Deerhoof @ Union Stage
While I was waiting for this show to start, there was a boy sitting on the edge of the stage in front of me. He couldn’t have been more than sixteen. I could tell he was a bit nervous to be there by himself, so we shared a smile. He complimented the David Bowie pin on my jacket, and then started making conversation with some college kids standing nearby. As I eavesdropped, I found out that Deerhoof was one of his favorite bands, and that this was his first all-ages show. The second the band walked onstage, he lost it. Throughout their entire set, this kid sang and clapped along with a kind of unapologetic enthusiasm I haven’t seen in a while. It was the attitude Deerhoof encourages through their music and live performances. He wasn’t afraid of letting his passion shine through.
This was one of the best concerts I have been to in a while. It was a hometown show for me. Deerhoof played an incredible and energetic set, whisking me back to all the nights I spent at shows in D.C. during high school. However, this show brought something much more than just heartwarming flashbacks. The pure joy on the faces of the people around me reminded me why I love doing all of this in the first place. They reminded me why I love going out to venues in the freezing rain, and why I love having to take a 5 AM bus back to Brooklyn the next morning, just to make my morning class.
It’s all worth it to get to immerse myself in moments like these.
