It was a good weekend. The wife, boy, Pam, and I made it out of the house and up to the Fonda Theater to see and hear The Brian Jonestown Massacre. There was Tommy’s beforehand, and the show did not disappoint. The band was solid, as was the crowd, minus a few idiots. But what I didn’t see in the crowd was young people.
By young people, I mean those that would be old enough to be my students. I deal with high school students, so we’re talking about kids that are 14 to 18 years of age. I might have seen one in that age range. The boy is 12. He was the youngest person there. He’s getting used to that statistic when we see bands.
So, where were all the young people?
A couple of my classes asked what I did this weekend, so I told them. I asked if they had ever seen live music in a club. One student said yes. I asked who the artist was, but she couldn’t remember, which means she didn’t see any music in a club setting. Not one of my students had heard of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, which is not a big surprise either.
So, where were all the young people? Studying? Doubtful on a Saturday. Partying? Not sure kids do that anymore. Netflix and chill? I’m probably getting warmer. Watching YouTube videos alone in their rooms while chatting and texting friends in an online format? Probably.
North High has NO bands. If we had a battle of the bands tonight, there would not be an entry. We used to have a battle of the bands, but interest waned over the years because the number of bands kept getting smaller and smaller. No fliers are posted on walls for upcoming shows. I don’t even know what venue a band would play if it wanted to do so locally.
Supply and demand. If students demanded it, there would be a supply. It’s not like kids haven’t had scads of music lessons. Maybe I was just at the wrong concert.