A concert that actually takes place, that is. Because it’s not much fun if it has to be cancelled.

And especially if that cancellation is due to a threat of terrorism.

That’s what happened in Vienna, Austria today: A series of three events — Taylor Swift concerts! — originally scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, will not take place because authorities identified and arrested two suspects in a terror plot.

Swift’s Austria promoter, Barracuda Music, posted on social media:

“With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety.”

They confirmed that all tickets would be refunded promptly. But those fans would much rather have had what would probably have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience for them, seeing their idol perform in person. And now they won’t.

Of course, they’re alive to complain about it . . . and so is Ms. Swift. No question that the right action was taken. But how sad that it had to come to this.

Really, what could be more fun than seeing your favorite singer, dancer, musician, band, circus . . . whatever . . . in person, jammed in with a couple of thousand of your contemporaries, stomping, clapping, squealing like banshees when your idol finally appears on stage? Jumping up and down when you hear the opening strains of your favorite song? Clapping and swinging to the beat of the music? Spilling your drink on the stranger seated next to you, and no one caring?

Absolutely nothing.

In my day, it was Neil Diamond — “Hot August Night,” people! — at the DC Stadium. And it was epic. We didn’t worry about being blown away by lunatics with bombs or AK-47s. We were there to have fun, to enjoy a few hours of camaraderie with like-minded people. And we did.

This time, the suspects were two young Austrians, Islamist sympathizers who had been radicalized by what they had seen on the internet. No motive or specific target has yet been given, but explosives and chemical substances were found at the home of one, and the two are said to have undertaken “concrete preparatory measures” for a terrorist attack, most likely at events in the Vienna region. [Zahid Mahmood, CNN, August 7, 2024.]

But another time, it might be a young American, or British, or Japanese student with a grudge against a teacher, who decides to shoot up their school. Or a postal worker who feels he’s been unjustly fired. Or just someone who’s had an argument with someone else. It could be anyone.

And this is how we express ourselves today — not with words, or even a solid left to the jaw of the person we feel has wronged us. Today, we grab for the most lethal available weapon and aim at the greatest number of people we can find in one place. And we make the news.

If I had a solution, I’d be famous. But I don’t, and I’m not.

What I am, though, is fed up.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/7/24