To Whom It May Concern,

There is certainly something to be said for strangers and their exceptional strangeness. Particularly in the cases of mass social events like concerts and festivals. Allow me to provide an introduction; yesterday in a lecture we were introduced to a woman by the name of Skye Doherty. Doherty was a wonderful speaker and print journalist and she spoke to us on the importance of text. This lecture made me think about the importance of words. Now, I am about to get substantially off-track but I believe that if nothing our lectures are meant to make us think of situations and problems outside of what we are taught. If not, well, it is a terrific excuse as to why I can to this subsequent thought. As I was thinking about the importance of words I began to wonder at times when words were unnecessary and, in fact, mute point. Thus, festivals and concerts.

Here, I would like to show you what I mean about strangers and their strangeness:

SOUNDWAVE 2012

FUTURE MUSIC 2012

Picture this;
I am standing by myself in a crowd that was winding itself up for something big. I have just narrowly escaped a kick in the teeth in the circle pit. I'm fine, I'm ecstatically happy. Later that night I was going to witness the beauty of System Of A Down live. I was thrilled. Not once, did I look at the the people directly around me.  I cast my glace far and wide, taking in the excitement. People start cheering and I know that Slipknot are about to go onstage. The drums kick in, people go wild. Suddenly I'm being LIFTED and CARRIED back about  three feet. Before I even have time to react the man that had picked me up takes my hand and points back to where I was standing. There a man cracked his neck twice, flexed his biceps and after a great roar began to rip his fists and feet around ferociously. I should have known. I thanked my saviour and he gave me his phone with the words; 'Sorry about carrying you, he looked crazy. My name is Dillon.' written in a text.

Now picture this:
Chase and Status are ripping into their very best. The crowd is going nuts. It's pouring with rain and the five of us are screaming out the words with everybody else. I stop and look at the guy in front of me. He's emptying the remainder of what could only be speed or cocaine into his mouth. I don't particularly care for the drug. That was his business. Yet, as he began to flex his muscles and crack his neck I had a flash back. On impulse I grabbed a few of my friends and forced them to look at the guy in front of us. Using nothing but hand signals and facial expression they somehow understood what I meant and we squeezed over away from his subsequent moshing.

In the heat of the moment it was a stranger's strangeness that made me realise that there are times when words will not work. Not verbally. Text was vital, that was true. Yet not always spoken word.