The scene is a venue hosting a rock show featuring various bands, all set to rock the night. One of the bands is gloriously rocking out on stage. The singer's voice is commanding and powerful, backed by equally powerful rhythms, creating face-melting moments of awesome rock goodness. Everything is going great on stage.
The crowd, comprising mainly of youthful youngsters and some oldies, well-behaved, seated (sometimes standing with arms folded or hand in pocket) enjoying their drinks and company. At the end of each song, the crowd politely claps and cheers and then return to enjoying their drinks and company. Amidst mild head-bobbing or clap-alongs, this continues with the rest of the bands and when their favorite band(s) are done, they finish their drinks and go home and live happily ever after. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that picture. From an audience's perspective.
From a performer's perspective, however, it is always great to have an energetic and engaging audience because it is almost always a drag playing to a non-responsive audience. It is worse when they don't even clap. Ask any performer from any field in performing arts. Many performers are driven by their passion for the arts and enjoy performing for the love of it. Would the audience enjoy the show if the bands put up a lousy performance? Would the venue and organizers earn much if the bands did not care for their performance?
These bands play and sing their hearts out, after rehearsals and preparation for the show, all in the name of putting on a good performance. Some of these bands perform regularly at various venues around town, rocking out night after night. Would it hurt to pay them a bit more attention and energy (and respect, maybe) while they are rocking out on stage? Also, when it is clear that the audience is enjoying their performance i.e. rocking out, the bands have more fun doing what they are doing. Blank catatonic stares and silent motionlessness are really useful in places such as libraries, cinemas and places of religious worship...not really at a rock show.
For those interested, there are various methods of rocking out ranging from head-bobbing to head-banging, from dancing to moshing, from jumping to crowd-surfing. Raising your hands and waving them to the beat is cool too. To learn, contact friends who rock out at rock shows and get some advice.
Ever seen friends of the bands who join in and rock out in the front near the stage, head-banging and singing along at the top of their voices. These guys are why rocking out is so worthwhile, because they will rock out until the end and have a really good time. Because they enjoyed themselves. And just maybe, it was memorable. Isn't that why you rock out at a rock show?
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