As a fellow lover of music I found this piece to be enlightening. Thank you for showing me your experience through your eyes. As a lover of all types of music and a woman who often ventures out to shows alone I’ve had those whatcha doing here eyes on me too, though never to the extreme that you’ve experienced because of race.

Those that truly love something should be able to enjoy it without fear, and no scene anywhere should promote, condone, or even look the other way on hate. I have had a fair share of shows ruined over the years by unwanted attention or outright harassment just for being a female that is perhaps not dressed the part for whatever scene I happen to be walking in to that night and who is there to see the show and nothing more. There are just as many bands I have never seen for the same reasons.

If you ever want to get into the jam scene we would love to have you. About the worst racial commentary you’ll experience at a jam show is some acid causality rambling on about the beautiful human tapestry we all create… which is both non-threatening and pretty damn amusing. I will personally never forget one aging hippie telling me that I am a bright and radiant flower with a beautiful spirit, without a hint of innuendo or irony in his statement.

Truly, jam shows are the one place I can always go by myself without fear and usually walk out up a friend or five. This is why, over time, I’ve all but stopped seeing anything else. Not that it should be that way. Music is the universal human language and we should not be limited by our skin or gender in what speaks to us. We can do better.