Thursday, January 19, 2006

The Afters


Last night Cat and I went to The Afters concert at our church. On Sunday night I ran into one of my friends from high school and he mentioned that there was going to be a concert on Wednesday night. I mentioned it to Cat and we decided we'd go. At first I thought it was going to be a concert targeted at the college group, since it hadn't been mentioned in church, but later I found out that it was for the jr. high and high school groups.

We arrived a few minutes before the concert started and immediately I recognized the generation gap in the building. Close to the stage were hundreds of jr. high and high school kids all excited about the concert, jumping up and down, girls flirting with boys, boys flirting with girls, awkwardness at its finest. Standing towards the back of the room were the "oldies". A few college students here, some friends of mine I recognized there, mostly people around the age of Cat and me (notice that I link us together even though 5 years separates us).

Do you ever have those moments when you realize that you're growing up? I know I'm not old, but with 30 looming around the corner in a few months, the distance between early twenties and early thirties seems to grow at warp speed sometimes. It hit me last night when I realized that I was older than the guys in the band. When did that happen? When did I become older than all the guys in a band? Youch. At least I think it was all the guys, maybe it was just half of them, but two I know for sure. The lead singer went to a very small private school with Cat in jr. high. 11 people in their class small, so she's kept up with him via email over the years. I grew up with one of the guitarists/singers at church. The last time I saw him he was shorter than me and his voice was alot higher when we sang together in the jr. high choir.

We enjoyed the concert, sitting on the floor in the back of the church and taking the whole scene in. Some of the kids have got to have some sore calves today as they were jumping up and down thoughout the concert. I recognized some of the band's songs after hearing them on the radio, and unlike some bands, it sounded just as good (or better) in person than on the radio. Kudos to them. They've been one of the few bands that have been successful both in mainstream music and on Christian radio. Their label is Sony Epic, so I think they are only going to grow in popularity. They recently won the MTVu "Streaming Woodie" award, in part to the numerous clicks of Cat nominating them for the award.

After the concert they came out to greet everyone and sign autographs. Kids were getting their shirts and CD's signed, some were even pulling off their Converse shoes to have the band sign them. Who would want to sign a smelly shoe? Cat and I finally made our way to the front and the lead singer shouted out her name and was all excited to see her. You could see the jealousy on the faces of the kids. It was kinda funny (in a mean way). They caught up on the latest and greatest and then we went to go say hi to the guitarist. He saw Cat and said that it had been so long since he'd seen her, and then he saw me and he was like, it's been even longer since I've seen you! His mom and my mom were really good friends when were little, and I have a picture of his mom and sister at my wedding reception in my wedding album. It was fun to catch up and hear about his family.

It was indeed a fun evening, and I've still got the star on my hand to prove it.

posted by Amstaff Mom | 6:04 AM




22 Comments:

Blogger Holly said...

Sounds like you had a blast. Do you know when you will hear about the job? Still praying... do you have my email addy?

7:10 AM  
Blogger Lia said...

Sounds like fun! I know how you feel about the age thing - it's like how I feel when I realize that the kids in the youth group I led are now looking for jobs!

7:42 AM  
Blogger Amstaff Mom said...

Holly - I should hear something today or tomorrow. Please keep praying for me and the decision-makers. And I need your email addy again. Can you email me?

Lia - It was alot of fun, and kinda surreal at times. It's weird to see someone you grew up with be mobbed by crazy fans.

7:45 AM  
Blogger Katie said...

Gt's and yes I know that age gap all too well. When did I go from being young and cool to old and boring? At least that is what our high school kids think, even the ones who have graduated and gone on to college. I'm hip, I'm cool, and JCol so are you.

7:45 AM  
Blogger Amstaff Mom said...

Thanks K-T. We'll be cool together.

7:46 AM  
Blogger Holly said...

I don't have yours and I was looking for a link on your site and did not see one to email you.... Jes has my email

8:24 AM  
Blogger Stephanie said...

Ooooh! I love thier sound! I think it's great that I can be a Christian and yet still enjoy rock! How fun!

How exciting to know "famous people" too! hahahaha

Glad you girls had a good time!

8:40 AM  
Blogger Amstaff Mom said...

Holly, it's on my profile page, underneath my picture. The link is on my main page next to my photo. Click on "View My Profile".

8:48 AM  
Blogger amelia said...

I'm right behind you in the age game and I soooo hear you. I remember my first concert where I felt old...and then realized I didn't mind it so much. I'm not sure which was worse!! :)

8:55 AM  
Blogger Eddo said...

That does sound like fun! For some reason I didn't think that it was going to be at the church, I don't konw what I was thinking.

I wish I would have known about the concert just a day or two sooner and I totally would have went. I hate to give my word though and then to change it. Once I write it down, I almost never change it.

11:22 AM  
Blogger Amstaff Mom said...

Steph - they do have a great sound. Good vocals and good rock sound. They even look the part.


Amelia - I laughed out loud on your "which is worse" part. It's true!

Eddo - it was at The Mill (the old sanctuary). We didn't decide to definitely go until Tues. Wish you could have joined us. Luke Z. was there too. He was one of the "old" friends.

11:32 AM  
Blogger Katie said...

JCol - I saw the star on one Resa's hand today and thought of you.

12:12 PM  
Blogger Katie said...

blah that should have said "one of Resa's hands" but to say "on one Resa" sounds very lawyerish so we can go with that too.

12:21 PM  
Blogger Amstaff Mom said...

I thought you were being all "smart sounding". I'll just go with my initial thought.

She was there? I missed her. But it was pretty dark.

12:40 PM  
Blogger Katie said...

yep she's a high school leader, the scary thing is that I was HER high school leader.

12:54 PM  
Blogger Charlyn said...

I have the Afters c.d. They've performed with MercyMe already (my fav of course). They are definitely up and coming.

You would die if you saw me at one of these youth convention things/concerts. I love to jump n jam. Can't help myself. Specially when it's to christian music. I went to Stellar Kart once - all teens and then me and a friend who have probably 20 years on these guys - yup, jumpin n jammin! Love it, it's so fun!!

6:34 PM  
Blogger Jenny said...

"It was kinda funny (in a mean way)."

That may be the funniest thing ever. I can remember stuff like that happening when I was in middle school... and my sis and I would practically idolize the girl for YEARS until we found out she was just another human being. Hehehe.

8:40 PM  
Blogger Live, Love, Laugh said...

Sounds like a great time! If you see Luke, ask him to call Joseph sometime, he needs more christian fellowship! He's crazy about Eddo but he is too busy, and I know he wants to go to KAA this summer. Is Luke still going every year?

10:44 PM  
Blogger steve said...

yeah... my band opened up for teh band "Falling up" and I am at least 12 years older then any of them. We played to a group of kids that I could have easily been "Dad" to.

Oh well

now i am depresed

9:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah, I can't believe I will be 30 in a few months either! When I start feeling old, I just thank God for letting me see another year.

10:04 AM  
Blogger Chad said...

A friend of mine dragged me to a concert a year or so ago . . . I think I was about 28. The crowd was 21 at the most. I so out of place.

Better story: A few weeks back I was getting changed for a hockey game. One of the players was talking about starting college or something. I laughed at one of his remarks. He turns to me and asked, "So when do you graduate?"

"From high school? About twelve years ago."

Ouch.

10:31 AM  
Blogger Greg said...

I am so old that I can't even remember the last concert I was at...

The teens were thinking that you were a little old for being a "groupie."

Welcome to the club... Jcol (and Katie.)

7:30 PM  

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