Earlier this year I was with an artist at a downtown music series. A smaller town, where they block off a few streets and pretty much everyone who isn’t completely anti-social comes and brings their lawn chairs and sets up shop for the evening.
There’s a few things going on downtown, some vendors, face painters, a few open tents emerged tailgate style.
Soundcheck and everything was much earlier in the day so I was just walking around watching it all happen until it was back to business.
Here’s the thing…everyone with their lawn chairs, hundreds, maybe thousands of people with lawn chairs…and you know what…they all faced the lawn chairs in the exact same direction.
Without anyone telling them what to do or handing out directions or barking orders or asking a friend what to do, all the lawn chairs were faced the same way
The stage.
No one told them to face their lawn chairs toward the stage, there was no discussion to collectively figure out the best chair set up…that’s just what everyone did. And some people got there hours before anything was actually happening on stage, and STILL kept their chairs like that the whole time!
Why?
Because everyone had the same expectation…something, the best thing, the most worthwhile thing of the night would be happening on the stage, so that is where I’ll face my chair.
More than anything, people expect, desire, long for something amazing to happen on the stage. It’s engrained in people’s brains…more than they even realize.
The mass of lawn chairs has been assembled, aimed at the stage for reasons you now remember…now it’s your turn.
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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com