Am I too old for a SPAC concert?

G and I went to a GREAT show last night at SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center). For those of you who have never been to a concert at SPAC, it is an open air arena with inside seating as well as lawn seating (bring a blanket or a chair and expect to see nothing but drunken jackasses spilling beer and smoking pot).

I actually like SPAC as long as I get inside seats. Anyway....

We went to see Kings on Leon (Love them!). G was gracious enough to go with me even though that is not his type of music. The opening act (The Whigs) was really rockin and of course, Kings of Leon was amazing. KOL is a great southern-rock, alternative band. Love the guitars and drums and I am a huge fan of Caleb Followill's voice. HOT!

So, that is not the story....the story is this.....

I am not really into crowds....especially when there is an abundance of drinking. It makes me SUPER uncomfortable to be around a lot of inebriated folks. I am not sure if it is the unpredictability or the unbelievable stupid behavior...I don't know what it is but I just DO NOT LIKE IT. This season, SPAC initiated a "No Alcohol in the Parking areas" rule. Typically, people will come super early and basically tailgate (or get completely f-ed up so they miss the concert because they are barfing or passed out). G and I parked (in Timbuktu, of course) and saw PLENTY of drinking. There were cops roaming around but not nearly enough. As we hoofed it to the gate, we saw a ton of people in the woods peeing, drinking, and doing whatever. People in the woods. Is drinking that freakin important that you have to "hide" in the woods.....the damp, bug and tick infested woods?

Ok...fine. As we approach the gate, there are a group of NYS Troopers hanging and talking (way to monitor the drinking, yo!). We go in, find our seats and wait. As we wait, I sit and observe. Here is what I saw: Skimpy outfits, old people with mullets, lots o'cell phones, drinking, drinking, and drinking. Now to be fair, drinking is allowed in the venue however you have to buy it there (yup....big $$$$$.) As the night wore on, the drinking increased. Here is what I don't get: You spend $150 on concert tickets and you miss half the concert because you are either on line getting more over-priced beer or you are on line waiting to expel the beer you just binged on. What is the f-ing point?

So....we are in our seats and of course there are "frat" boys next to us with their girlfriends. And....you guessed it!...they were drunk. During one of my fav songs "Sex on Fire", G and I were standing and "Frat boy in striped shirt" jumped over the seat to get to his seat (next to me). He proceeds to bump into me and encroach on my personal space. I put my arm out and pushed him aside. After a couple of minutes he noticed, turned to me, and apologized. Apparently, he put his arm around me to apologize in my ear (it was loud). Well.....G got PISSED and flung this kid's arm off me and got in his face "Keep your hands to yourself!". WHOA! I have never seen him get like that. I was completely shocked and a little awed. I had no idea G had it in him to protect me like that. Seriously......wow.
"Frat boy" was totally apologetic to G. He apologized twice.

The concert was great....it was over and we hung back a little to allow most of the crowd to disperse. As we walked back to the car there was even more drunkenness, peeing in the woods and out in the open. I mean....really people, have a little decorum! Since we were in Timbuktu, it took us a good 30 to 40 minutes to get out of the parking area. You have to be careful not to run over some fool who is lying in the grass (yes there was!).

I love concerts and I love the music but I think the out of control drunkenness puts a damper on things for me. Am I getting to old and intolerant to truly enjoy SPAC?