Take chyld to rock concert? RANT

Quote
blondie
http://www.therushforum.com/index.php?showtopic=62895&st=0

I have decided to take my daughter to her first concert. She will have just turned 8 yrs. old at the time of the show (April 12 in Chicago). I think it will work out fine, but I do have concerns. I have asked friends, and family and have had mixed reactions. Some have said they think it's fine, and some said it wouldn't be a good idea. Some opinions from you guys would be great. I am sure some of you have taken you own children to Rush shows.

Some replies:

A rock concert is no place for an 8 year old. Granted, Rush and their crowd is tamer than most, but you still have incredibly loud arena, a lot of drunks, a lot of pot, and just a fair share of crazy and rowdy people at any concert.
I concur.

Take her! Especially if she wants to go. And if she doesn't take her anyway- indoctrination time!


It might be tough for her to see the stage, especially if folks around you are standing, and security is often picky about kids standing on seats.
Definitely bring ear plugs! My 8 year old freaked when they started playing. Luckily someone near us had spare plugs for him to use.
She'll probably have to go to the bathroom the worst times! Mine had to go right when the encore started. His bladder eventually exploded (just kidding - I'm not that cruel).
Wow, you were really prepared!

- I think my decision would also be based on the band, and the crowd. As stated above, Rush is pretty safe. For example, I've wanted to take my 10 year old to see the Foo Fighters (his favorite band), but there's NO WAY I would, simply because Dave Grohl feels compelled to say the word "F*ck" at least 12 times in every sentence (or so it seems). Not good for a kid - at least in my judgement.
Start up a petition, your kid is being deprived.


Took my son, age 6.5, last year & he loved it. He was way into the band though and familiar with most of their music. Yes, because your 78 month-old can certainly comprehend complex time signatures and concept pieces, and themes of atheism, drugs and anti-collectivist parables.The scene (White River) was fine - tons of families. There were def. other kids his age - some even younger. I didn't notice any more drunkenness or obvious weed than you'd get at a live sporting event, but I wasn't on the lawn.I made sure we were on an aisle so he'd have an unobstructed view & a chair to sit in if he got tired (he didn't). We'll hit the Gorge again this year.
Well I know where to avoid.

If she wants to go, take her.
If she wants to drink paint, let her.

Yes. Definitely take her.

My wife and I took our (then) 7 year old daughter to see RUSH when we lived in Kansas. It was the Vapor Trails tour. We were lucky enough to be in the front row directly in front of Geddy. At one point Alex came over to our side and I raised my daughter up and she waved at Alex. Alex looked right at her, gave a quick wave and mouthed “Hey there little cutie”.
Was this during A Passage to Bangkok? (FYI, a drug song where in concert Alex Lifeson usually mimics smoking a joint).
I am taking my 6 yr old daughter front row center to the Austin show June 12th....bringing the ear plugs for sure, and will try that she sleeps most of the afternoon prior to the show.
The other day she got home after school, I asked her if she wanted to see Rush for the first time, she said yes and asked me back WHERE????....I told her "Austin".
She then gives me that serious look back, and asks me......"You mean Austin from Backyardigans??????????"
Its going to be interesting for sure!!!!

Both my girls were totally engaged and on their feet the entire show in spite of the fact that I kept encouraging them to sit if they so desired. The youngster (age 6 or 7?) on the row in front of us was sound asleep for the entire second half and was literally laid out across the bench seating. We kept having to alert the people that were coming and going to be careful when they passed in front of us because they couldn't see the sleeping child on the bench.

I agree. Expecting an 8 year old girl to sit through 3 hours of anything might be a bit much to ask. Add in that it's a rock concert, loud as hell, drugs and alcohol in the crowd and more than a fair bit of cussing, and I'm certain I wouldn't take an 8 year old to a show. I'm not certain what you expect your daughter, or yourself, to get out of the evening but in my opinion, a rock concert can be an overwhelming environment for anyone, let alone an 8 year old child.
Sanity, thanks.

Certainly take her...the crowd will be the most supportive of any you know. So much so, you might tell her that people are so friendly, a total stranger will talk to you and be really nice to you.
A conflict in today's mentality I know, but this will happen as fans are happy to see the experience shared.
Be sure and get to the venue EARLY, scope out the seats, people watch, bathroom duty, but mainly to get your gear before the line reach 40 min. wait times.
One limitation is visibility. If you can bring in a bag that has a inflatable kiddy chair...put that in your seat and have her stand on it.
The people behind won't mind and she'll have better memories.
Now, venue security just loves sproggies teetering atop inflatable things atop flimsy chairs. And no one will mind because no one matters except your "little cutie".

Quote
zatoth
going to concerts can be a fun and bonding moment for parents and children and i encourage it-if the child can handle it and it is done responsibly.

one reason why:

the kid in this photo with this band:

l_5060617b1d40be5170abddd904a0eab5.jpg

grew up to be this guy:

l_f658fff3c9ad4432a90063b73be6d7ef.jpg

Quote
blondie

Quote
zatoth
going to concerts can be a fun and bonding moment for parents and children and i encourage it-if the child can handle it and it is done responsibly.

one reason why:

the kid in this photo with this band:

l_5060617b1d40be5170abddd904a0eab5.jpg

grew up to be this guy:

l_f658fff3c9ad4432a90063b73be6d7ef.jpg

Why shouldn't parents bond with their kids on their own time? Children do not belong at rock concerts. The music is not geard toward them and they ruin the experience for the people who are there for the music and comradarie of peers. Most older musicians never attended a concert as a kid and their parents hated rock music yet they became the greatest rock musicians of all time, based on their own passions and actually a sense of rebellion against the older generation.

