Going Camping
Gimme a few days before I start thinking about fandom again, because I’m going back here:
Kansas is prettier than you think!
Took my sons to see the Arctic Monkeys and Voxtrot last night. Very fun, but I sure am glad I invested in ear plugs. Yowza! The Arctic Monkeys are my 7-year-old’s favorite band, and he thought they were “great!” I love this trend toward all-ages shows.
Ted wrote:
I saw the Monkeys with my sis-in-law back in the spring and had a great time. My son also likes them and I was leaning on taking them. When I arrived at the show it was typical mosh-pit scene. Fortunately we were in the balcony. I wish there was a forum of music lovers who feel that introducing kids to music is just fine. You would not imagine the stares I receive when I tell people I am taking my son to so-and-so concert. Their eyes light up as if I was Britney Spears driving with an infant in my lap.
With that said, although this would be totally niche, I think it would be great for parents who love music to share their experiences with other like-minded fans. I do not shelter my children and I instill in them a sense of right and wrong. Language never bothers me. I grew up with a hot-tempered Irish-Canadian mother and my dad, although quite educated, spent time in the Navy, like so many of the baby-boom generation. Thus there was a steady barrage of colorful metaphors in my house. The only thing is, I was not to use them. Even at an early age we were told what was for adults and what was for children. I never saw this as a dichotomy. The same holds true for concerts. There are many “adult” things at concerts, but I think this can be a time for didactic explanation, rather than merely being reactionary and putting on another episode of SpongeBob. Parents should start something along these lines.
As for me, I use my own judgment and we took my son to the Barenaked Ladies (not my favorite but thought he would enjoy it. He did for a while but got bored). Next on the list is They Might Be Giants and Wilco. I really enjoy sharing this with my kids.
Great post and have fun in beautiful Kansas (the first I have ever used those terms in one sentence).
Posted on 15-Sep-07 at 8:45 am | Permalink
Nancy Baym wrote:
Hey! Don’t be knocking SpongeBob!
I actually have gotten nothing but praise for bringing my kids to concerts. The 20ish girls all get googly eyed at them which makes me feel a little protective (back off! i know they’re cute but they’re not even pubescent!), but mostly people seem to think it’s really cool to have kids there.
The volume bothers me more than the “colorful metaphors,” for the reasons you mention. But ear plugs fix that problem. Even if you do have to do a little surprise haircutting afterwards to get that silicon out of their locks…
Posted on 17-Sep-07 at 8:56 am | Permalink