On Saturday night, Charlie and I attended the Styx concert in Mansfield, Massachusetts.
REO Speedwagon and Don Felder of The Eagles opened the show.
It was the third Styx show that Charlie and I have attended, and like the previous two, it was excellent.
But just as good as the concert itself was the two hours Charlie and I spent driving to and from the show, as well as the time we spent wandering the concert grounds and waiting between bands. We discussed music, friendship, my time spent growing up in Massachusetts, my pet raccoon, politics, the future of AI, and many other topics.
Music is wonderful.
Rock ‘n roll is transformational.
Hours of meaningful conversation with your son are priceless.
But my favorite part of the entire day came as Styx returned to the stage for their encore. As the band played “Mr. Roboto” and “Renegade,” four different men around us tapped me on the shoulder — almost one after the other — to speak to me.
Actually, shout at me. We were eight rows from the stage. The music was loud.
One said, “How did you do it? How did you get your boy to fall in love with our music?”
Another said, “He knows the lyrics to these songs better than I do! You’re doing something right, man!”
A third said, “You’re a lucky man. My kids never came to concerts like this with me.”
The last one grabbed my shoulders, pulled me close, and said, “I’ve been to about a dozen Styx concerts in my life. I love these guys. But I’ve spent most of the night watching your son sing the words to every song. It was the best part of the show. It was a joy to watch the two of you.”
It was a little strange to have all four men reach out within the span of two songs, but maybe they knew the show was coming to an end and wanted to make sure they spoke to me before Charlie and I bolted to the parking lot.
Or maybe the first man’s kind words triggered the others to express a similar sentiment.
Either way, their kindness meant a lot.
I’m not sure how much of my good fortune was due to me. Elysha and I have been playing music for the kids ever since they were born, and our long drives have always featured playlists of music from every time and genre.
I’ve always loved a wide range of different kinds of music, and Elysha is a near savant when it comes to her understanding and appreciation of music. She’s just as happy listening to a Lizzo song as she is listening to a The Ink Spots song from the 1940s.
She’s expanded my own understanding and appreciation considerably.
As a result, Clara and Charlie’s knowledge and appreciation are also wide and varied. They are fans of The Beatles, Queen, Lyle Lovett, Dolly Parton, Sam Cooke, Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Springsteen, Prince, Guns N’ Roses, Joe Strummer, Amos Lee, The Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, Elvis, The Go-Go’s, and everything in between.
But what was the alternative?
Let them choose the music?
Just play the hits on the radio today?
But I think the real credit probably goes to the kids, who have always had such open minds and curious dispositions. I suspect that many parents play a wide variety of music for their kids, only to have them reject that music in favor of the most popular songs of today.
Somehow, Clara and Charlie have always been willing to try new things, keep an open mind, and assume they will love whatever we have to offer.
Except for food. They both suck when it comes to food.
But in most other things, they have always been free of judgment and assumption, looking to take in the world with fresh eyes and positive spirits.
Charlie fell in love with Styx on Route 4 in Farmington, CT, when “Come Sail Away” started playing on my Spotify playlist.
“What is this?” he asked.
“Styx,” I said. “Prog rock. Good stuff.”
That was it. He was hooked.
Five years and three concerts later, Styx remains Charlie’s favorite band.
Truthfully, I don’t think I had much to do with it. I think he’s just a cool kid who wants more out of life, not less.
Lucky me.
