I took my daughter last week to see her favorite band. My husband surprised her with pit “seats” otherwise known as barricade, general admission or the area us old folks used to mosh in. Except there was no moshing, or pushing, crowding or surge to get closer. Calmest pit I’ve ever been. This also happens to be one of my favorite bands as well for a bazillion different reasons, let’s cut right to the biggest one. twenty one pilots have a cult following ranging in ages from tweens to thirties. I definitely don’t fit that age bracket, not that I care, but it provides me a unique perspective.
twenty one pilots is often criticized for putting too much emphasis on anxiety, depression, suicide, suffering, and other darker type thoughts. The press loves to hate on this band, and truthfully it’s hard for me as a fan to understand why. In all honesty, the writing is deep, powerful, and often doesn’t covey they meaning you may think it does on the surface. The media most often misses the point of the song/album entirely. One writer was completely dismayed that twenty one pilots headed so many summer tours. One reason for the shade was they felt this isn’t the kind of band where you hold hands in a field and do a sing-along. I most certainly disagree with that. While we waited to get into the venue, hundreds of fans started singing in unison “House of Gold,” a cult favorite.
This band shines a light on anxiety, depression, and so many other taboo subjects not to glorify it. The lead singer, Tyler Joseph puts his issues out there to help others learn to cope. He wants his music to help people be open, to talk through their issues, spread love, and bring together a community. A community of loving, helpful,, caring individuals. Instead of hunkering down in a hole, they bring these types of conversations into the forefront. They provide optimism. Shit, they are hope bringers wrapped up in an alt-rock, pop, emo, electro-pop, indie, rap-rock, hip hop bow! He doesn’t want his fans the ‘skeleton clique’ to admire the celebrities who celebrate suicide, but focus on lives that were well lived.
Find your grandparents or someone of age
Pay some respects for the path that they paved
To life, they were dedicated
Now THAT should be celebrated -Neon Gravestones
As I stood in the crowd listening to the band pour their love out onto us, while Tyler Joseph revealed his most inner thoughts to the most devoted crowd, I was moved to tears on several occasions. The one that started me on my emotional train, was a young girl around 13 holding a sign. The sign read, “If it weren’t for your music, I wouldn’t still be here.” When fans around her read the sign they held their flashlights toward it so the band would notice it. This is the type of crowd that follows twenty one pilots (TOP), supportive, kind, and nurturing.
This is a story you hear over and over again amongst the fan base; TOP’s music got them through some really rough times. Joseph writes some really deep, introspective lyrics, that as an adult I sometimes have to stop and think about but that these kids pick effortlessly. If you just topically listen to the music, you very well may miss the meaning of every single song he writes.
We live in a culture that still looks down on mental illness, that wants people to hide what they feel. Some people may move away from you if you don’t smile enough, sound happy enough, or not conform to their sanity standards. Here’s the thing positivity is something I write about a lot. I do not like being around people who are constantly negative, or purposely hurtful. I will never turn away from someone seeking help. You can be depressed, have anxiety, yet still show warmth, find hope, and live positively.
TOP’s intention is to get people outside of themselves, not to bring them further down into a black hole. I don’t know that Joseph exactly intended to be the light in the darkness, but he certainly is for many of his fans. He is a white hole he pushing light and love out. His beacon of hope shows the way out of the shadows and into a world of illumination. He often acknowledges how grateful he is for his fans. A tweet from September said, “some of you have very individual and vivid memories attached to this music. : whether they are good or bad ones, there is something peaceful and inspiring knowing they make up who you are.”
A lot of trash get’s thrown around about Millennials and Centennials (only because they get lumped in with Millenials). From this apple core experience I’ve had they are a more sensitive, compassionate, empathic, nurturing and loving generation than people realize. They aren’t trying to hurt anyone, just make Earth a better place from a place of love, not self-absorption as they are often accused.
I only follow leaders who want to brighten and enrich lives with hope, peace, light, love, all without ego being wrapped up alongside it. Mental health is traveling quickly through our youth, its a like a weed. Why not encourage them to find ways to cope with what they have? Why are we asking anyone to hide who they are? Embrace the weird, the flaws, and love exactly who you are right now, not who you think you need to be.
Holistic Mystic D 