My musical tastes are pretty wide, even if my musical knowledge is fairly limited—to musicals and a cappella, mostly. I’ll enjoy whatever you happen to play, with a few exceptions (mostly of the r&b and rap variety). 

One thing I’m not a huge fan of? Death metal. And metal of any kind where the vocalist screams into the mic instead of sings. Which is ironic, considering I attended the heavy-metal festival  “Knotfest” last Friday night at PNC Bank Arts Center, where four metal bands took the stage, three of whom were of the “screamy” variety: Slipnot, Gojira, and Behemoth. (Volbeat was the odd man out—and the band I enjoyed the best.)

Why did I attend a show where I was so obviously out of my element?

That answer is simple: my friend had an extra ticket, and I went to hang out with her, her daughter, and her boyfriend (who was also along for the ride and not so much the music. We commiserated). Plus, I thought it would be an interesting thing to experience at least once, and I wasn’t wrong about that.

One thing I’ve always said about the screamy variety of metal bands is that their musicality is amazing. The orchestration of their songs, their ability to play their instruments—all of it is great. I often find the instrumentals overshadowed by the screaming vocals on studio albums, but live? The music fills the air and drowns out some of the power of the vocals. Balances it out, so the vocals become part of the instrumentation as opposed to above it. I found myself enjoying these bands in this setting. Surprise, surprise!

What’s more, the messages and inclusivity of the metal community is inspiring to behold. Slipknot specifically spoke about how everyone in the audience was their family, regardless of race, orientation, political affiliation, etc. We were all there for a common purpose, a common celebration of life and of music. We were bonded together through this one time and place, and that was beautiful to behold.

I also have to say that metalheads are far more considerate than other concert-going folk, at least in this crowd. I was concerned about the Arts Center being an open-air amphitheater, with the potential for smoking cigarettes and weed. I get sick from such smells and try to stay in places that disallow smoking. However, not allowing it doesn’t mean that people don’t do it anyway. Disallowing does not equal enforcing, and that has been a problem for me in the past. However, at this show, people mostly kept to smoking in the actual outdoor areas, not the concert-seating areas. So, kudos to them for that!

All in all, this was a great experience. And that was the point: to have an experience I wouldn’t normally have. As a writer—and as a person—it’s good to stretch beyond my comfort zone and to learn new things about the world.

What are some events you’ve experienced that have taken you beyond your normal limits? Did you find the experience uncomfortable or invigorating? Share in the comments below!