Dude, is that your mom in the mosh pit?

Check out the front row of any indie rock concert and you’ll likely see screaming girls wearing colorful band t-shirts and snapping photos with their phones – but look a little closer and you might see that not all of those elated faces belong to preteen girls.

Many concert moms like to get up close and into the action at a show; others may hang out near the snack bar making small talk with the other parents who are waiting for their teens to get their fill of their band du jour.

Two moms from the Rio Grande Valley shared their experiences with Festiva.

KAREN DAVILA
3 daughters, ages 21, 16 and 14

What was your first concert with your teen?

"’N Sync, in San Antonio, and she was 13 years old.”

Which has been your favorite concert, so far?

“Jonas Bros., Houston Rodeo, because to see all three of my teenage girls so starry-eyed and mesmerized at the whole experience, it was worth every penny and then some. And we all were singing every word of every song at the top of our lungs. It was a great bonding moment. But there has also been Jesse McCartney, who we have seen twice, and I have to admit I was screaming louder than them for him because he is so cute and dances amazing.”

Which band has been your least favorite?

“As of right now, I can honestly say there has not been a least favorite, and that is because I have traveled all over Texas to take my girls to concerts. Just this summer, we drove to Dallas to see Drake Bell and have a meet-and-greet. We traveled to San Antonio to see Jesse McCartney and Augustana. We traveled to SPI to see Shwayze, and Houston on several occasions to see Hilary Duff, Jonas Bros. and Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana.”

Why is it important that you attend concerts with your teens?

“I do it all because I love my girls more than life itself and I will do anything to make them happy, including at times – like with NSYNC, Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus – pay thousands of dollars to take them to these concerts, because you have to remember when taking them to these concerts out of town, we have to pay for gas, room, food and, of course, concert souvenirs. And I have to throw in this story: I had my oldest teenager attend Duran Duran with me when they came down to Dodge Arena, and that concert was for me and it was a dream come true, but it was even better when we walked out and my daughter said to me ‘That was awesome, and Simon (Le Bon) is hot!’ That is what I said and felt when I was a teenager about them and him. Thanks to my daughters, Barbara, 21, Jennifer, 16, and Amber, 14; over the years, they have also introduced me to lots of great music and artists that I would not have even known about, and I am grateful for that. It is nice to be able to sing along with your kids in the car to the Top 40 hits – it makes you the ‘cool mom.’”

LAURA HARRIS
2 teens – ages 13 and 10

What was the first concert you saw with your teen?

"100 Monkeys was the first concert. (My kids) took video and they kept their wristbands and ticket stubs."

How was the 100 Monkeys concert?

"It was better than I expected."

Would you pay to see them again?

 "I would. I took my husband with me because I wasn't sure what kind of crowd would be there."

What is yours and your teen's dream concert?

"We all really like Jason Mraz. If he came to town, I'd probably pay any amount of money to see him. My girls really like Taylor Swift."

Do you remember the first concert you attended?

“When I was about 13, my mother took me to see Sonny & Cher. It was in a big arena. It was a lot of fun. The warm-up person was David Brenner, who was a comedian. It was a very good concert. We kept the program.”