Day 11: Never underestimate the value of

live entertainment.

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'Being there' has it's benefits.          

I was a latecomer to the concert scene, as my parents didn't allow me to attend one until I was 16 years old. Up until that glorious evening that I finally saw Red Hot Chili Peppers in the flesh, I never really understood what all the craze was. To me, it seemed that I could pay a sum of money to hear a song in the comfort of my own home, versus paying an exponentially larger sum of money to see the music happening in front of me. Was there really a difference? Lordy, was I ever misinformed. It was nothing short of an amazing experience; literally feeling the bass pound into my chest and catching the contagious enthusiasm of my fellow audience-members. When I returned home that fateful night, I remember laying in bed in the darkness, my ears pounding and basically reverberating everything I had heard in the previous few hours. It was the opposite of desensitization; I was surged with energy and impression. After that, I was hooked: Goo Goo Dolls, Snow Patrol, Paolo Nutini (second row!), Rush, Spoon, White Rabbits, MGMT, and Muse, just to name a few. I definitely don't see shows as often as I would like to, but I have my list of "must-see's" (---does anyone else out there have a burning desire to see Cake?).
         As shown in the photo, I house all of my ticket stubs in a wooden cigar box for sentimental safe-keeping. This is not limited to just concerts. Believe it or not, I have saved the stub from every single movie I have ever seen (If you look closely, you can see "Air Bud" from 1997 peeking out on the right). Live entertainment is something I will always value, regardless of whether this means a concert, a movie, a play, a musical, an exhibit, or a sporting event. We gain a broader and deeper experience when we witness something that has the ability to reach us on not just one, but several levels. This is hard to accomplish if you're watching a movie at home while construction is raging outside, or listening to music on low-def speakers. Music, movies, and all art forms, were meant to be given our undivided attention. We gain a sense of satisfaction when we allow ourselves to do so.  

It's a living, breathing world. Be a part of it.