Welcome to Concert Raven!

Hold My Hand.

I feel it’s only fitting to kick this blog off with some stories from Hootie since that concert pushed me to finally get off my ass and write this blog. Through blood, sweat, and almost many tears (this shit isn’t easy btw, but that will be another blog post) here we are! If you are from Pittsburgh, I’m sure you are well acquainted with the lovely place known as Starlake Amphitheather, currently known as The Pavilion at Starlake, prior names…. KeyBank Pavilion, S&T Bank Music Park, First Niagara, etc. Aside from the name changes and “preferred parking” prices skyrocketing, also adding a new super special pre-preferred party parking pass (WTF is that btw?!) .. Getting in and out of the lot still blows donkey balls unless you leave your house at lunch time and sacrifice leaving halfway through the show if you want to get home at a decent hour. I wish I was exaggerating… Well maybe I am, it depends on the show, but in the 34 years Starlake has been open (yes for all you history buffs, this place has been around since 1990… can you believe it??), they just can’t seem to get this parking situation under control. It’s a lost cause, so buckle up and bring some snacks while you watch the road ragers take charge leaving the lot, it can get quite entertaining. Just as I say at every concert, I will never attend Starlake again, then there is always another show that pulls me back… Always!

I want to begin this story by first reminding you of a duo from Alice in Wonderland, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum! Who remembers? Always in sync… what one did the other followed along? Well there’s no other way to describe the couple at Hootie. I thought it was a father/daughter… my friend thought it was a boyfriend/girlfriend… hey they could have been friends or brother/sister like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and that just might make the most sense after I tell you my story!

So with any concert such as Hootie and the Blowfish, I think there are different types of concert attendees… there are the ones that only know the old school songs (I’m totally ok admitting I am one of those in this scenario), there are those that are hard core ride or die fans and then those that just come along for a good time but don’t know who the fuck Hootie is but then they will hear a song and go “Oh yeah I know that song!” Am I right?? No judgment here because I have totally fallen into all of those categories… however, I will totally judge you with how you act at these shows as a result so be warned!!!

Back to Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum… for the sake of the nickname, we are going to say they were brother and sister. Tweedle Dee (brother) and Tweedle Dum (sister)…. Let’s set the stage, Queue up Hootie song… Tweedle Dee pulls out phone to film, Tweedle Dum pulls out phone to film. Both assume the ARS (Asshole Recording Stance)… For those of you that don’t know that stance, let me fill you in… Legs straight, locked in place… arms extended and straight above head with phone recording over half of song, in turn blocking the view of at least 5 or more people behind you and/or obstructing their recording. This went on for over half of the concert to the point that I was very tempted to ask if they had a family member that wasn’t able to make it and wondered if they were recording the concert for them. Were they afraid that one’s phone quality wasn’t as good as the other’s, was this a competition of Iphone verus Android, etc? I even wondered at one point if I tapped one on the head, if they would have been like a toy and started to record and then the other would have followed suit. It started to become comical and I couldn’t get that image of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum out of my head. The lady sitting next to Tweedle Dum, we’ll call Alice just for shits and giggles… I have a theme going after all… had to also endure Tweedle Dum’s antics when she turned her phone to get just the right shot of the jumbotron which definitely invaded Alice’s space. I mean come on Tweedle Dum… Concert Etiquette, did the Cheshire cat or the White Rabbit teach you nothing before they let you out of Wonderland?? This experience was just like when Alice met Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum in Wonderland, but this Alice wasn’t about confrontation and that Alice was on a mission until they sucked her in with the sad story about the fucking oysters. Watch Tweedle Dum will be recording this for a family member or a friend, just like the fucking oyster story that had us all crying. But come on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, at least watch the show when you aren’t recording and be present for some of it… not on your phone texting and posting videos… What happened to enjoying live music in the moment? Singing along in the moment?? I did try to sing loud to ruin one of her recordings… does that make me a bitch??