Red Hot Chili Peppers

[cattitude]

Geez. Let her go. She is earning your trust, and should be reminded of that as she walks out the door.

That's what I say.

Ott & I were talking this morning. We worked at RFK in a concession stand. Our youngest worked there too. His first concert was U-2. He was 14/15. But he was there with me. He worked the WHFS Festival when he was that age as well. His first alone concert was the WHFS Festival when he was 16 (I was working and he had to check in).

I'd be more concerned about the ride to/from the concert than I would the actual concert.

 

[Geek]

I would not send her unless I trusted the adult. A lot.

 

[Larry Gude]

Here's the issue...

If a friend from Mars (ie, was clueless as to the environemt) asked me if he should let his 15 year old go to a rock/metal type concert I'd say no.

The environment at concerts is electric. It is loud, chaotic and wild. It is a barely contained riot waiting to happen. I have seen sex at concerts. I have seen girls get passed overhead and get groped by each and every person along the way. I have seen a cherry bomb go off right next to a kids head and send him to the ground. I have seen uncountable fights. I have seen people piled by the aid station like a war went on, OD's, injuries, puking drunk.
I have seen security beat people senseless. The base human jungle atmosphere is alive. It is the essence of a concert. It's the WHOLE point.

In short, it is everything a 15 year old would LOVE to be part of, but there is nothing, not one developmental thing to be gained. She can go to all the concerts she likes the rest of her life when it's her choice and she can decide what to allow her 15 year old when the time comes.

I'm not worried about the kid. I'm not worried about the chaperone. It's the environment, especially at high energy shows.

If I let her go, it would simply be a matter of me holding my breath until she was on her way home. That ANY parent would want to go to a concert with a kid is WAY beyond my level of understanding. They, concerts, are the very essence of freedom and release and pure, unbridled joy and open rebellion that, by definition, are not parent/child activities, in my ever so humble opinion.

The thought of my dad going to see Nugent in 1977 with me makes my head spin and pea soup fly from my mouth. The fact that he dropped me off was the essence of "Hope you come out in one piece and good luck' parenting.

On the other hand, I know a guy my age who is comfortable going to a strip club with is dad. So, who am I to judge...outside MY domain and responsibilities.

I would go see Slayer to this day but I ain't taking my kid and I don't even wanna take my wife. Frankly, the Chili Peppers would bore me into a coma and I'd HATE being there.

 

[jwwb2000]

I would go see Slayer to this day but I ain't taking my kid and I don't even wanna take my wife. Frankly, the Chili Peppers would bore me into a coma and I'd HATE being there.

You do know Slayer will be playing at the 930 Club in Feb

 

[donbarzini]

Would you let your 15 year old daughter go to a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert?

I already know what my answer is, but one of you might come up with a compelling reason to change my mind.

I wouldn't even look up from what I was doing at the time of the question and the answer would be: "No". And if she was still there when I looked up, MY question would be: "What? Was there something else?".

 

[nachomama]

If a friend from Mars (ie, was clueless as to the environemt) asked me if he should let his 15 year old go to a rock/metal type concert I'd say no.

The environment at concerts is electric. It is loud, chaotic and wild. It is a barely contained riot waiting to happen. I have seen sex at concerts. I have seen girls get passed overhead and get groped by each and every person along the way. I have seen a cherry bomb go off right next to a kids head and send him to the ground. I have seen uncountable fights. I have seen people piled by the aid station like a war went on, OD's, injuries, puking drunk.
I have seen security beat people senseless. The base human jungle atmosphere is alive. It is the essence of a concert. It's the WHOLE point.

In short, it is everything a 15 year old would LOVE to be part of, but there is nothing, not one developmental thing to be gained. She can go to all the concerts she likes the rest of her life when it's her choice and she can decide what to allow her 15 year old when the time comes.

I'm not worried about the kid. I'm not worried about the chaperone. It's the environment, especially at high energy shows.

