Back In The Saddle Again

(Before I begin, let me credit the above picture to my talented photographer friend Mathew Tucciarone, who took it with his amazing camera while standing further away from the stage than you can possibly imagine. You can find more photos from yesterday’s Aerosmith concert on his photo blog, which you should totally check out here. And, if you like his stuff and are feeling generous, drop him a comment or the ubiquitous “Like”, won’t you? Gracias.)

After an eleven year wait, today is the day Aerosmith returns with a new album for all their fans, entitled “Music From Another Dimension!” Is it just a coincidence that it’s also Election Day? Perhaps….

Yesterday, an amazing event happened in Allston, a bustling, college-student-infected suburb of Boston. To celebrate the release of Aerosmith’s new record, as well as (so they say) to emphasize the importance of voting, the city and classic rock radio station WZLX put on a show the likes of which I had never seen (not around these parts, anyway). The city shut down a good few blocks of Commonwealth Avenue (a main thoroughfare that runs from the heart of downtown Boston all the way out to the far suburb of Newton, near I-95) and set up a stage right in front of the building numbered 1325. It was here that the members of Aerosmith began their long, arduous climb to the stratospheric heights of rock and roll success, but I’m sure the five guys who shared that small apartment on the second floor in 1971, of course, had no idea of what the future held for them.

So the stage was set. Literally. Hard to believe, but it was a free outdoor concert for all of Boston! Police were everywhere keeping an eye on things, and the streets filled quickly with fans and spectators alike. After a dedication and a few opening statements (including a game ball given to Aerosmith by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft), the band started playing, the crowd went nuts, and it sounded great.

But let’s pause here and take a moment to talk about what’s really important: a HUGE new pet peeve of mine. I’ve recently heard people complain about the proliferation of mobile devices at concerts, and how people, now equipped with a camera and a link to the world outside the concert hall, spend most of their time in the audience looking down instead of up. I’ve read columns and blogs where disgust has been expressed at those who seem more concerned about capturing an 8-megapixel memory than actually experiencing the event itself. And I have to say that I do find it stupid that you would pay so much money for a ticket, and then go to the show and not use your eyes to watch what’s happening on stage. However, I can’t say that I’ve never raised my iPhone and taken a picture mid-show before, so I just figured it was a case of live-and-let-live.

That was until today. When, with thousands of people crowding the streets trying to get a good glimpse of Aerosmith rocking out, there were multiple idiots in front of me with their arms raised straight up, video cameras on and recording. The ENTIRE show.

SERIOUSLY??

Okay, look …. I understand if you can’t see very well, and you raise your camera phone up quickly to try to get a good shot to look at later. I even understand if you do this a couple of times during the show. But……if you insist on putting your arms straight up, blocking any chance I have of getting a decent view of the concert, and then keeping them there for an hour????

Then you are a dick. Plain and simple.

Frankly, I don’t care what your reasons are, and I don’t care who you are. I don’t care if you’re Jesus Christ himself. Put your damn arms down and let the rest of us enjoy a little bit of the show, you selfish bastard. So many people around me were having a hard time getting a good look at the band yesterday, and yet there were two guys directly in front of me with video cameras, filming away like they had no one behind them (and don’t even get me started with the girls who think it’s cool to jump up on their boyfriend’s shoulders and sit there for the duration of the show). Sadly, even when I did manage to peer around the video cameras in front of me, I was confronted by a minefield of handheld devices taking pictures and, of course, video. I actually probably would have been able to see some of the show if people had just put their damn arms down.

Anybody else have this kind of thing happen to them? Got a rant or pet peeve of your own regarding live concerts? Lemme hear about it. For now, on to the final paragraph regarding the show….

Despite its proximity to Election Day, of course, this day was really all about Aerosmith and promoting their new record. No one really made an effort to connect the concert to the election, save for the “Vote This Way!” slogan on the red, white, and blue signs WZLX was handing out and the patriotic confetti that was launched skyward at the conclusion of the final number. But it didn’t really matter. I mean, I doubt there was anyone thinking about Election Day, the issues, or either of the candidates as the huge speakers stacked on the flat beds of nearby tractor trailers rocked the massive crowd into a frenzy.

Then again, come to think of it, “Back In The Saddle” would make a good victory song for the Democrats if Obama wins….

P.S. – GO VOTE!!! 🙂