Those who know me know I love live music. I don’t just love it, going to concerts is my absolute favorite thing to do. It’s where all my money goes and how I spend most of my weekends. There are so many things I love about live music. The pageantry, excitement, and performance are a few of my favorite parts, but to me, live music is great because it brings people together.
The world, especially the United States, is so divided today, it’s sad. One side is always mad at the other; families won’t speak to each other because of differing beliefs, and hate and prejudice run rampant. The one place I see these barriers and walls come down is at concerts. People of all different backgrounds and beliefs come together to enjoy a band or performer. They are taking a break from the bad in the world and rejoicing in the good times the show provides.
I recently attended a Mt. Joy concert, and as I watched them sing their songs that are mainly about happiness, love, and self-acceptance, I looked around the sold-out arena and saw people of all different backgrounds and beliefs smiling and singing along. Mt. Joy is a prime example of a band that brings people together. Their lyrics bring up common thoughts people may have and show that they are humans who struggle like everyone else. One of my favorite lyrics from the song “Astrovan” speaks on what may happen after death. The lyrics go “Well, maybe there is no Heaven. And maybe we’re all alone, together.” The band is able to provide hope even when singing about something as somber as death. Their point in that lyric is that no matter what happens, we’re all in the same boat. To me, there is nothing more reassuring than that. When I heard the stadium sing those lyrics in unison about being alone, together, I didn’t see people divided in their beliefs; I saw people united in their uncertainty in a beautiful way.
The Mt. Joy concert I attended was in my hometown, so I saw lots of people I know. Many of whom I hadn’t seen since high school, and many of whom I know disagree with each other’s core values. It did not matter. We were all singing, dancing, and having a great time together. This is how I wish life always was. People loving one another and rejoicing in their commonalities, rather than fighting or ignoring each other based on their differences. I know this is not how the world works, and people should disagree and make their voices heard, but it should not be in the hostile fashion that is so prevalent today. Nor should differing beliefs ruin friendships, relationships, or families. We are all humans, and we all want what is best for humanity.
I know there are exceptions to the idea of concerts bringing people together. I have been to shows and seen plenty of fights and rude chants. But for the most part, concerts allow people to leave their differences at the door and gather to see a band or performer sing the songs they love. There is something magical about a group of people with different ideals joining together. Concerts like the Mt. Joy show I attended the other week restore my faith in humanity and remind me that we’re all doing our best to get by. Yes, people disagree, but in the end, we’re all in this together. Gatherings like concerts remind us of this and give us a moment to be thankful and come together in joy.
ShoutOut! James Madison University 