If I let her go, it would simply be a matter of me holding my breath until she was on her way home. That ANY parent would want to go to a concert with a kid is WAY beyond my level of understanding. They, concerts, are the very essence of freedom and release and pure, unbridled joy and open rebellion that, by definition, are not parent/child activities, in my ever so humble opinion.

The thought of my dad going to see Nugent in 1977 with me makes my head spin and pea soup fly from my mouth. The fact that he dropped me off was the essence of "Hope you come out in one piece and good luck' parenting.

On the other hand, I know a guy my age who is comfortable going to a strip club with is dad. So, who am I to judge...outside MY domain and responsibilities.

I would go see Slayer to this day but I ain't taking my kid and I don't even wanna take my wife. Frankly, the Chili Peppers would bore me into a coma and I'd HATE being there.

I totally relate to your feelings on this. When I was a teen, I didn't even want my parents dropping me off somewhere; I'd rather walk. But my kids WANT me there, and I take pride in that fact. I share the same interests as my kids and at the same time, I am there with them and know what they are doing (or more importantly - NOT doing) at these events. And at the end of the day, we have shared something that, at times, doesn't appeal to me, but meant the world to them, and I know they are safe and sound.

I remember taking my then 15 and 18 year olds to the Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson concert at FedEx. We had so many puking, passed out drunks around us and my 15 year old commented how she would never go out in public and embarrass herself like that (like I'll really be able to hold them to that...)

 

[vraiblonde]

Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson

See, that's amazing to me because I wouldn't have thought a country concert would attract the pukers. The last concert I went to was Garth Brooks at the Cap Center and the crowd was older. This was a good 10 years ago, though.

 

[Toxick]

I went to concerts when I was 15, I managed to survive the experience.

 

[Larry Gude]

Yike...

You do know Slayer will be playing at the 930 Club in Feb

...that, frankly, shouldn't be legal.

 

[Larry Gude]

See?

See, that's amazing to me because I wouldn't have thought a country concert would attract the pukers. The last concert I went to was Garth Brooks at the Cap Center and the crowd was older. This was a good 10 years ago, though.

...it's CONCERTS, man. Brings out the darkness in man. Too much excitement.

 

[jwwb2000]

See, that's amazing to me because I wouldn't have thought a country concert would attract the pukers. The last concert I went to was Garth Brooks at the Cap Center and the crowd was older. This was a good 10 years ago, though.

Prime example of a show I thought was going to be crazy was Rob Zombie...turned out to be one of the calmest shows I have been to so far this year.

 

[nachomama]

See, that's amazing to me because I wouldn't have thought a country concert would attract the pukers. The last concert I went to was Garth Brooks at the Cap Center and the crowd was older. This was a good 10 years ago, though.

That's the exact same thinking I had when I took them there. I never even thought for a minute we'd have to deal with that. But yeah, we did. One girl literally came within about 6 inches of vomiting down my daughter's back and about 15 minutes later, she was passed out in her chair in a most un-feminine manner, if you know what I mean. But, in retrospect, that was a LONG concert; there were 5 different acts. Tailgating, etc. I believe the first performers were on at 4 and Kenny didn't come out until about 9, so they had a good long while to get drunk.

 

[mrweb]

If a friend from Mars (ie, was clueless as to the environemt) asked me if he should let his 15 year old go to a rock/metal type concert I'd say no.

The environment at concerts is electric. It is loud, chaotic and wild. It is a barely contained riot waiting to happen. I have seen sex at concerts. I have seen girls get passed overhead and get groped by each and every person along the way. I have seen a cherry bomb go off right next to a kids head and send him to the ground. I have seen uncountable fights. I have seen people piled by the aid station like a war went on, OD's, injuries, puking drunk.
I have seen security beat people senseless. The base human jungle atmosphere is alive. It is the essence of a concert. It's the WHOLE point.

In short, it is everything a 15 year old would LOVE to be part of, but there is nothing, not one developmental thing to be gained. She can go to all the concerts she likes the rest of her life when it's her choice and she can decide what to allow her 15 year old when the time comes.

