Riding the Confusion Unity

Synchonicity: an acausual connecting principle (it's Jung "thing")

It's the most amazing thing to share a thought with someone at the same exact time. A emotion or reaction. It can be funny or thoughtful, or even scary. But it's an amazing synergistic moment. Now imagine that multiplied my 35000 people.

ALL at the same exact time.

Back in the 80's, MTV was just starting out. It showed the same 20 videos, and it seemed like every 5 minutes was a live Rush clip or a Flock of Seagulls. But Martha Quinn was dorky/awesome (I think she's now working as a pool cleaner), and it ruled the world. So, of course, MTV thought they could do anything, and decided to sponsor a huge world tour. And that was the Police with their "Synchronicity" tour. Ironic, huh?

Let em tell you, if there was a way to screw up a concert, MTV found a way. Go for cheap venue: the tour started at Hollywood park, a horse race track. that meant the stage was at the finish line score board with 85% of the seats west of that. Of course, that's where I was seated, and I watched the whole show standing on a folding chair with my neck craned 45% right the whole 3 hours.

And the nice thing about Hollywood park, was that the promoters decided it was easier to funnel 35000 people through one 8 foot wide corridor, as to maintain control of the rush. What they instead had was a makeshift meatgrinder for humans. People were crushed, fainting, trying to escape through the mens room windows. It was wonderful, and the fumes of big sweating unwashed cattle/people started to burn my brain.

But this isn't a story about the Police, or even the park. It's a story about 35000 people sharing a moment, and it's about the 3rd opening act: Terri Nunn and Berlin. The Original Berlin. Riding on the metro stuff (all you young'ns, respect your new wave roots and look it up in iTunes).

Simple Minds opened up, and they played the same song seven times, or so it sounded like. Then the Fixx hit the stage, and that was cool, Finally, the last opening band was ready after a 30 minute delay, Berlin was on...as was of course the song, "Riding the Metro". And big cheers was erupting at the songs end.

Terri Nunn took the mike and did the customary rockstar pumping up of the crowd, and they were all eating it up...

"How are we all doing toniiiiiiiigggghhhttttt!!!"

The crowd roars.

"Are we having a good tiiiimmmmeee?!!"

The crowd roars once again.

Then, she did something I have never experienced ever again. With one simple incoherent rant, she joined up 35000 minds into one gestalt! Everyone acted as an individual, yet as a hive mind! We all were in the same boat. A world united with only one word. One message. A universe as one!

And she let it fly:

"I can feel all your energy shooting through my body and coming out of my fingertips at all of yoooooouuuu!!!!"

Absolute dead silence! 35000 people just...stopped! A perfect pregnant pause. The stadium was quiet for one brief second as the only sound heard of the magnified pulse of spinal fluid as 35000 people looked to one another, seeking anyone, anyone, who understood what the friken hell she said! I looked to my left and was met with the mirrored look of incomprehension. I looked to my right, and was met with the same lost look in my neighbors eyes. behind me, and in front, the same. we were all looking for someone who got a clue what that was all about!

We were all floundering and looking to our brotha-man for help! Then everyone all at once looked to the stage in utter bafflement and uttered a simple word to themselves under their collective breaths. 35000 people whispering the same exact word at the same exact time with the same exact weight of purpose...

the stadium broke the silence with the collected incredibly clear murmur magnified thousands of times:

........................................".....huh?"

35000 people became one confused entity!!! And instantly, there was a huge air of awkwardness the size of Texas between the audience, and the stage. As if someone farted.

Now, can you ever say that has ever happend to you, or that it can ever happen again in the same way?! I am so proud that at least I was at one point in my life, connected with the cosmos.

Oh, and Berlin broke up soon afterwards. I'd like to think we all made that happen with the power of confused unification.