Based on your logic parents should bring their kids to all those other adult oriented places, as long as they are "All Ages" - lectures, art galleries, fancy restaurants, for "bonding" and encouraging snowflayke creativity. Sorry,

Quote
zatoth


when taking kids to concerts:

1. CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S "ALL AGES"

2. be certain a child can handle going to a concert. if they cannot go without needing to potty every 10 minutes, freak out at loud noises, must kick seats (very nice with drunk and high guys who are talking about starting a mosh pit) or cannot sit still and must run around like a bunch of coke addled monkeys, don't fucking bring them.

3. use hearing protection. breeders who bring children to loud concerts without hearing protection should be charged with child abuse.

4. CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S "ALL AGES"

5. be certain the band is age appropriate for your child. that is-don't take a child to a monster magnet concert and get spastic when wyndorf dryhumps his guitar, feigns masturbation with a water bottle and screams "mutherfucker" when introducing every song. not every band is "for kids".

6. CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S "ALL AGES"

7. check out the venue-not all venues are age appropriate or even safe for kids. sonar in baltimore has a bar in every room. to enter north star in philadelphia, you have to go through a bar. zoellner at lehigh university has seating and is family friendly, but they might not entertain your brat standing on the seats. if the venue seems unsafe or not conducive to children, DON'T BRING THEM.

8. CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S "ALL AGES"

9. do not get pissed off at the audience if they don't cater to your child, they are there to have fun, not be role models and not babysit your brat. your kid-your responsibility. don't get into people's faces because they drink, smoke pot, curse, mosh or whatever in a twenty foot radius of your child. do not get mad because other concert goers did not look to see where your child has wandered off.

10. CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S "ALL AGES"

going to concerts can be a fun and bonding moment for parents and children and i encourage it-if the child can handle it and it is done responsibly.

Quote
thom_c

Quote
zatoth


when taking kids to concerts:

1. CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S "ALL AGES"

2. be certain a child can handle going to a concert. if they cannot go without needing to potty every 10 minutes, freak out at loud noises, must kick seats (very nice with drunk and high guys who are talking about starting a mosh pit) or cannot sit still and must run around like a bunch of coke addled monkeys, don't fucking bring them.

3. use hearing protection. breeders who bring children to loud concerts without hearing protection should be charged with child abuse.

4. CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S "ALL AGES"

5. be certain the band is age appropriate for your child. that is-don't take a child to a monster magnet concert and get spastic when wyndorf dryhumps his guitar, feigns masturbation with a water bottle and screams "mutherfucker" when introducing every song. not every band is "for kids".

6. CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S "ALL AGES"

7. check out the venue-not all venues are age appropriate or even safe for kids. sonar in baltimore has a bar in every room. to enter north star in philadelphia, you have to go through a bar. zoellner at lehigh university has seating and is family friendly, but they might not entertain your brat standing on the seats. if the venue seems unsafe or not conducive to children, DON'T BRING THEM.

8. CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S "ALL AGES"

9. do not get pissed off at the audience if they don't cater to your child, they are there to have fun, not be role models and not babysit your brat. your kid-your responsibility. don't get into people's faces because they drink, smoke pot, curse, mosh or whatever in a twenty foot radius of your child. do not get mad because other concert goers did not look to see where your child has wandered off.

10. CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S "ALL AGES"

going to concerts can be a fun and bonding moment for parents and children and i encourage it-if the child can handle it and it is done responsibly.

Rule number 4 ) There is no rule number 4
Rule number 5) NO POOFTAS
Rule number 6) No one shall be caught not drinking
Rule Number 7) NO POOFTAS

Quote
thom_c
Rule number 4 ) There is no rule number 4
Rule number 5) NO POOFTAS
Rule number 6) No one shall be caught not drinking
Rule Number 7) NO POOFTAS

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Miss_Hannigan
I'm sure Geddy Lee really fucking cares that Maddy is 4.

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CrabCake
We saw Joe Satriani in concert a few weeks ago. This was a pretty small theater, not a big venue at all. Audience was mostly boomer hippies with some younger folks....and of course a few KIDS. What the hell. Trying to show off what a cooool parunt you are? :crz

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Miss_Hannigan
I knew you were super-cool, CC, but being a Satch fan made you even more awesome!

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Melanie
I hate to sound all "We had to trudge 12 miles uphill through the snow to get to our first Aerosmith and Foreigner concerts..." but -- wtf ever happened to anticipation?

According to moo forums and what i hear in real life, we have

-- 2-year-olds are taken to Disneyworld or on Disney cruises
-- 4-year-olds are veteran rock concert goers
-- 6-year-olds have "graduation" ceremonies as do elementary and middle-school grads -- as well as little proms and such
--- children under 12 have ATVs, little motorized cars, personal laptops, etc.

WTF is there to look forward to? No wonder children are jaded by the time they are 15 or so -- all of the experiences that used to unfold over the first 18 years of life are now more or less crammed into the first 8, leaving a big 10 years of pre-adulthood with few milestones to anticipate or achieve.

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CrabCake
Not fair!! Some brat gets to go to a Rush concert, and I don't!! (no shows anywhere near me)

We saw Joe Satriani in concert a few weeks ago. This was a pretty small theater, not a big venue at all. Audience was mostly boomer hippies with some younger folks....and of course a few KIDS. What the hell. Trying to show off what a cooool parunt you are? :crz

This was one of the fucking LOUDEST shows I've ever seen, and that includes Jeff Beck at Madison Square Garden a year ago (and I don't recall seeing any fucking kids at that show). Jesus. Who in hell brings their brats to something like that??