I grew up around music. I don't ever remember a time in my life without music - it has just been a force that has always been there. There's a baby picture of me playing hand drums before I could even walk. My father is a professional musician, so I guess you could say that I was born into the music world.
I didn't always understand what a powerful force music is. I used to go to his concerts and mock the crazy fans who would become transfixed by the music. I didn't understand the strange way they moved their bodies, or their ability to be completely focused on the music for three hours. Quite honestly, it bored me and I thought it was silly that people jumped around and danced like total maniacs.
I get it now.
I've found my own music that I love. My friends and I will spend hours getting ready for concerts, donning crazy outfits and putting glitter on our bodies for one evening of music. We talk about what songs we hope to hear, stand in line waiting for doors to open, and pack ourselves into a sweaty crowd just to get a closer look at the guitar player.
It wasn't until very recently that I started understanding what all the fans of my father's band always told me about why they loved watching their performances so much. When you go to see a show, the live music has a transformative property. All of your troubles melt away, and you have a safe space to dance and sweat and jam out with other people who are just as in love with the music as you are. You share a connection with 2,000 other people that you don't know and the room radiates palpable energy. Everyone is excited - the band, the crew members, the fans. It's a feeling unlike anything I've ever experienced before.
A word on dancing: I used to be self-conscious about dancing at concerts. I would stand there, arms crossed, acting "too cool" to let myself truly enjoy the music. But as I've gone to more concerts, I've learned that everyone is there to have a good time and no one is looking at you or judging what your dancing looks like. Everyone is there to have an emotional experience - they want to feel connected with the music and the energy of the room and let all of their worries go for that moment in time. It is a beautiful experience.
I love live music. I love the way it makes me feel, and I love the way it makes other people feel. I love the shared experience of rocking out to your favorite songs with people you don't know. I love being able to feel the band's energy and share a moment with them. Music brings together the energy of strangers to heal all wounds.
