Post Date: Friday, June 30, 2017
I was recently recruited for some intern labor outside the office walls to help with the Bands on the Bricks. I was fortunate enough to have my first experience working Bands on the Bricks during the Hazel Miller Band. Hazel’s powerfully booming, yet beautifully harmonic voice, supplemented with amazing instrumental prowess, provided an excellent backdrop while working. They played classic songs from the genres of Blues, Jazz and Soul; Hazel and the band moving the crowd with melodic funk that reverberated through the grounds.
Right off the bat, I was assigned the duty of checking IDs at the Beer Garden entrance to uphold the law and ensure it stayed age appropriate. I was hesitant to undertake such responsibility at first, it seemed slightly out of order to impose my authority on grown folks, especially those two generations ahead of me. I must admit that I came to enjoy it very quickly. Dare I say it felt empowering to wear fluorescent orange, wield a hand stamper and tell adults they could not enter the beverage zone without my stamp and permission. Having recently joined the 21 club, I can tell you it’s pretty fun to be on the other side. Especially giving some people a hard time when I say their ID looks fake (just kidding)! I even had the privilege of stopping an old professor of mine!
Gazing into the enclosure full of people from my age to my grandma’s age, acting boisterous and having a good time, was a pleasant sight. As a college student, it is a refreshing reminder that the party doesn’t have to stop after the diploma is in hand and the “real world” begins.
During the peak of the night I was asked to carry large boxes of refreshments from the opposite end of the Bricks, to replenish what the veteran party animals had depleted. It was certainly difficult to navigate through the thick of the crowd with crates of tequila and wine, avoiding hits from swinging behinds and elbows. However, this was an excellent opportunity to observe the full spectrum of the night’s audience. It warmed up my insides like cookies in an oven to watch toddlers to the elderly, dance with no reserves to the groove of an Aretha Franklin song.
It was an energetic night, fueled by delicious beverages, great music and a community of great people! The fun didn’t stop until the stage was dismantled and the last drinks were empty. This set the tone for what’s to come beyond my first experience at Bands on the Bricks. If I’m enlisted to help with anymore, I am definitely volunteering to exercise my authority at the entrance to the Beer Garden!
Don’t just take my word for it, come make the most of a summer night at Boulder’s premier outdoor concert series in the heart of downtown. Bands perform every Wednesday at 7:00 pm through August 13th. Whatever music you might be into, Bands on the Bricks will have an artist for you, check the performance schedule here. Hope to see you all next Wednesday!
Yours truly,
Intern Dave
Tagged: Festivals