Yesterday was my first time attending the Hold Steady concert. Here are what I experience as the only Asian in the room

The majority of the audience is Caucasian Probably I was the only Asian in the pit last night. I could not spot out any African American as well.

The Eventbrite page said 8 pm, but the band won't perform until 10.45pm.  My husband, who is also the biggest fan of the Hold Steady, told me that it was to build up excitement. I didn't feel any enthusiasm, unfortunately. I wore heels that night, so my feet hurt a bit from standing. It was crowded. The venue did not have any air-conditioning, so I was drowned in sweat. This whole scene reminded me back in Vietnam when it was summer, and the electricity went out.

I don't understand 90% of the lyrics Having lived in America for ten years, I am quite confident to think that I am fluent in understanding English speaker. There are multiple times I watch an American horror movie without a subtitle. It was an achievement for me the actors in there whisper most of the time. But the Hold Steady concert makes me realize I am nowhere to that level of being native.

I looked up one of their lyrics the next morning called "The Weekenders" and it was indeed beautiful and poetic. You can click here to read it with me. 

You would always expect a popular band like the Hold Steady to come back out on stage to perform a few more songs, even if they said they were done. It was a cultural cue that even if the band said goodbye, the audience would still stand there chatting, clapping or yelling. A few minutes later, the group came out to entertain more. In Vietnam, vice versa, you would see police coming to disperse the crowd. I think this patient standing at the end of the show is a beautiful way to show that the artists performed well, and I hope to share this habit when I am in Vietnam.

Overall, it was a beautiful experience for me. 

The whole night, I stood back to watch my husband and his fellows merge themselves into the music. The way they waved their bodies, sang every word of the lyrics is like me chanting a mantra during my meditation session at a Buddhist temple. That moment everyone, including me, who is just a bystander, is enjoying the present moment with pure joy. It would probably take times for me to appreciate this type of music, but I am grateful for the Hold Steady to bring that sanity and awareness back to the audience.

Conclusion: I bought two tickets for the final show of this band. I know I can endure the heat and the crowd of the venue for the music.