Concerts As Medicine

Transcript

Welcome And Festival Season Kickoff

SPEAKER_00 0:26

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to Heal Out Out with Sai. I really hope you guys have been well, taking care of yourselves, and loving each other as always. This week was a little cool for me, it was a little different. It was actually the beginning of my festival season and my close family members that go to festivals and shows with me. So this episode will be a little different. It won't be more of a music episode. It's going to be why concerts are good for you. But I do have an interesting tidbit for you. So this week, past Saturday, I got to see The Browning. The Browning is a super interesting group. They are American Electronic Or Band from the Kansas City. And I will tell you this: their vocals are super clean. The beats are super clean. They're very, very entertaining. But the group currently consists of vocalist Johnny McBee, drummer Brandon Funera, and bassist and guitarist Hakeem Bibbins. But they had some friends with them this past week when I saw them. One of them was with Indestruction. They are a Slovenian Deathcore band formed in 2010 with vocalist Rock Rupnik, guitarist and clean vocalist Howard Fang, and drummer Luca Vasozzi. And they also have six albums. Animal is their newest album. I liked them when I saw them. It was my very first time. I love new bands because you get to learn new things, you get to hear new songs, and of course, new stories and ways to heal out loud, right? But they also had Dead Eyes. This band was from Baltimore. Their vocalist Zach Williams, Jim Pogey on guitar, and Eric Rembeki on bass and Chris Hapman on drums. They also have a street team called The Dead Crew. But these guys are super new. So like their debut album is Black Hole Heart, and their debut song is called Thanks for Nothing, which is on Octane and it's available everywhere. And the last band, which I thought was the most interesting for myself, besides the Browning, was a band called Face Yourself. They are a transcontinental death chord group, but they were formed in 2003 and they're based in the U.S. with members in France and New Jersey. Their vocalist is Yasmin Liverneau, guitarist Corey DeRemus and Thomas Cardone, and Kyle Munzer on bass and Eric DiCarlo on drums. Again, I suggest you guys check out all four of these bands. They're really, really cool. The Browning by far blew my mind away. This is now the second time I've seen them. But again, those other bands are Within Destruction, Dead Eyes, and Face Yourself. But yeah, so we're gonna jump in right into the skinny here of why concerts are good for you because they are. And again, I really, really hope you guys get to go to some this year and get to enjoy yourselves. So, but this is where we explore our music, psychology, and the deeper meaning behind the songs and scenes that shape us. So today's episode is all about something rock and metal fans already know deep down. Going to concerts is actually really, really good for you. And believe it or not, I have the backing of science and scientists because they agree with me. Ha ha. So, research on live music experiences show that just 20 minutes at a concert can boost your well-being by about 21%. People also report higher feelings of connection with others and increased mental stimulation. Some studies even suggest that attending concerts regularly can significantly improve happiness levels and overall life satisfaction. So, in a way, buying that concert ticket might be an investment in your mental health. And if you've ever liked stood in a crowd waiting for a band like Metallica, Slipknot, or you know, Spirit Box or Ice Night Kales to hit the stage, you already know that anticipation alone can raise your adrenaline. Like I can't tell you how many times where you're just waiting, and then you're waiting, and then you know, you're talking to friends, and you know, you're talking to people you've never met before while you're waiting for these guys to hit the stage, and it's so cool. I want to say Slipknot probably has one of their cooler openers with their flag going up in flames before they pop up on a stage, but we'll keep on going. So, live live music hits harder than a stream. Scientists compare live concerts to watching performances online, and the difference is huge, which I can tell you that personally it is. Live music triggers stronger emotional responses and a greater sense of connection between the audience and performers. Your brain actually reacts to the shared experience happening around you, the sound, the lights, and the crowd energy. In a rock and metal culture, that energy is everything. It's it's not just background music, it's total event. And every time I go to one and I get the giggle's and I get all the warm, fuzzy feelings, it's so cool. One of the biggest benefits of concerts, especially heavier shows, is emotional release. Rock and metal music often deal with real life struggles, anger, frustration, anxiety, and personal battles. When thousands of people scream those lyrics together, it creates something psychologists call emotional catharsis. It's a healthy release of built-up feelings. And that's one reason why fans leave shows