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Gigs, Concerts, Festivals…
There’s something energising yet calming about being in a room with 10,000 loners.
If you’re anything like me (which hundreds of thousands of people apparently are) you find solace in music… It’s how you energise, calm down, reflect, entertain, distract, focus and everything in between.
It’s how you find yourself when you feel completely lost, and feel understood when no one else ‘gets it’. The lyrics take the place of the words you can’t find, and the emotions you struggle to explain. It’s something almost magical.
It’s beautiful. It gave me chills the first time I heard it live, in Nottingham. I was there to see Halestorm, Shinedown and Alter Bridge. When Smith started his speech, the room fell quiet, the crowd listening intently… what he said rang true for everyone in that room in one way or another,
As he came to the end, the crowd erupted. I had goosebumps for the whole speech.
The thing that brought us all together that night? Music.
The thing that soothes our souls… speaks words when we can’t… and allows us to be part of something when we feel completely alone…
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A few years later, I was in Sheffield watching Greenday.
I’ve loved them since I first heard them. They have anthems for some of the worst and best times of my life so far.
Talking to strangers in the crowd, feeling the insane energy, not just from the band, but everyone around me. The anticipation, excitement, and elation when they struck the starting chord for our favourite songs.
I ground myself in the energy
When the crowd around me is in such a high vibe, people joining together in their solitude and elation. That feeling of 10,000 loners all belonging to that one moment. – I stop, stand still, close my eyes, take a deep breath and really pay attention to how it feels.
The energy from the stage, the bright lights, the vibrations coming through the floor, the heat from the bodies surrounding me, the cheering and singing of the crowd along with the band, my heart rate, my breathing, and the feeling of calm in that moment.
I take that moment, and I really feel it.
Now when I hear those
You make temporary friends in those places…
The guy who left the crowd, but couldn’t find his way back to his buddy
The woman next to you who holds your hand during an anthem
The guy you pull past you to the mosh pit
The girl who loves the same song as you
The friends who ask you to settle a debate
Someone who asks for directions and you find yourself going to the same place
These people shape your memories even though you probably won’t ever see them again.
10,000 loners is a reminder
We all have something in common. There are billions of people on this planet… yes, you’re uniquely you, but you are not alone. You will never be the only person in the room who feels the way you do, has lived through the same situations you have.
Your particular experience will be unique, you’ll have your own ‘special blend’ that makes up your life.
But no matter how alone you are, you’re one of 10,000 loners.
You’re never alone.
Even when you feel most lonely… there are 10,000 people in their homes feeling lonely too…
Maybe you’ll bump into them one day…
And share a memory
Without ever knowing it
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