Concert Poisoning

I seem to be the odd man out.

Yesterday, the mix of driving, lineup waiting, and ferry-boat riding had us up at 5am to be at a concert by 7pm. We are in Comox, you see, at the Vancouver Island Music Festival.

There are zillions of acts, on a dozen stages, all surrounded by craft booths, and food stalls. It has all the awful toilets and distant parking that anybody could want. We will be here for two more full 24-hour days, before reversing our long day of travel to get home.

I don't know how many musicians I'll be seeing within that time, but am certain that it will result in a nasty case of concert poisoning.

That's why I'm a monster. I am not absolutely loving the music.

Don't get me wrong; I like tunes. I run with them in my ears, and drive with them in my car. I do not, however, need to experience it live. This is especially true when the experience is coming at me like a waterfall.

If last night's show were all there was, I would probably say it was nice. Would I want music from any of the three bands on my iPod? Can't say that they'd make the cut, and I actively disliked one of them.

And the concert experience? Outdoor venue, with rain threatening, and a temperature less than ideal, sitting on camping chairs, surrounded by loud people, who felt free to contaminate the air with recreational smoke. Not so wonderful.

I am enjoying the company. Helen and I are in the guest room of a former work colleague, and her gentleman. Also there for the weekend are three more former colleagues, spread out in different rooms. Seven of us are in the house. Now, that is fun. Plenty of conversation and laughter.

Pity we have to keep going off to concerts.

Comox has some nice beaches, and there are plenty of good restaurants, and pretty decent shopping areas. Hell, we could even just hang around the house.

Of course, that isn't going to happen. We're here for the music, I guess.

The part that makes it worthwhile for me is that Helen is in heaven. There is also enough interaction with the friends to keep me from going totally bonkers.

Even if she were to go totally festival crazy, the earliest music doesn't start until shortly before lunchtime, and although the doesn't wrap up until after midnight, there is no way she could last before about 10pm. Call that an absolute maximum of 20 hours over the remaining two days. The real max is much less than that, as Helen can't handle so much, even if she wanted to.

I'd say the practical upper limit would be closer to 10 more hours. Already did a couple of hours with no lasting side effects.

Anybody can handle a mere 20 more concert hours over two days, even though it is currently raining.