The Generational Divide At Yet Another Weezer Concert

 

A couple of weekends ago, my husband, Dan, and I saw Weezer . . . again. 

 

Faithful readers will know I am a Ride-Or-Die Weezer fan. I think this was my sixth Weezer concert, and they are still the Best. Live. Band. Ever.

 

We saw them in Portland this time, in raked arena seats, where I could actually see the bands. I should also mention, Silversun Pickups and The Shins opened for Weezer, and they were amazing too.

 

This concert was a multigenerational celebration, especially for Gen X-ers with their kids. And the kids even seemed to know "the hits."

 

But there is a difference between Gen X and other generations of concert goers. 

Most of the younger people stood and sang along to the familiar songs, but they spent A LOT of time on their phones. And most of them sat down for extended periods of time. How can you dance to Weezer if you're sitting?

 

One young person behind me, kept closing his eyes, looking miserable in the bright stage lights, while his middle aged parent headbanged to every song.

 

 

 

The (younger-than-Gen X, but still an adult) girl next to me was excited. She was annoying when she was in my space and squealing in a very high-pitched voice, but at least she was engaged in the concert during times. The rest of the time, she was in her seat, texting. 

"Maybe she was texting someone in a different part of the arena," Dan suggested, giving her the benefit of the doubt. She was sitting there by herself. 

 

The following Monday, I showed my choir the video of me doing a dance to "Buddy Holly." (We dance to "Buddy Holly" in choir practices, and I had promised them I would do it at the concert.)

 

"Who's that girl with her hands in the air?" they asked, referring to the screaming text-er, who was not sitting at that moment.

 

"I don't know, but we were besties by the end of the concert," I said.  

 

 

The Gen X-ers, on the other hand, tended to be more present. I rarely saw a phone in the hands of my peers, unless they were using it as a Zippo lighter (now that no one smokes indoors). 

 

Every once in a while, we older folks took a picture or recorded a quick video. Most of the time, we were on our feet, collectively rocking out, singing every word to "Say It Ain't So" and the "Undone — The Sweater Song," the way God intended it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To the kids of Gen X-ers: You just attended the hardest rockin' concert you'll ever see, and we Gen X-ers weren't even tired afterwards.

 

 

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