Every so often, I leave the house and go stand in a dark room to watch a band play too loud for the space they’re in. I hover somewhere near the back, nursing a drink that tastes like regret, surrounded by people pretending not to care. And yetβ€”somewhere between the false starts, the feedback, and the singer yelling something unintelligibleβ€”I feel strangely grounded. I don’t go often, but when I do, it reminds me that noise can be a kind of communion. Even if the band’s a mess, it’s their mess, and I’m here for it.

Concerts / Gigs