Status: One-Shot
Concerts in Chicago
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Although I am not from Chicago, coming here gets my adrenaline rushing.
No, it’s not because of all the tall buildings and the pieces of art found at every corner. It’s not because of Chicago’s famous deep dish pizza or the love of putting everything on a hot dog except ketchup. It’s not because of the trains and buses or how people sprint across the street without looking both ways.
All of those things are nice, and definitely some reasons why I like coming to Chicago, but what really gets my adrenaline rushing is the people. For one thing, their accents are interesting. They’re extremely nasally, and it amazes me how they can’t hear that. They don’t hear themselves pronounce their “th” words with a “d” and they don’t realize how much they stress their vowels. Not to mention they’re some of the fastest talkers I’ve ever come across.
They have amusing names for certain things. I’ve received from strange looks for saying “soda” instead of “pop”. Their refusal for calling the Willis Tower by its real name is hilarious, and apparently it’s not a phenomenon to call the Cloud Gate by its real name either. They take pride in this and certainly have no problem correcting others.
The amount of different ways of life here can be overwhelming. While many cities have a distinct stereotype that describes them, you can’t give one to Chicago. Each neighborhood has a different way to live than the other. In some you can walk freely; in others you have to be more protective. Some people wear formal clothes while others wear nothing but t-shirts and jeans. Improper English is heard once in a while and the occasional group of people that rush by push passed. Half the people in this city seem to take public transportation wherever they go; the other half chooses to drive their own cars.
What I love the most about these people is how all of them come together when the opportunity arrives. As someone who has performed many shows all over the country, Chicago is the one place where everyone acts like a family. Although they hit and push each other around at my shows, they never intentionally cause too much danger. If they do, multiple people work together to get the injured member out of the pit. People create an opening if someone dropped something, and everyone has long conversations with people they’ve just met and probably won’t see again. But who knows? Maybe they will. Somehow you know at least one person no matter where you go in Chicago.
So as the crowd jumps and screams along to my music, I dance with at the microphone with a big smile on my face. I try to look in the eye of as many people as I can, thanking them for giving me my adrenaline rush.
No, it’s not because of all the tall buildings and the pieces of art found at every corner. It’s not because of Chicago’s famous deep dish pizza or the love of putting everything on a hot dog except ketchup. It’s not because of the trains and buses or how people sprint across the street without looking both ways.
All of those things are nice, and definitely some reasons why I like coming to Chicago, but what really gets my adrenaline rushing is the people. For one thing, their accents are interesting. They’re extremely nasally, and it amazes me how they can’t hear that. They don’t hear themselves pronounce their “th” words with a “d” and they don’t realize how much they stress their vowels. Not to mention they’re some of the fastest talkers I’ve ever come across.
They have amusing names for certain things. I’ve received from strange looks for saying “soda” instead of “pop”. Their refusal for calling the Willis Tower by its real name is hilarious, and apparently it’s not a phenomenon to call the Cloud Gate by its real name either. They take pride in this and certainly have no problem correcting others.
The amount of different ways of life here can be overwhelming. While many cities have a distinct stereotype that describes them, you can’t give one to Chicago. Each neighborhood has a different way to live than the other. In some you can walk freely; in others you have to be more protective. Some people wear formal clothes while others wear nothing but t-shirts and jeans. Improper English is heard once in a while and the occasional group of people that rush by push passed. Half the people in this city seem to take public transportation wherever they go; the other half chooses to drive their own cars.
What I love the most about these people is how all of them come together when the opportunity arrives. As someone who has performed many shows all over the country, Chicago is the one place where everyone acts like a family. Although they hit and push each other around at my shows, they never intentionally cause too much danger. If they do, multiple people work together to get the injured member out of the pit. People create an opening if someone dropped something, and everyone has long conversations with people they’ve just met and probably won’t see again. But who knows? Maybe they will. Somehow you know at least one person no matter where you go in Chicago.
So as the crowd jumps and screams along to my music, I dance with at the microphone with a big smile on my face. I try to look in the eye of as many people as I can, thanking them for giving me my adrenaline rush.
♠ ♠ ♠
Just something that's been sitting untouched on my laptop for almost a year now.I didn't specify a band because I wanted the reader to imagine anyone they wanted. La Dispute is in the banner.