A Fairly Rare Event

It does not happen often, but my roommate and I went to a concert last night. It was our first time at the Circuit of the America's (COTA) Ausin 360 Amphitheater. The venue is new and high quality - red seats with big cupholders attached, adequate room for people who need sustance or a potty break to squeeze by you, and clean restrooms. The staff was friendly and welcoming. The ADA accommodations were top notch. Plenty of disabled parking was available next to the entrance, and a golf cart whisked us to our seats, and was waiting after the concert to return us to the entrance. "Do you want to go up to the food area first?" the cheerful female driver asked. "I'll be happy you to drive you there." We were fine, we assured her. There were water and soda machines next to the restrooms near our seats if we got thirsty.

We were there to see a band called the 1975. The last concert we went to, probably sometime last fall, was to see Jackson Browne. We were likely two of the youngest people at that show. For this one, the average age was likely between 16 - 21. These young people stood, cheered, danced, and sang along from the opening note of the first song. In some ways it was a difficult night for me. I couldn't stand the whole time, and even though we were in the fifth row, I couldn't see when I was sitting. My best view was looking at the phones of the people in the row ahead of me, as they pointed their cameras at the stage. Every time the girls screamed, I knew the charismatic lead singer was shaking his ass or flipping his hair. When I did stand for a few of the songs, my balance was poor and I displayed my embarrassing lack of rhythm. I looked wistfully at the teenage girls in their cute summer dressses, their ponytails bobbing as they danced and sang and waved their arms.

But I still enjoyed myself. I was out doing something fun on a weeknight. Their music is catchy and infectious. I was able to sing along to songs I barely knew. At one point, the lead singer urged everyone to jump, and suddenly there was a sea of people jumping up and down in time to the music. That was my favorite part of the night. An entire amphitheater of people having a blast, being carefree, and I was both a happy witness and a participant - even when my feet had to stay firmly on the concrete.

librarianintx