talkin 'bout my generation

Virgin Festival 2006 ... Baltimore MD ... good times, good times. There is nothing like going to a HUGE concert. Not only do you get to watch some pretty awesome bands, but it is people watching at its finest. I think that concerts may be THE BEST place to people watch. The airport and the metro are close seconds. Actually the metro might be the best place since its an everyday activity for 90% of the riders. Only about 10% or less of metro riders (I am guessing at these figures of course) are infrequent riders. Concerts and airports are "special events" - generally speaking - for most people, which also provides a great occasion to see what people wear and how they act in these special circumstances.

But I digress ... let us discuss the concert. I love the mix of people that pay $97.50 to stand for 10 hours to watch 20 bands (give or take a few). But you don't actually see all the bands because there are two stages. For example ... while I was watching Anthony Kiedis and Flea of The Red Hot Chili Peppers on the main stage, Wayne Michael Coyne of the Flaming Lips was busy entertaining the crowd in a bubble costume (Bubble Boy style) on the second stage on the other side of the venue. How was I suppose to make that decision? Ultimately I had to choose RHCP ... I had to!

Hours before RHCP took the stage we had a few noteworthy performers before us. Gnarlz Barkley (you know that song Crazy) had an electric string ensamble (violins and a cello) which was awesome! Plus his entire band, including himself, was decked out in Roman costumes ... we are talking togas, helmets, gold breast plates and arm bands ... all very halloween-costumesque of course. But it was hilarious. He has a bit of a foul mouth ... but I can see the potential in his sound ... lots of mixing going on in his stuff. And come on ... electric strings - that is cool.

After Gnarlz, came a personal favorite of mine - The Killers and man, they did not disappoint! I mean come on Brandon Flowers - those were the tightest pants I have ever seen! And only a man with a voice like yours could still be hot despite the creepy molester mustache and that old skool bartender vest, shirt, and tie! To top it all off - the guy wears white sneakers! HAHAHA ... awesome! Enough about his outfit though, because they were rockin. There is nothing more fun than singing at the top of your lungs with thousands of sweaty people - jammed together so tightly that you are constantly touching a complete stranger in a very friendly way. Highlight of the concert - thousands of people singing "I got soul but I'm not a soldier" all at once. That is a brilliant line Mr. Flowers, just brilliant. Thank you.

Music transcends generations in a way few other things do. Picture this if you will ... my friends and I are surrounded by sweaty teenagers (we are talking 15 and 16 year olds) on all sides. It is extremely humid and we are all so close that we are all moist and nasty and its hot. Teenage boys are checking out the teenage girls who are trying way tooo hard to be sexy and I am in the middle of it all ... but all you can do is laugh. Oh to be sixteen again. Then the next band comes on and an older crowd starts making its way toward the stage ... THE WHO is now playing Teenage Wasteland! Suddenly I am being surrounded by men my father's age. Old rockers lovin this appearance by one of the greatest bands ever! And the greatest part is that many of them have there teenage sons there.

To my right is a pair of fathers and sons taking in the music of The Who. They are all jamming out and having the time of their lives! I could see the happiness on their faces as the fathers shared this moment of rock and roll history with their sons. Do you think that when they were 18 they could ever imagine rocking out at Virgin Fest 2006 to "My Generation" with their 16 year old sons??? No way - who would have ever thought it could happen!

And then to my left I witness a college freshman boy meet and work-it with a freshman girl. I hear them exchange names and schools and majors ... slowly through out each song as they sing and dance the boy starts putting his arm around her - ya know, warming her up. By the fourth song they are full-on making-out! It was hilarious. He was trying so hard - but the best part was (or the worst part depending on your point of view) he was sooo stoned he could barely keep his eyes open and she was not under any influence at all (besides being a sucker for a cute boys attention - a girl can only resist so much, even though she knows she should) ... but that didn't seem to bother her ... until they had been kissing for about three songs. Then she was done - just like that. Ahhhh, to be eighteen!

And of course there is more to be said about the concert ... I could go on for days. But we will leave it at that. It was a good time and I am glad I went. The sound quality was amazingly good and the performers as well as the people did not disappoint.