Tonight I went to the Bach, Bernstein & Beethoven concert in Portland with a friend Rob. The concert was incredible. We both had a really good time and chatted in some length afterward about the music and how rad it was(after the concert and during intermission). Though, it wasn’t all strings and mind blowing notes…
One thing I find is that it seems and perhaps this is only a Portland thing, but more often than id like when I am totally engrossed in some piece of art in shared setting(movie, symphony) people feel like it is a good setting for a chat. Or put another way, people seem to think its completely fine to talk during a movie or symphony.
*sigh*
I don’t go to the symphony or a movie because I want to like going, I go because I love it. I held my breath a few times during tonights symphony so I could catch all the notes that were played. I am not the kind of person that goes to movies or the symphony because I want to like it, I go because I love it. I don’t really understand why people think the Schnitz or a Regal Cinema is their chat zone though.
And yes, I am that guy that will ask you to stop. One time I turned to people talking and laughing during District 9 and I said “are you going to talk the whole time.” The guy turned to me and simply said “yes.” They talked less, but continued.
Just like tonights amazing symphonic performance District 9 sucked me in too. As with amazing pieces of art…. Well they are engrossing and I am taken in by that. Peoples chat sessions bring me out of that zone that I love being in…. I guess its the fascinating art zone or all encompassing creative pull or whatever. Whatever the words, its awesome and it sucks when rude people bring you out of it.
I think those kinds of people should like plop in a DVD and chat it up in their own living rooms. Put on OPB and watch the symphony and say stuff like “I WONDER WHAT THE STORY OF THIS SONG IS!” or things like “IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS SONG IS A CONVERSATION!” or the always amazing people that, like tonight, love pointing out what everyone is already noticing, like “HEY THAT GUY TURNED THE PAGE FOR THE PIANIST!”
Ummmm, yeah and everyone saw it too, thanks for the commentary Ebert you really make this symphony worth listening too…. OK so yeah, no.
So I turned my head and said “Can you please not talk, thank you.” They looked at me like I was the Anti Christ…. And I guess I am the prince of darkness, the prince of darkness that enjoys the art in question minus the inane commentary.
Then again, I do love Mystery Science Theatre 3000. But there is a time and a place for that. And that time and place is in my living room.
After intermission Rob and I moved to the front because there were vacant seats. It was awesome as the respectful silence of the people around us was complimentary to the music.