My husband and I have been fans for years, but being a fan of 30STM is more than just buying and listening to their CDs. Being a fan is being a part of the Thirty Seconds family, the echelon. If you've been with them since the beginning, you've been with them through the lows (being sued by their record company for taking too long to produce an album), and the highs (finally putting out an album that led to worldwide recognition and success). If you've been with them since the beginning, you've been proud to say your favorite band is Thirty Seconds to Mars even when everyone gives you a bewildered look, and you're proud to say it now when others start to recognize the name.
Unfortunately, that recognition comes at a price. Keith and I have been to three 30STM concerts and would have gladly gone to more had time and money not been an issue. Now, during their world tour and second leg of their American tour, it's even more of an issue. As much as I love them, I can't justify their ticket prices. And even if I could, the sheer numbers of the crowd would make me reconsider.
Our last show was in Toledo, about 3 years ago. The band had started to gain a larger following and, while their concerts had been intimate in the past, the larger crowd led to large-crowd problems: inconsiderate concert-goers. This is still one of my most memorable shows for three reasons. 1. They played my favorite song (The Fantasy) during the encore. 2. I touched Jared Leto's hand. (Isn't he dreamy?) 3. I have never wanted to punch someone so bad in my entire life, and that person was the girl standing next to me in the second row.
While I don't think the girl ruined the concert by any means, it showed that the larger the band became, the worse the crowd would be. And that's not something I want to have to deal with when I want to rock out.
I love this band more than any other, and I'm incredibly sad that I won't be seeing them live again. Their latest video (for my favorite song off their new album) shows you everything you need to know. This is exactly what a concert with Thirty Seconds to Mars is like, only I experienced it on a smaller (though not any less energetic) scale. I wish I could experience that again.
