merchandise available from that artist. Every album, every t-shirt, posters, everything. They come to the show with uncontainable excitement in their eyes and are wearing at least one article of clothing from the artist. This person will sing until their voices are gone, and scream until their face is red when the artist comes on because they are their number one fan. Personally, I love to see this kind of people at concerts because, in that moment, they are as happy as can be.
2. The Hipsters
At this point, the hipsters are everywhere. They have invaded all genres of music, but I feel like they tend to congregate around certain ones. They come to concerts and they either sit in the pit right in the front or in the yard, there is really no in between. They don't mosh or dance, they just kind of bop their heads to the music and sing along. My question is why they make their way up front just to stand there, but I guess some questions aren't meant to be answered.
3. Preteens
These are the kids that make you sit and think to yourself, "Aren't you too young to be at this concert?" Usually, the preteens are not alone, and they travel in packs of three-six. They all huddle together and I always feel like they are going to be swept away by the crowd. But as I start to worry, one of the parents of the preteens comes to shepherd them away to some other part of the venue. When it comes to the actual concert, the preteens sort of embody the spirit of the die hard fan in the sense that they dance, sing and scream like they have been waiting for this moment their whole life. Their joy is insurmountable and always brings a smile to my face.
4. The Parents Who Would Rather Be Anywhere Else But The Concert
I figured this would be a good segue from the preteens. I think parents of kids at concerts are hilarious to watch because they almost always look like they want to die. They try to hang out in the back of the crowd or sit down in their seats while their kids go crazy. To me, this is just comical. But in reality, they are just being good parents and I am sure thankful that my parents loved me enough to suffer through the concerts that I went to as a child/preteen. Thanks, moms and dads out there who do this. You are gifting your child with an experience they'll never forget.
5. Drunk People
Oh, the drunk people at concerts, they make my experience so much more amusing. From the 20-year-olds to the 50-year-olds, they make everything so much better. Not only do they usually run around with a friend, it also usually involves tripping, stumbling, spilling drinks and/or dancing. The dancing is my favorite part because they just don't care what people think of them, mostly because they are under the influence. Nevertheless, it's still hilarious. Occasionally, the drunk people get a little too rowdy and this causes a scene which is also entertaining and could result in them being escorted out. Although I do feel bad, it is always amusing. Here's to you drunk concert goers, keep doing your thing!
6. The Observers
These are the people that don't get involved at all. They will separate themselves from the crowds, and they usually don't sing or dance. They just observe. The observer sees and silently judges all things. I wouldn't consider myself an observer since I like to participate in the singing and dancing at concerts, but I notice things and different people. Observers, I feel, go to concerts just to people watch and listen to the live shows and that's about it. They may wear a band tee, but usually, more often than not, they are in plain clothes and just chill out.
