The Difference in This Season of Division

In times of divide, I truly believe that music can be a healer. Now, during one of the most divided moments in recent history, we don’t have the live music celebrations that have always brought individuals together.

You would have to be living under a rock to not be aware of the huge divide amongst individuals in this country as well as the growing tension with the upcoming election. However, divide in this country isn’t anything new and it certainty won’t end anytime soon either. But the difference this season of divide has compared to past times is that we don’t have the escape of live music. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, the whole idea of attending concerts and festivals seems so foreign to us now. To be clear, I am not saying I don’t understand why concerts aren’t a priority; I completely understand the safety measures involved with having to temporarily go without. But what I can’t help but think is how much less divided we all might feel right now had they still been a norm. Allow me to explain:

Woodstock of 1969 is probably the most famous music festival to date. And while I don’t want to turn this post into a whole page about Woodstock, there are definitely some important takeaways to be drawn from that festival. During the summer of 1969 and pretty much the entirety of the 1960s, the United States was experiencing a major divide amongst the people, similar to what it feels like now. Woodstock also acted as a celebration for the Counterculture of the 1960s. The Counterculture of the 1960s consisted of an anti-establishment culture that focused on many issues at the time. This counterculture focused on movements such as the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, Anti-Vietnam War, human sexuality, women’s rights, and the rejection of the traditional types of authority. These movements led to many protests which eventually became a full on revolution. Along with the protests and the revolution among the anti-establishment groups, there also became a rise in the bohemian lifestyle, or hippie culture. So after spending pretty much the whole decade fighting and protesting for the rights of so many different groups of people, Woodstock acted as a monumental event for the counterculture. The slogan for Woodstock being “3 Days of Peace & Music” was supposed to be exactly that. After so much divide and anger towards those in charge, the festival was finally a place where people could feel peace as a whole and enjoy beautiful music.

And while the Woodstock Music Festival had its share of issues, it succeeded in providing that escape from all the terrible things going on around the nation. One indication of how wild the times were was when Jimi Hendrix performed his psychedelic version of the Star Spangled Banner. At first many of the attendees were upset that he even dared to play that while everyone in attendance was so disappointed in the way the country had been but Jimi had described it as a way to explain that they were all Americans and to basically celebrate that despite everything going on. Jimi’s rendition of the Star Spangled Banner was even described as “the most electrifying moment of Woodstock, and it was probably the single greatest moment of the sixties” by Al Aronowitz of the New York Post.

So fast-forward a little over 50 years and here we are in the middle of a chaotic state of the world and nation, somewhat similar to that of the 1960s. We have a highly anticipated election coming up, we are in the middle of a pandemic and have been for months, our nation and people feel as divided as ever on so many different fronts, and all the while we are having to simply trudge along while sitting in our homes without the escape of attending live shows or festivals. Concerts are on hold, festivals are on hold, and even smaller celebrations such as fall festivals are all on hold. And as someone who is an avid attendee of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, it feels so weird to realize this month was when it was suppose to take place and now nothing. All of that to be said, I can’t help but think about how much this nation needs those live performances to help heal our anxious minds and heavy hearts. Even if concerts don’t actually heal those things long term, they really provide that moment of escape to simply enjoy life and celebrate what makes us human. Now that we can’t even attend things like that, it is even harder to escape all of the crazy going on in the world. As I mentioned earlier, divide in this nation isn’t anything new but I really feel like this season of divide is a bit more difficult to endure while having the weight of the pandemic take away so many outlets for individuals. Instead, we are just sitting up in our homes stirring over all these issues.

As easy as it is to complain and mourn the lack of live music at the moment, I understand that there are far more important things to be concerned about. So in the meantime, the best thing we can do is think about how amazing it will be when we can all finally dance around and celebrate this weird thing called humanity while listening to our favorite bands again. I just know that the first round of music festivals after this pandemic is abated are going to feel completely euphoric and probably the most united this nation will have felt in a very long time.

My intention of this post wasn’t to bring anyone down or make anyone feel depressed, but to simply bring awareness to something that might be making these times a little bit harder and point out how something as simple as a concert can make a big difference. We really are experiencing wild times and as past generations have had events like Woodstock to help unite them and provide a moment of escape from the real world, we are doing this without and I definitely see how that can be harmful. Attending concerts is a healing experience for me and I always leave feeling recharged, so the lack of that experience is saddening and I know others feel the same. So if you are feeling extra anxious and disconnected, you are not crazy and you’re definitely justified.

All of that to be said, I would like to leave you with a bit of a silver lining to this whole “lack of live music” situation: We are tough and we are surviving these times the best we can with the options available. The artists and the creatives of this world are going to come out of this dark time swinging. They are the ones who can really document these times so eloquently and when we can all get together to enjoy music, these bands and artists are going to bring their very best and probably deliver some of the best performances we’ve ever seen. And let me tell you, I can’t wait!

Let me know in the comments below if you also feel that the lack of live music is making this divide even harder to bare.