Tailgating

 By:  Ada Z.

       One of my favorite memories as an adult (pre-children) is tailgating.  Shortly after moving to New Jersey, I met my husband.  His favorite band was The Dave Matthews Band and he had seen 50+ shows by the time I met him.  

        I thought that it was crazy that he was seeing the same band over and over again.  My concert experiences had been in California where we would go to all day concerts and see 20 different bands in one day.  I didn't understand seeing the same band multiple times.

        However, once I experienced a Dave Matthews concert, I could see why he loved it so much.  There were thousands of die hard fans that all shared the same enthusiasm and spread nothing but love throughout the venue.  Comparing this to the lawns that were set ablaze during Ozzfest or the mosh pits at the Weenie Roast, the Dave concerts were a breath of fresh air.  

        The concerts were just a small part of the experience.  The real fun was before the concert where we tailgated for hours beforehand.  

        We would have elaborate set ups with tents, tables, and sometimes even a grill.  Coolers full of beer and food.  We would set up beer pong and other drinking games.  We would throw a football around and interact with neighboring cars.  It was an all around amazing time that sometimes resulted in a hangover before the concert even began.  

        To be honest, I loved tailgating more than the concert itself but...then we had kids.  Although we still go to concerts after kids, we have to worry about babysitters and tailgating is a thing of the past.  Time limits cannot be involved if you do tailgating the right way.  So, if you're able to go out and spend a day tailgating before a concert...go and have a drink for me!