Concert Vacations. Sources of Healing.

Warning, this post touches on the subject of depression.

For those that don’t know, I’m a huge fan of rock music. It helped me survive depression through my teenage years. I was also born and raised on rock music. Both my parents listened to it through their heydays in the 80s.

Recently, a band I really love listening to posted a concert lineup for “Rock on the Range”. It’s a three-day event in May in Columbus, OH.

I almost can’t believe the lineup. It’s insanely awesome. I had to share it on Facebook. Even though I am pretty sure we won’t be able to make it, I couldn’t not ask if we could go.

Godsmack, one of the bands in that lineup, is on my bucket list of artists to see live before I die. After we lost Chester from Linkin Park, I’m even more motivated to do my best to make it out to a concert. It breaks my heart to think that I’ll never get to see the original Linkin Park live ever.

A lot of people can and did get outraged at what he did. You don’t really know what it feels like unless you’ve been through it. For some, depression isn’t something that can be cured. It’s something you learn to live with every single day. Not all of us discover reasons to keep waking up in the morning. While I love and appreciate a lot of different types of music, rock music was the one that helped me cope with it when it was at its worst.

Regardless of the type of music you enjoy, I think we can all agree that music makes us feel more alive. Going to see the artists you love is not only a vacation but something that can be spiritually and emotionally healing. Many of us connect to the artists we love on an emotional level. Just listening to them can give a sense of happiness and hope.

I encourage you to go see the artists and bands you love if you have the chance. You never know when you will be able to again. A vacation is not just to get away from the daily grind. A vacation can also be a way to be emotionally and spiritually healthier. (I’ve heard that music can be good for your physical health too and I now know you can go glamping at a rock concert.)