4 minute read
Until the Break of Dawn
Until the Break of Dawn
Story and photos by Ashley Shellmire
He had been waiting all week for this. It was 3 a.m., pitch black outside and the crickets hummed in the stillness.
He whispered to himself, “Alright... tickets, sunblock, chair, baby wipes, deodorant.” After one last check, he was out the door. Long periods of standing, running and jumping awaited him, so preparation was a must.
Jesus Hernandez is a 31-year-old extreme concert-goer who has attended about 100 concerts and festivals. He takes pride in making the most of his experience, even if that means sacrificing comfort and enduring sleep deprivation.
His passion for attending concerts and festivals is therapeutic to him.
“It helps when you’re going through something,” Hernandez said. “Say you’re having a bad time in your life, like in a breakup or drama going on, going to shows helps you get away from all that.”
Having attended roughly 95 concerts and eight festivals, Hernandez has an extensive collection of items from concerts, including setlists, drumsticks, sweatbands, guitar and bass picks, as well as various other band memorabilia.
“It’s a privilege,” Hernandez said. “Because it just shows that they appreciate me as a fan. I’m not being a fake fan and I’m not being a poser. I know what I’m talking about. I know what I post when I mention something about them and they appreciate it.”
Hernandez said he is almost always among the first to arrive, if not the first, and that has provided him with more intimate interactions with the bands that pour over into the social media world.
“It’s a cool thing, because when I see them again and they remember me from that post, they’re like, ‘Hey, it’s you again,’”Hernandez said.
Hernandez warned that trying to be in the front for your favorite band’s performance is not for the weak.
“If you’re trying to run and race to the barricade, it’s a free-for-all race,” Hernandez said. “It’s not going to be comfortable running in Converse.”
Hernandez has made some sacrifices that might seem extreme to the average person attending, but to him it’s all worth it in the end.
“I personally do it just to save money, but I camp in my car,” Hernandez said. “Typically, I don’t sleep. I will just go to the festival, shower at a gym, I get dinner and I only get one or two hours of sleep before I go line up again for the next day. It puts my body in a fight or flight mode.”
Although he might make it look easy, he said that it takes a certain type of mindset and willpower.
“You’re not there to impress anyone,” he said. “You’re not there to brag about what you’re doing. I’m going because I actually enjoy that music. I’ve been wanting to see this band. So I prepare myself. I get excited. And then you end up developing, you end up making a lot of friends.”
As a frequent person at the front of the line, Hernandez said he has made several friends, including Jorge Guerrero. They attended several of the same shows before becoming friends.
“You just try to make the most of it,” Guerrero said. “We’re not necessarily there to be first, but to take in the whole experience and have some time to hang out with each other.”
Hernandez has also made friends with some band members as well, including Jacob Flores, the bassist from the band Convictions.
“He’s definitely one of the ones that goes above and beyond, for sure,” Flores said. “I can’t even imagine doing some of the stuff that he does to make sure that he’s always at the front of the line and at the front of the barricades for all this.”
Mutual support, whether from teammates or fans, creates a strong community.
“You’re able to enjoy yourself and it helps you forget everything,” Hernandez said. “So when the violent music hits you, the energy you feel around you and the people you’re around, it’s just a good thing.”
