review of the audience at the Avett Brothers concert by W. Gillespie

I haven't been out to see enough bands lately and am distracted by the crowd. The era of tattoos and piercings and aggressive individuality has given way to an unassertive, fuzzy conformism. The place is full of young men with beards who hold their beers in a nonthreatening manner. A hooded sweatshirt under a corduroy sport coat offers the perfect fashion equivocation for a softly-textured, bearded young man with black glasses and a slight belly: down- but up-town, street but classroom. Two undergrads in faded jeans and nondescript overcoats stand, slightly slouched, beers in hand, looking as though they are discussing their beards. In their innocuous clothing, dark colors, and restrained demeanor, these guys seem to be trying hard not to express anything. Just to be on the safe side, they still leave an inch of boxer shorts visible above their belt, but cover it up with a v-neck sweaters and anachronistic polo shirts.

They listen to mild bands whose album covers have cute colorful hand-drawn cartoons rendered in a sketchy style, without straight edges and an unaggressive line quality.

Is the new teddy bear a response to U.S. militarism? To dissociate themselves from the aggressive behavior of their parent country, they dress in a nondescript, unassertive, nonconfrontational manner? Or is it a sign of toxicity in the environment and declining national health—beards as a response to premature hair loss, and fashionable glasses to offset failing vision? Fashion fascinates even as it alienates.