It may be headbanging music but it's legal
Stephanie Martin-Smith

If you were at the mall this past weekend and you heard a really loud sound coming from halfway down the mall, I am proud to say that was my oldest son’s band.

Yes the mortified look of shop owners and hosts reflected the sheer volume of their music. Barb and Jamie and I really thought they pulled it back for the event and Connie thought Caitlin should be turned up!

We did try to have them bring the volume down but of course this is a tricky affair whether the musicians are age 15 or 50. And being in charge of the volume reduction was only enhanced by the fact Max was hanging off my leg desperate for another balloon animal.

Not to mention this event fell in the middle of hubby Les’s 10-day tour of the East Coast. So we had already spent a week packing him up and shipping him off, only to lug more gear for Dustin (in the rain) after dropping Jesse and Lucas off in Shakespeare for a soccer clinic. I realized I was now a roady as well as a taxi driver (and balloon animal getter).

On the light side, our teens rocked. I was relieved that there was no moshing going on at this event, even though Emmet’s grand finale of rolling on the stage did have a lot of impact. I was a bit disappointed that Malcolm didn’t pull out his gas mask and do a drum solo and a fairly concerned that Dustin would require a visit to the chiropractor with his head-banging antics. But they were all right on and Caitlin rocked it up, right along with Short Circuit.

So if you were passing by, or a store owner, I do apologize for any hearing damage you may have incurred, but you know these kids are so talented and so focused and I am really proud of them. I applaud their devotion and dedication and it may be “ear bleeding” loud but it’s legal.

I look forward to watching them develop and grow, and when parents ask us how we handle the noise, I explain, we’d rather have them raising the roof and rattling the windows, ’cause at least we know what they’re up to!

As we finished packing up I talked to the event holders (this was a kick off for the rural help line) and offered them my business card, explaining that I sing deep, meaningful songs, for 40-year-old women, much like the ones shopping in the mall, and that I indeed sing at a very comfortable listening level.

Post Script: In regards to my enjoyable conversation at the lunch counter with my server, here is the actual website to see “the story of stuff” – www.storyofstuff.com. Thanks for bringing to my attention that I forgot to put that in my article and most of all, thanks for reading.