If I were to add up all my “unnecessary” expenditures over the past three years, I’m positive that I could account my general lack of funding for getting my nails done on one expense: concerts. I absolutely love concerts- the lack of personal space, the sense of community among the audience, the buzz of hearing something live that you’ve listened to hundreds of times on your own. There’s just this inexplicable feeling that comes from standing in a crowd, looking up at a band you love while singing along at the top of your lungs. However, I’ve come to believe that it is an inevitable fact of life that some concerts will be disappointing. Example A: After waiting for three months to see a *certain band* in Albany, my friend and I showed up in the freezing cold to be informed by some unsympathetic roadies that the concert was cancelled due to “the approaching snow storm and sickness.” Actually, as we found out days later, the real reason for the cancellation was that the venue had been deemed to be unsafe after the roof was quavering during sound check. When the band returned to the (same!) venue two months later, my friend and I willingly waited outside for an hour in subzero temperatures and tolerated the unjustifiably rude security guards because we were simply excited to finally see the band. When they finally came on two and a half hours after doors opened, the lead singer drearily gave a lukewarm apology and then proceeded to play an anticlimactic show. I’m glad that I can now say I’ve seen them live, but the time, effort and money weren’t exactly worth the gain.

But subpar concerts like this are generally rare, and the chance that the show could represent the complete other end of the spectrum is well worth the money. Example B: The Third Eye Blind concert I went to last night was just exemplary. I was incredibly excited for this show to begin with because I’ve always wanted to see 3eb live, but my satisfaction came from more than just anticipation. For starters, the venue (Northern Lights in Clifton Park, NY) was managed in an efficient and considerate manner. It was a bit too cold for standing outside in line to be pleasant, so employees of the complex wheeled out complimentary coffee and tea. Then security guards worked their way through the line, checking ID’s and marking hands so everyone could get in quickly and smoothly. Inside, the club-like setup of the venue allowed for 5’4” fans like me to get close to the stage without being trampled on. Although the opening band was a local group with which few people were familiar, they were incredibly talented and didn’t try to act like they deserved to be immediately inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But when Third Eye Blind took the stage, the feeling in the venue became practically electric. It has to be said: Stephan Jenkins very well may be the most charismatic person on the face of the earth (or at least tied with Jack Nicholson.) The energy you feel in his songs on the album is heightened in person, and he interacts with the audience in a way that lets you know he cares about his fans. Hopping around the stage in a top hat, Jenkins seemed less like a rock star than a good friend who you could approach after the show for a hug. And as much as I hate to come off as superficial, it’s flat-out impressive that a forty-three-year-old man can look that good (to quote the girl behind me, “Look at those cut lines!!”).

But the show wasn’t so enjoyable only because of the lead singer’s stage presence. The songs played could have passed for recordings, and were recognizable so every fan could sing along. A five-minute long solo by guitarist Tony Fredianelli allowed the audience to dive even further into the music, as did the band’s decision to go acoustic on several key songs (to quote Almost Famous yet again, “The guitar sound is…incendiary. Incendiary.”). And I have to admit, there are few things more fun than being in a crowd of five hundred people all singing “Semi-Charmed Life” (ie; “I want something else…”). But if my description of the concert isn’t getting you as revved up as I evidently am, there’s a quick fix: go see Third Eye Blind yourself! They’re touring through May, and it’s just a great show, even if you aren’t big on the whole concert experience or only know a few of their songs. You just get a (surprisingly inexpensive) ticket off the internet, head out to the nearest venue, and “Then you rock on baby, rock on, you rock on, on and on”…