When I was in high school, I hated art. I hated it so much that I refused to take the obligatory art class during the regular year and instead chose to take it during summer. I voluntarily wanted summer school… still boggles my mind.

A few of us huddled into a high school I’d never been to before and had a teacher that I still remember, Mr. Hurst. Once, he looked at a profile figure I’d drawn and said ‘there’s something magical about the line of that back’. I have no idea what he meant. It was a profile of a woman, no detail, nothing special. I have no drawing talent at all, but he found something in it I couldn’t see; that, or he was trying to encourage me.

I’d been trying to duck out of engaging with art, but instead had a great summer. I think it was because of Mr. Hurst. He had a way about him that did it for me, brought me along, made me feel comfortable, allowed me to express myself. It was freedom, one that I don’t continue to exercise because I still don’t have drawing talent, but one that I apply to writing. To stories. To books. To all of it, a comforting place where I can go, and be free.

There’s one other thing I remember him saying. He was an older gentleman and had just started going to concerts again. I think he’d spent decades not attending one, but now was his time. His line was: “everyone should see live music when they’re older. You have a right to go to concerts, as many as you want.” I thought it was an odd line, why was he telling that to high school students? But I remember the words. I get them now.

Here are some photos from a recent Walk Off the Earth concert in Niagara Falls. It was high energy. They’re not my favourite band, but I greatly admired this show, especially when they all stood around one guitar and did a rendition of ‘Somebody that I Used to Know’, the song that made these folks famous in the first place (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9mybTArlsk). I have a recording from the show of this song but can’t put it on WordPress. Still, the above video will give you a sense of the thing. It was mesmerizing.

So… go see music. You’re not too young. You’re not too old. Pick a concert or two and just do it. There is a mystical quality to seeing live music with other people, just as there is in seeing a movie in a theatre. It’s a social enterprise. An endeavour of art. Mr. Hurst is absolutely correct. You haven a right to do this. Go forth!