A photo essay of Sacramento’s biggest rock fest. Can you spot the rock stars? Hint: They don’t have guitars.
During this year’s Aftershock Festival, I hiked 16 miles over two days in Sacramento’s Discovery Park looking for the big get. I talked to cops, security guards, and vendors: What’s the story? No story. This crowd has been great. I trolled around backstage, snapped photos of the bands, and even interviewed some really wonderful guys who happen to make music for a living.
But where was the Good Men story? Turns out it was all around me, like tattooed dandelions poking through the dry grass: fathers, uncles, grandfathers, family friends. The park was filled with good men sharing their love of music with their kids, or vice versa. I snapped away, and not one proud papa refused my request for a photo. Most asked what I was doing, and when I said “I caught you being a good man” they smiled. One fellow corrected me: “No, you mean you caught us being good dads.”
Sometimes it’s hard to find the story, but it shouldn’t be. Take a look around next time you’re out and about. All those dandelions you’ve never noticed? Those are good men, quietly going about their business. If they see you looking say, “I caught you being a good man” and watch them smile.
We decided not to caption the following photos for one simple reason: Every one of these guys is a rock star, and so are you.
Good Men Project interviews with a few musician dads from the Aftershock lineup can be found here and here.
photos courtesy of the author
I see a pic in there you took of my daughter and I, it’s great!! We had a lot of fun, on Sunday we went into the crowd to get close to the stage to see her favorite band, Halestorm. I had tweeted a picture of my daughter wearing her Halestorm shirt to Lzzy earlier in the day and Lzzy re-tweeted it, during the set Lzzy and Joe both pointed out to my daughter as she was on my shoulders through the whole set, and everybody in the crowd was just thinking it was the coolest thing for her to… Read more »
My 19 yr old son has Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism. When he was very young he hated music except for very soft and melodic stuff. Anything else overwhelmed him. I used metal music as part of sensory integration therapy. Today he is a full out metal head, so is my husband. They started going to concerts about 5 or 6 yrs ago(Mayhem Fest in 2008 was the first I think), it’s given them a common ground where not a lot exists. I never go to these things, it’s their turf, but I kinda wish I could follow them… Read more »
And that’s why music matters. Thanks very much for sharing that.