17/52

Ignore the date on the top left photo; Z likes to change the date on his camera, no matter how many times I tell him to just keep the date accurate, and that photos are better without the date posted on them anyhow. This week we brought Z to his very first concert in Sacramento, to see the Arctic Monkeys and the Black Keys. It was originally supposed to be his birthday celebration but his birthday was two months ago so it felt pretty disjointed. When I first proposed that we go to a concert for his birthday I had assumed we would find something in his actual birthday month.

 I went to my first concert with my dad when I was about his age, and I partially chose the Black Keys because I felt like it was music my dad would have dug. When I asked Z to think of three bands he might want to see he came back with The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and The Talking Heads. All of these seemed near impossible (if not actually impossible) to accomplish so I asked him if The Black Keys would work as a Plan B. Luckily he agreed to it. Driving to the concert an Eagles song came on the radio (despite the fact that we weren't listening to any "oldies" stations.) The Eagles just happen to be the concert my dad first brought me to so I took it as a sign that my dad approved.

I wasn't sure how he would react to the loud music and crowd. I did stock him with ear plugs of course but there was no way to warn him about the level of loud that we were potentially in for, he had nothing to compare it to. He did great though, and seemed to genuinely enjoy the experience. We sat through the Arctic Monkeys, with Miguel and my brother S coming and going. The two of them disappeared completely during the thirty minute intermission, which was a little irritating because I felt like Z and I were being left out of hijinx, but it was also nice to spend some time at the concert with just my boy and me. As soon as the Black Keys came on the audience stood up, and remained standing up the entirety of the show. Z couldn't see over all of the standing adults so I helped him stand up on his seat; he still was only about as tall as me so I didn't feel like we were being a nuisance. Z didn't feel very secure standing on the fold-up seats so he used me to hold on to. We spent the entire set cheek to cheek, with our arms wrapped around each other. It was a very sweet moment in my life. Sweaty, but sweet. I'm looking forward to the hopefully many concerts to come with my son.