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Front Row

A recent nickname a couple of my friends have kindly/jokingly called me is "Front Row." Meaning, I'm usually standing right up in front of a band before, during and after their set. Now I know my friends mean no harm in calling me such, but I have plenty of reasons why I stand where I stand.

If anything, my desire to have a good spot to watch comes from being at numerous shows where I didn't have a good spot to watch. Remembering what it's like to be up front and having a ball, I try to have a good vantage point at every show I'm at. And that usually means I stay put until the show's done.

I recall seeing the Dismemberment Plan on the Change tour with Goose at Rubber Gloves, and having a prime view right before the band hit stage. The place was packed with barely anybody moving. We weren't right up front, but we were close to the stage and could see over everyone in front of us. That was, until two large and tall people (a guy and a girl) decided to push their way up and dropped anchor right in front of us. Not even looking back and seeing what they had done, they seemed very self-centered and a tad arrogant. I wasn't too happy about this, and a female standing right next to us (who was shorter than us) could not see anything now. That's the price of general admission, right?

Well, there's just nothing more annoying than a situation like this. I want to watch the band play, not stand on my tippy-toes and/or look at tall person's neck or back in between glances. Since a lot of shows I see are for more than just enjoyment, I want to be in a spot where I can have the maximum impact. I like to sing along and have fun. I'll put up with whatever comes with the territory of being up front. I'd rather be there instead of lost in the shuffle.

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