I'm not worried about the kid. I'm not worried about the chaperone. It's the environment, especially at high energy shows.

If I let her go, it would simply be a matter of me holding my breath until she was on her way home. That ANY parent would want to go to a concert with a kid is WAY beyond my level of understanding. They, concerts, are the very essence of freedom and release and pure, unbridled joy and open rebellion that, by definition, are not parent/child activities, in my ever so humble opinion.

The thought of my dad going to see Nugent in 1977 with me makes my head spin and pea soup fly from my mouth. The fact that he dropped me off was the essence of "Hope you come out in one piece and good luck' parenting.

On the other hand, I know a guy my age who is comfortable going to a strip club with is dad. So, who am I to judge...outside MY domain and responsibilities.

I would go see Slayer to this day but I ain't taking my kid and I don't even wanna take my wife. Frankly, the Chili Peppers would bore me into a coma and I'd HATE being there.

That's exactly why I said NO to my 15 year old this past summer. She hated me for saying NO, pitched a hissy-fit, slammed the bedroom door, screamed that she hated me, etc., all of which I ignored. She was fine the next day and the subject has not come up since. She has the rest of her life to go to concerts when she is older and can demonstrate the personal responsibility needed to avoid bad situations and come home straight and in one piece.

 

[Larry Gude]

I did too...

I went to concerts when I was 15, I managed to survive the experience.

...if I saw benefit in the kids going, I'd be all for it. When I hear 'concert' I hear 'danger'.

And, frankly, that's the thing. I think most parents take the path of least resistance and say 'they gotta learn sometime' and that's fine to some extent or other. But, as I sit here, I can not make an objective argument as to what she is missing out on. So she doesn't go at 15. Big deal. Does she HAVE to go at 15 and not 18? Does she HAVE to get a tat now? A piercing? Smoke a bowl? Learn all about sex NOW? And the benefit is....she'll be better off not waiting??? Why? Gotta take those training wheels off RIGHT now!

It's bad enough at freaking football games, people acting like complete, drunken azzholes.

The last wrestling event I took the kids to, the oldest was 16 or so, the youngest, 11, 12? And this lady is behind us WITH HER INFANT and her 6 and 8 year olds. The 6 and 8 were screaming and chanting 'AZZHOLE' and screaming '**********' and all sorts of stuff.

My kids can do this all they want when they're making the call. In the mean time, they need this in their life, RIGHT NOW, for....????????????

 

[Larry Gude]

Hey...

Prime example of a show I thought was going to be crazy was Rob Zombie...turned out to be one of the calmest shows I have been to so far this year.

...I've heard people say "Better Chili Peppers than Country because everyone is stoned and mellow at the Peppers and drunk and rowdy at Country shows."

There's truth in that. She can go to 'em all...in a few, short years.

 

[Larry Gude]

Ps...

THANK YOU to everyone for your thoughts and opinions!


It's what makes the world go round.

Actually, it's gravity, but, you know'm saying!

 

[Toxick]

But, as I sit here, I can not make an objective argument as to what she is missing out on. So she doesn't go at 15. Big deal. Does she HAVE to go at 15 and not 18?

If I waited till I was 18 to see Metallica, I never would have seen Cliff Burton.




Nuff Said.

 

[nachomama]

If I waited till I was 18 to see Metallica, I never would have seen Cliff Burton.




Nuff Said.

True...I went to see Def Leppard when I was about 16, when Rick Allen had 2 arms.

 

[Ehesef]

My dad took me and a friend to see Smashing Pumpkins when I was 13 or 14. It was awesome. Saw some freaks but didn't have any kind of problem. I've never really had a problem at a concert though.

 

[Larry Gude]

Oh ####!

If I waited till I was 18 to see Metallica, I never would have seen Cliff Burton.




Nuff Said.

...I never thought of that!


Imagine, if Flea dies and she doesn't go..it'll be MY fault!

How can I condemn my child to a life of not having seen Flea????