feeling lighter, calmer, or even inspired. And of course, yours truly was inspired too, I wouldn't have this show today. Because, you know, there's lots of people like me. I like to say whenever I go to shows, I'm just gonna go be with my family. Um, because you know, we all are, and we're all there for a reason. And you know, we like that connectedness. But let's talk about the psychology of mosh pits. So, funny story, my little sister, she had never been to a show, and her very first show was incarceration. This was, I want to say, maybe about right uh right around COVID, I think. And the very first time she saw a mosh pit, she thought they were fighting, but she was like, it's a weird fight. I was like, Yeah, it's just a mosh pit. It's fine. But she didn't know. So, Balea, let's talk about something that people outside the scene sometimes misunderstand. Mosh pits. To someone who's never been to a metal show like my little sister, uh mosh pit might look chaotic or even aggressive. But researchers who study crowd behavior at heavy metal concerts discover something fascinating. Mosh pits actually follow unspoken social rules. People help each other up, fans watch out for injuries, and most participants understand the difference between control, chaos, and real harm. Scientists studying crowd dynamics even found that movement patterns and mosh pits can resemble certain natural systems, like the way particles move in physics simulations. But more importantly, psychologically speaking, moshpits can act as a stress release mechanism. They allow people to physically release energy, adrenaline, and tension in a way that's shared with a whole group. And that shared experience strengthens the bonds between the fans. It's intense, but it's also strangely cooperative, which might be why metal communities are often ascribed as some of the most supportive fan bases in music. Yeah. Now, the community to only exist at shows. This might be the most powerful part of the concerts, is the community. I can't stress this enough. I've made so many friends in the metal community and around it, and they're just most most of them, 90% of them, are just pretty chill. And they love each other, and they they just want to be there for any music, but they're not there to start drama or you know, cause a battle. Of course, you're always going to have that one jerk that wants to do something, and that's fine too. Sometimes they get knocked out, it'd be like that. But the most powerful part of concerts is the community. Metal crowds have a reputation, but people who go to the shows know the truth. If someone falls in a pit, please people pick them up immediately. That shared code of respect builds trust between strangers. And psychologists and psychologists, same moments like that, when people feel like they belong to a group, can significantly improve emotional well-being. That's part of why fan communities are like bands like System of a Down and Shine Down and Bring Meet Horizon are so strong. The music connects you to people who you might have never met otherwise. But along with that being said, let's talk about, you know, when you're standing and, you know, you're kind of close to the stage or even midway, and people want to crowd surf. I'm all about people crowd surfing. I might even do it one day, but because I am a bigger guy, I will make sure that I get as close as possible to the front. Some people don't do that, and they end up being a little bit injured, or, you know, because nobody's paying attention, or in the case of where some people are too heavy. If you are too heavy, and I'm not knocking you for this, but you need to make sure you find bigger guys to help you get up to the front instead of you know going all willy-nilly and causing injuries to people, you know. I've actually popped ribs out before because I've helped people out. And, you know, I would do it again. I'm just saying be mindful and think of others. But the next time someone questions why you go to concerts or why you stand in a loud crowd, singing along with strangers, you can tell them this. Science says concerts improve mood, increase connection, stimulate the brain, and help release stress. And if it's a rock or metal show, you might even get a little to a lot of bit of therapy in the mosh pit. Because when the lights go down, the guitars roar, and the crowd moves as one, that's not just a concert. It's not just a show. That is human connection at full volume. And again, guys, you know, concerts to me are my happy place. I get to vent out my frustrations that I collect on a daily basis. Because again, we're all collectors, right? And it helps you, you know, broaden your horizons a little bit. So if you enjoyed this episode, share it with someone you jump into the pit with. And by the way, this is actually going to be a my very first two-parter episode. So next week you guys will find out the other show that I went to, and we will have a special guest with us. Thank you again. Heal out loud, stay loud. If you have depression issues, dial 988, call Boys and Title National Hotline, or even reach out to us. You are never alone at all in this world. And I love you. Thank you for listening. Be safe out there, and I will see you soon.