Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 26, 1991 TAG: 9103260073
SECTION: NEWSFUN PAGE: NF/1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TAMMY POOLE NEWSFUN EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
With names like these, many parents flat out refuse or at least hesitate to allow their kids to go to concerts - or at least to heavy metal concerts.
"My parents never have and never will let me go to a rock concert," said Holly Davis of Buena Vista. "They hate rock music. They won't let me go unless it's a group like Alabama. But I still like M.C. Hammer's music."
Some parents may allow their kids to go to concerts by certain groups they approve of or if the child goes with a parent or with a friend and the friend's parent.
"I can go to rock concerts just depending on who I am with. I have gone to a New Kids On The Block concert before with a friend whose parents are very responsible," said Emily Hale of Newbern.
Samantha Patsel of Shawsville said her parents let her go to concerts as long as one of them goes with her.
Josh Kelly of Roanoke County said, "My parents let me go to rock/heavy metal concerts. I am 11, and I can go as long as one of my parents comes too. I've been to see Poison, Warrant, Kiss, Danger Danger, Slaughter and have second row seats for Vanilla Ice. I would like to see Motley Crue, Nelson, Guns-n-Roses and Slaughter again."
"My parents will allow me to go to a rock concert. They said that they will take me one time. My dad understands how much I would like to go. If I went to a rock concert, I would like to see the New Kids On The Block," said Christina Colville of Wytheville.
Other kids say that their parents allow them to go to concerts and that it's only a matter of trust.
Trinity Goad of Willis said, "My parents feel they can trust me. I would like to go see Vanilla Ice and the Kentucky Headhunters in concert," she said.
"My parents wouldn't mind me going to a concert if there were no drugs or devil worship in them. They know I'm responsible and that I don't like heavy metal [music]. I have never been to a concert, but if I had a choice, I'd to see Michael Bolton or Mariah Carey," said Kristi Henson of Shawsville.
"Of course my parents permit me to attend rock concerts because I love music a lot," said Trevor Via, who describes himself as a "major headbanging buff."
"Temporarily, heavy metal music is my pick. I would love to see a good Slayer performance. Especially with Megadeath. They sound just like Metallica - renegade guitars, faith-restoring lyrics, jackhammering drums, automobile-crashing percussion, etc. There's nothing objectionable in the lyrics of their songs, too. Why settle for bubblegum pop or any other music type? Heavy metal is No. 1," said Trevor, who lives in Moneta.
Going to concerts is a family affair for Newbern resident Dustin Racliffe.
"My mom lets me go to rock concerts. My family loves to go to rock concerts. Every time there is a rock concert, we always go to it. If we miss one, we always get very mad," said Dustin.
Some parents may forbid their kids from going to any concerts because they are afraid the loud music will hurt their kid's hearing.
"My mom and dad think concerts are too noisy and that it could pop my eardrums," said Courtney Tolley of Vinton.
The facts back up parents who feel the way Courtney's parents feel.
A study done by the University of Keele in Staffordshire, England, showed that more than one-third of people who listen to loud music had measurable hearing loss - more than twice that of a group of students who had not listened to loud music.
Listening to even slightly loud music for more than 15 minutes or listening day after day can cause permanent damage, according to the Oregon Health Sciences University.
Other parents object to the vulgarity by performers, such as cursing, obscene gestures or vulgar lyrics that some rock groups routinely use in their performances.
"My mom and dad would probably let me go to a rock concert. They would have to know who I was going with and that the group did not play XXX lyrics," said Jason Slaughter of Willis.
Even if the group or performer a kid wants to see is not considered wild or violent by parents, the cost of a ticket (from $10 to $20) and the distance traveled to get to the concert keep many kids from attending.
"My parents don't let me go to a rock concert for three reasons," said Heidi Jennings of Newbern. "It's too far to drive; I have to finish my homework; and it costs a lot of money. If I could go, I would want to see the New Kids on the Block, Reba McEntire, M.C. Hammer, Vanilla Ice, and Tanya Tucker."
Some kids say they wouldn't go to concerts even if their parents said they could go.
"My parents would let me attend rock concerts," said 9-year-old Runal Mehta of Roanoke. "However, I am not interested in rock music. If I do began to enjoy rock music, I will attend New Kids on the Block and Aerosmith concerts because they are popular rock groups."
Traci Fellers, who reviews rock concerts for the Roanoke Times & World-News, said she often sees elementary and middle school kids at concerts. Some are with adults, and others are unsupervised.
"At the M.C. Hammer concert last fall, Vanilla Ice opened the show. He had some suggestive gestures that I think were too much for elementary kids to see. There were several young kids there. I even saw one little girl who looked like she was about 5 years old," said Fellers.
If you would like to go to concerts and your parents are dead set against it, ask them what their reasons are. Maybe they think you are too young.
Or may be they think the particular group you want to see is not appropriate. If that is the case, ask them which performers they may consider letting you see. Also ask if they would let you go if one of them went with you or if you went with a friend's parents.
If your parents refuse to allow you to go to concerts, realize that many kids do not go to concerts. And you might consider spending the money you would have paid to see a group on an album that can be played over and over again.
Chris Evans of Roanoke goes to some concerts but said "the only thing I don't like is if you see these people in concert and they don't sound as good as on TV."
Some groups don't even sing when they appear in concert. Instead, they mouth the words to a recording, so it will sound better. So you may be paying big bucks to hear the same thing you could hear at home on the radio or from a record.
How old should a kid be before attending a concert?
"`For kids in their teens, I think it depends on who the performer is," Fellers said. "The best way for parents to determine which groups are OK is to pay attention to what their kids listen to.
"And if a kid is younger than 13, I think that they should not go to concerts unsupervised."
- Some information in this story was provided by the Los Angeles Times.
by CNB