Girl at the Rock Shows

Last night was nothing short of a culture shock for me.

I’ve become comfortable at the shows I go to. When I walk into a metal or pop-punk show, chances are that I know at least half of the crowd just because of how often I’m at shows. I typically know the staff and know that if I need something, all I have to do is ask. It’s typically the same crowd. It’s my family. I have their backs, they have mine.

I was completely out of my element last night. I was at a venue where I have seen many of “my shows” but last night, I felt more than lost. I walked in and didn’t know anyone. I didn’t see my family. I didn’t feel like I could ask any of the staff for a walk to my car or for them to keep an eye on my drink while I went outside. I didn’t feel like anybody had my back.

It was strange to go outside and have people buying drugs right in front of me. It was super weird to be at a show where people seemed to be more interested in getting messed up than the music. It was a little disheartning to be honest. I’m the type of person that is all about the music. It is rare that I will get super drunk or messed up at a show because I want to hear the music, see the show, experience a concert. I couldn’t tell you how many people I found passed out in various chairs, couches, on the the floor, everywhere. By 10PM I had already seen numerous people puking their guts out and people being kicked out of the venue for being too messed up.

All of that being said, last night was an amazing experience that I would not trade for anything. I would like to think I’m pretty open minded about music. Although I typically listen to metal and pop-punk, there was something about the headliner of last night, Flux Pavilion, that I loved and honestly, the atmosphere was something I’m glad I experienced. Am I going to start going to shows like this every weekend? Hell no. Would I go to another one though? Yes. Definitely, yes.

Flux Pavilion is an English dubstep DJ. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you what makes something “dubstep” but I can tell you, whatever it is, I love it. The bass at the show last night was loud enough to make your whole body vibrate. It was a techno like show but in a rave like setting. There were glow sticks, furry boots, light up gloves, light up hula hoops, and so much more. It was sensory overload.

There were four stages of lights and music. Each stage, although sounding the same, had a completely different feel to it. I went to this show with my boyfriend who knows a lot of people in this scene. Because of that, we spent more time wandering between stages than just standing at one because he wanted to see all of his friends who were spinning. I loved the fact that we got to wander around the whole night because I feel like it gave me more of a chance to take it all in.

There was a stage going in Studio B which is where I was for the Comeback Kid show just a couple of weeks ago. It was strange to be in this room because the atmosphere was completely different from what I was used to for this space. This is where majority of my boyfriend’s friends were playing so we spent a hefty amount of time in this room. Although the stage is small, the area is not. The front of the room was full of people dancing and grinding all over the place. The back of the room was occupied by kids with light up hula hoops, fiber-optic whips, glow sticks, and many other items that lit up. It seemed to have me completely captivated. The music in Studio B was loud and upbeat and, although I was assuming the position of a wallflower, I couldn’t help but move around to the beat a little bit.

There was a stage behind Studio B and a stage upstairs near the balcony of the main room where kids seemed to be more interested in sitting, drinking, and passing out than any of the other rooms. We didn’t spend much time in these rooms but that was mainly due to the sound and crowd being much more subdued. These rooms didn’t hold me hostage like Studio B or the main room.

The main room at the Skyway Theater is a giant, gutted out movie theater. There is the floor space and a balcony. Both areas were packed to the brim with bodies as this was a sold out show. We ended the night in the main room so I could see the one and only Flux Pavilion.

Flux Pavilion went on around 12:45 AM and ended up playing until right at bar close at 2 AM. I had completely lost track of time and as soon as he started, I forgot how tired I was and how late it was. His music is upbeat and makes you want to dance. Let me be the first to admit, I have no clue how to dance. Throw me in a mosh pit and I can hold my own and look like the rest of the crowd. Throw me into a crowd last night and I truly have no clue what to do with my body, hands, feet, anything. All I could do was bounce up and down with my arms up. I did my best to mimic the rest of the crowd but I’m pretty sure I stuck out like a sore thumb.

The music never lost it’s energy and neither did the crowd. There was not a boring moment during Flux’s set. If you didn’t like the beat he was playing, all you had to do was watch the amazing light show that was going on. If you were bored by the lights, all you had to do was watch the crowd. No matter what you thought of the music, there was something to keep you entertained. It was hard for me to take everything in. I loved the music, was held hostage by the light show and was trying to keep an eye on the interesting audience.

Last night wasn’t about the music for majority of the crowd last night, but for me, it was all about the music and the people watching. It was sensory overload and a completely different world. I loved every minute of it.

Line Up:

MAIN STAGE
Flux Pavilion
LOUDPVCK
Diskord
Tok3n b2b MicDaddy
Naavis
Slayer

Venue: Skyway Theater

Sausage Fest Meter-  Even playing field

Broken Bones- None

Average Age- 18

Temperature in the Main Room- 23984723487 degrees– it was hot as hell!

Number of People Passed Out- There’s no way to count this

Percentage of the Crowd that Woke Up and Didn’t Remember a Thing- 99.238713%

Spotted Flying Through The Sky- Glowsticks, condom balloons (yes, blown up condoms), normal balloons, ice, cups, clothing

Shout Outs- To the girl that was hugging my leg in Studio B… I hope you found your friends and got home safe!

Number of Drunk People Running Up On Stage- 1 very intoxicated girl who ran up during Flux’s set to give her bestie a birthday shout out.