Throughout the course of our existence, we will all eventually be exposed to certain situations that will forever have a dominant affect on our lives. These prolific experiences are commonly referred to as benchmarks, and can have a positive or negative impact on our perspectives towards certain people, places, or ideas. In my case, my first "benchmark", if you will, occurred when I was at the impressionable age of twelve, and was easily persuaded by different perspectives reflected by the attitudes of respectable adults that encompassed my everyday life. .
The first "life-changing" experience I was ever graced by was when I attended my first Dave Matthews Band concert. The release of energy disposed by the vibrant fans lit up the entire Orlando Arena with a sense of freedom and exuberance. As a result of my sheltered childhood, when first entering the arena, the aroma of perspiring, intoxicated males, and freshly lit cigarettes served as sign that displayed to me that not everyone shared the same values as my family and I did. Although these minuet distractions bothered me at first, they did not, however, hinder my concert-going experience. .
As we approached our seats in the upper balcony, the bright lights began to dim as the crew performed the infamous sound-checks. Although the first sound of music I heard was ascertained from the fingertips of "the soundman", the electricity and vitality that cascaded from the speakers in every corner of the arena forced me to anticipate nothing but a magnetic performance that would forever draw me in deeper into the phantasmagoric world of Rock and Roll.
When the crew left the stage, they left nothing but eager fans behind. During the five minutes between the crew leaving and the band taking the stage, everything went crazy. Months of anticipation had finally led up to this point for many of the band's most loyal fans. The enthusiasm shown by this elite group of individuals was reflected in their polytonal screams prior to the band's arrival.