Item 3 – House Show Dynamic
Collected From: In-person interviews (on separate occasions)
Date Collected: March 17, 2021, March 19, 2021 and March 30, 2021, respectively
Informant(s): Connor H., Katy Z., and Paige J.
Collector: Alex Hunt
Connor H.: “The physical environment of the house show you always have the music – its basically a house party mixed with live music so you have the live music almost always going on in the basement and you’ll have the people in the basement – the bar is usually also down there – who are usually the loudest and rowdiest and that’s typically where most people are. But you’ll always see a lot of people upstairs, too, like, and they’re more mellow and you can always hear the music from downstairs which is awesome and there’s usually only one bathroom open with a fifteen-person line waiting to get in. There’s probably going to be a room getting hotboxed. That kind of varies from house to house, like where they’ll congregate. Sometimes there’s a room up front for weed and the front porch is for cigs. But there’s always a lot of smoking too, a lot of cigarettes especially…but yeah, generally the house show environment is set up where you’ll have different people doing different things, its very social, and everyone’s still talking, you know, it’s a party, you’ll find the upstairs is a much easier place to talk since its so much quieter.”
Katy Z.: “When the music’s playing, you’re kind of in your own individual groups, basically the people you came with or met up with. When the music is playing, it seems like everyone is on the same wavelength, the same vibration. We’re all just together jamming to the same music. And upstairs, you’re either waiting in line to piss or talking to people. Sometimes I just go upstairs and take a breather, because it does get really overwhelming from the heat and just how packed it is. It can be shoulder to shoulder down there sometimes.”
Paige J.: “I feel like mostly the memory or image that sticks out in my brain is moseying up to the front or close to the front like right near the speaker and just getting lost in the music without really worrying about what other people are doing. You get lost in the moment, and yeah, I guess it’s a form of escapism for music lovers. Like I thought this one person was tripping on acid, just by how they were looking, but it turns out they were just really enjoying the music and were really happy (laughs). Just in their element totally (laughs). Those who get overwhelmed by this sensory overload, because it can be overwhelming, usually stick to the upstairs areas just because it’s a way for them to still be involved in the scene while remaining comfortable.”
Analysis of Texture
When asked to describe various aspects of the house show environment, the informants all tilted their heads up in endearing remembrance. Being as house shows have been stagnant since the Covid-19 pandemic, these individuals have been fairly removed from such events. This led to them looking fondly on even what could be considered the negative aspects of house shows, smirking when mentioning the overwhelming and crowded environment. Connor H. and Katy Z. even seemed to find enjoyment in recalling the long bathroom lines, and I believe this same positive attitude towards such a detail would not have been expressed had they experienced a house show any time recently. Regardless, the informants looked back on their experiences pleasantly.
Context
Unlike most house parties, where the focus is primarily on social interaction, the context of house show procedure is dominated by the live music. Many come just for the music, barely speaking to others in the group beyond pleasantries and, instead, direct a majority of their attention to the bands’ performances. This leads to dancing and singing along becoming the primary forms of communication for those who remain in the basement for the duration of the show. Others, primarily those who are not fans of rowdy crowds and ear-ringing music, come to experience the scene that surrounds the music. Though this aspect of the environment, which is usually located upstairs or on the front porch, is more akin to the social procedures of any other house party, it is still preoccupied by the persistent melodies that drift up from the basement. Most conversations find their way back to past, ongoing, or future performances, as this is an easy ice breaker with anyone in attendance.
Interpretation
Being that the live music is the dominant motivating factor of attendance, I believe the apparent core concepts are performance and genre. Though there are constants from show to show, the scene will look different depending on which band is playing. The genre of music being played coincides with the ‘genre’ of the house party, where punk and grunge music will lead to a rowdier atmosphere while indie and psychedelic music cause attendees to be more mellow. The attitudes and actions of participants reflect the tone of the music being played. The music also seems to separate attendees by their personality traits: If more chaotic-sounding music leads to a mosh pit, the extroverts are more likely to stay in the basement while the introverts flee to the safety of the upstairs. The quality of the music is also an influencing factor: If a band is not received well by the crowd, one will notice more people upstairs or outside rather than congregated in the basement, and vice-versa. The performance aspect of the house show also leads to a certain procedure for the night. There is a set schedule of bands, and, though the bands follow this schedule, they seem to have the final word in saying what happens when. If they decide to play longer, the crowd will typically accept and remain in the basement, where, if they decide to stop playing, the crowd will move to other areas of the house in anticipation for the next performance. Interludes between bands break up the night, allowing attendees to mark their memory of the experience using which band was playing rather than what time it was.