Thoughts on Concerts

I love concerts and live music. I have been to literally thousands of shows from small club shows to large stadium shows and everything in between. Last night, me and my hetro life-pal CT and some friends went to check out Puddle of Mudd at the Val Air Ballroom. It was a good rock show...I am not really into any of the bands that played but enjoyed them when I heard them on the radio, so when CT had an extra I didn't pass it down. I went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised.

This post isn't really about that show though...it is about the thoughts that meandered through my brain during the show. But one thought in particular stood out in the randomness -

"What happened to all the tits?"

In the early 90's (when I started going to concerts), you would go to a show and see girls flashing their breasts all the time. I didn't go to the show for this reason, but hey it was a nice bonus (for a loser like me, who rarely got to see them any other way). At bad shows you could at least expect to see a couple pairs, at great shows it was nearly a non-stop boobfest. You just knew when a girl was on some guy's shoulders that her top was coming off sooner or later.

Then came Grunge - grunge you were awesome in so many ways, I bought your cds, I watched your videos, I wore your flannel shirts...why did you do this to me? It was subtle at first, fashion started changing and became more conservative...and slowly but surely there were less and less tits being flashed at concerts. Within 5-7 years or so, it was rare to see sweaty, naked breasts bared for the world to see (and enjoy).

Because of the grunge movement, I knew my generation was now a no-go for boobs...but I had high hopes for those up and coming music fans who were younger than the sweaters, flannel, jeans, and boots uniform of grunge. I mean you hear it all the time how teens are becoming sexually active younger (like Rainbow Parties) and dress sluttier and sluttier. That may (or may not) be true...but I will tell you one thing - this perceived increase in sexuality has not led to an increase in titty flashing at concerts. It is a virtually extinct art form.

So I started wondering why:

1. Maybe women nowadays are more confident in themselves and their abilities and no longer feel the need to show it all to get attention. (Good for you!)
2. Growing up idolizing (crappy) boy bands - maybe women have realized that obsessing over bands is kind of dumb, after all they are just people too, not gods. (Good for you!)
3. Maybe they are too young to realize how accepted of a practice this was...it was the concert experience. (boo!)
4. Maybe they are so overexposed to sexuality from the interwebicon and cable tv that showing their breasts is just not the thrill or rebellious act it used to be. (boo!)
5. Maybe the whole "increased sexuality" of the younger kids is more of a myth than truth. Maybe it is just the ignorant cry of older generations similar to the bygone "Those darn kids and their rock and roll music!" (boo on us, hooray for youth).
6. I'm sure there are many more reasons that I could come up with but these are the 5 I thought of last night.

What are your thoughts? And feel free to flash your boobs - it is harmless fun (and you might make some lonely kid's night!).