Life Experience

Teenagers attending their first concert packed the Pond on Tuesday to see Bush, Goo Goo Dolls and No Doubt. They arrived early, having come on the bus or hitched a ride with a friend or (very discretely) had their parents drop them off far from where their pals could see.

They came to hear alternative rock but didn’t limit the fun to just listening. Some roamed the Anaheim arena, looking for kicks offstage. They found it by flirting and diving into the two mosh pits filled with banging bodies near where the bands played.

Some wandered over to the souvenir T-shirt stands and were a little stunned at the prices--as high as $28 apiece. The clever ones waited until after the concert, when street vendors sold similar stuff for around $10.

These kids, many as young as 13, will probably remember their first rock experience for a long time. Who played, whom they went with and if they met someone cute. But they’ll probably forget the long lines at the pay phones, where dozens of youngsters tried to reach parents waiting to pick them up.

Concert review, F1