VNV Nation concert

This was the first time I've seen VNV Nation live (and the first live rock show I'd been to in several years, somehow). I was thinking "concert" when I bought this ticket, though Irving Plaza is a "no seating" venue, so you either stand on the dance floor, or line the balcony and stand more quietly. I was down on the dance floor, but it was crowded enough that I found myself periodically jumping up and down, then landing a few inches off of where I'd meant and either crowding into someone or getting my feet tangled.

I had fun, but less than I'd expected: a lot of what I like about VNV Nation is the lyrics, which in the live show were often covered by the instruments. (I have the feeling that much of the crowd could have sung along to the entire thing, not just the songs the band asked us to, so it mattered less to them.) If I do this again—and I may, the next time they tour—I'll time things to arrive during the opening act, not well before, to save my energy for dancing to VNV Nation. I also think I would have enjoyed myself more if I'd pre-ordered the album the tour is supporting, and had it by mail in time to listen before the show; I picked up a copy last night, along with one of the tour t-shirts (they also had tank tops, hoodies, etc.)

The openers, And One, were okay to dance to, but didn't grab me beyond that. They began their set by announcing "From now on, this is German territory", and the crowd seemed cheerful about that because it meant they were about to sing; I was left thinking "we won the peace, that time" [for large values of "we," obviously, but some of the names that came to mind were Truman, Marshall, de Gaulle, and Willy Brandt]. It also reminded me that I may have been the oldest person on the dance floor (no way to be sure, in either direction). The random people near me in the crowd were friendly, including a couple of conversations that basically were someone apologizing for bumping me while dancing, and me saying things like "it happens, I'll try not to bump you."

I got home late, by my current standards (about 1:30); maybe not by those of the people I overheard after the show discussing whether they were going clubbing. cattitude was happily asleep, of course. [He also likes VNV Nation, but wasn't up for standing that long in a crowd, so I only bought one ticket.]

VNV Nation concert

This was the first time I've seen VNV Nation live (and the first live rock show I'd been to in several years, somehow). I was thinking "concert" when I bought this ticket, though Irving Plaza is a "no seating" venue, so you either stand on the dance floor, or line the balcony and stand more quietly. I was down on the dance floor, but it was crowded enough that I found myself periodically jumping up and down, then landing a few inches off of where I'd meant and either crowding into someone or getting my feet tangled.

I had fun, but less than I'd expected: a lot of what I like about VNV Nation is the lyrics, which in the live show were often covered by the instruments. (I have the feeling that much of the crowd could have sung along to the entire thing, not just the songs the band asked us to, so it mattered less to them.) If I do this again—and I may, the next time they tour—I'll time things to arrive during the opening act, not well before, to save my energy for dancing to VNV Nation. I also think I would have enjoyed myself more if I'd pre-ordered the album the tour is supporting, and had it by mail in time to listen before the show; I picked up a copy last night, along with one of the tour t-shirts (they also had tank tops, hoodies, etc.)

The openers, And One, were okay to dance to, but didn't grab me beyond that. They began their set by announcing "From now on, this is German territory", and the crowd seemed cheerful about that because it meant they were about to sing; I was left thinking "we won the peace, that time" [for large values of "we," obviously, but some of the names that came to mind were Truman, Marshall, de Gaulle, and Willy Brandt]. It also reminded me that I may have been the oldest person on the dance floor (no way to be sure, in either direction). The random people near me in the crowd were friendly, including a couple of conversations that basically were someone apologizing for bumping me while dancing, and me saying things like "it happens, I'll try not to bump you."

I got home late, by my current standards (about 1:30); maybe not by those of the people I overheard after the show discussing whether they were going clubbing. cattitude was happily asleep, of course. [He also likes VNV Nation, but wasn't up for standing that long in a crowd, so I only bought one ticket.]

Good brain news

When I got to the VNV Nation concert last night, the venue had a sign up warning that strobe lights and similar effects might be used. Okay, I've already got the ticket, I'll chance it.

The opening act, And One, used a lot of strobe effects (actual strobe lights and playing with colors and color change in related ways). I decided to chance things, rather than find a corner to hide in (of which there are probably a few, and I might even have been able to hear the music), and it was okay.

VNV Nation used some strobes, but fewer, and I noticed only the difficulties that I'd had with strobes before my concussion, namely that one can't see things during the dark moments between flashes, which is awkward if you're trying to avoid stepping on people's feet on a crowded dance floor.

I doubt I'll ever seek the things out, but it's good to know that I don't, or don't always, need to avoid performances with strobes. It's nice to have that flexibility back, and it's nice to get good news about a medical thing that I wasn't expecting to improve.

It occurs to me that flashing lights are not identical, and specifically that my reaction to strobes may be different from my reaction to flashing lights on emergency vehicles, which I've had more exposure to in recent years. (It's easier, in general, to stay out of places with strobe lights, or go only with friends who are willing to signal "all clear" after I've closed and covered my eyes during a performance.) Other possibilities: I may expect more stability from the world when I'm sitting at a play or musical revue than when I'm standing and dancing at a rock concert, so whatever visual instabilities are introduced by the strobe bother me less. Or, I may have been sufficiently expecting problems from flashing lights, including things like parked tow trucks and electric company repair trucks, that I was tensing up, and the problem is the tension as much as the flashing.

I suspect I'll still be closing my eyes during strobe effects and movie previews sometimes, and asking friends to signal me when it's safe to open them. But this way I can go to such things by myself, or in contexts where "tell me when to open my eyes" wouldn't work well, like last night's concert, and worry a bit less about flashing lights in other contexts.

Good brain news

When I got to the VNV Nation concert last night, the venue had a sign up warning that strobe lights and similar effects might be used. Okay, I've already got the ticket, I'll chance it.

The opening act, And One, used a lot of strobe effects (actual strobe lights and playing with colors and color change in related ways). I decided to chance things, rather than find a corner to hide in (of which there are probably a few, and I might even have been able to hear the music), and it was okay.

VNV Nation used some strobes, but fewer, and I noticed only the difficulties that I'd had with strobes before my concussion, namely that one can't see things during the dark moments between flashes, which is awkward if you're trying to avoid stepping on people's feet on a crowded dance floor.

I doubt I'll ever seek the things out, but it's good to know that I don't, or don't always, need to avoid performances with strobes. It's nice to have that flexibility back, and it's nice to get good news about a medical thing that I wasn't expecting to improve.

It occurs to me that flashing lights are not identical, and specifically that my reaction to strobes may be different from my reaction to flashing lights on emergency vehicles, which I've had more exposure to in recent years. (It's easier, in general, to stay out of places with strobe lights, or go only with friends who are willing to signal "all clear" after I've closed and covered my eyes during a performance.) Other possibilities: I may expect more stability from the world when I'm sitting at a play or musical revue than when I'm standing and dancing at a rock concert, so whatever visual instabilities are introduced by the strobe bother me less. Or, I may have been sufficiently expecting problems from flashing lights, including things like parked tow trucks and electric company repair trucks, that I was tensing up, and the problem is the tension as much as the flashing.

I suspect I'll still be closing my eyes during strobe effects and movie previews sometimes, and asking friends to signal me when it's safe to open them. But this way I can go to such things by myself, or in contexts where "tell me when to open my eyes" wouldn't work well, like last night's concert, and worry a bit less about flashing lights in other contexts.