It’s New Year’s Eve 2014 and I’m standing in the middle of a venue in South Lake Tahoe at Snowglobe, enjoying myself and having an all-around good time, when out of nowhere, I find myself being pushed onto the snow covered ground. Flume has come out to begin his set and I am appalled by the crowd’s behavior. People are pushing with full force, aggressively flinging their bodies in hopes of getting closer to the stage and screaming at the top of their lungs. Surrounded by this living, breathing crowd of millennials I have an epiphany -- we have no chill.
I love listening to music, especially live music, but it honestly kind of disturbs me that after Snowglobe, I found myself sore with multiple bruises up and down my body. It disturbs me that people feel the need to push and shove their way to the front, even if that means potentially hurting people in the process. It’s downright rude and disrespectful.
And that really is a shame, because now I find myself faced with an inner conflict. I am a millennial who despises a type of behavior that I have only witnessed in millennial crowds. A few months ago, I was lucky enough to go to a Van Halen concert and I can honestly say that it was one of the best concerts I’ve been to in a while. Surrounded by an audience of mostly middle-aged adults, the atmosphere was calm despite the amount of headbanging going on. I found myself asking, why couldn’t all concerts I went to be like this?
Of course, Snowglobe and Van Halen are two completely different genres of music, one being mostly electronic/dance/house music and the other being rock. But if given the option of going to a concert where there is apparently no such thing as personal space, and one where there is, I will always choose the latter.
So, take notes, millennials, because we have the power to change the atmosphere of concerts for the better. If you want to be front and center for when your favorite act comes on stage, get there early and stay there. Do not push me, do not tell me you’re just “trying to find your friend.” I’m not stupid and I know you’re full of crap. Do not get one of your buddies to pretend to throw up so people will make room; that’s just weird. If I don’t know you, do not use me as leverage to get up or down from your friend’s shoulders. And please, I beg of you, do not reach from behind me to take a video, if or when you drop your phone, I will not feel sorry for you.
Bottom line – millennials have no chill at concerts and maybe it’s just me, but I think this really needs to change. Ingest your illegal substances, do your dance, go crazy, I really don’t care – just don’t bother me while you’re doing it. 'Kay, thanks, bye.
