Summer is a time of outdoor music festivals, something I used to cherish much more when I lived on the East Coast. It just went with the season. Now in California, I’ve never gotten my shit together to make a picnic of a Hollywood Bowl concert, but as I wait in line for an overpriced burger, that doesn’t stop me from thinking: I should have packed my own food and wine.

My summer concert season started off with Billy Joel and it’s ending with Justin Timberlake. In the middle I’ll have seen Robyn and Paul McCartney. . . basically all people who started out WAY before my time or just during my time.

Summer for me (after I finished my last year at sleepaway camp obviously!!) used to be Jones Beach, Warped Tour, consuming every new band that I could, from Something Corporate to Senses Fail. I even found a little niche writing about concerts and interviewing bands for an online music ‘zine, which even got me close to the stage, taking photos. I felt like William Miller in Almost Famous.

That all changed when I started to feel “too old for that shit.” The exact moment happened when my friend and I were on our way to Warped Tour 2005 in Northampton, MA, and were stuck in traffic for four hours, missing 90 percent of the day. My lowest point of that “road trip” was when I had to pee so badly that I had my pants down with a Nalgene ready to receive a nice stream of urine, when my friend finally reached the exit and I rushed into the nearest restroom. The highest point that day was ending it at an Outback Steakhouse with a bloomin’ onion.

I used to never let these sort of obstacles stand in my way. If there was a will, there was a way and there was always both, even if it required my parents having to accompany me. Mom, I’m still mad at you for making me leaving Blink-182 early during my favorite song, junior year of high school!!

In recent years, Sugar Ray of “Fly” fame has gathered other 90s rock bands at the Greek each summer to perfom all our favorite hits of theirs from the 90s. I went two years ago and it was a blast. I was supposed to go last year, but my obstacle then was a broken ankle, and I would have loved to go this year, but I’m seeing Justin Timberlake instead (poor me). It was good nostalgia—Gin Blossoms, Smash Mouth, Everclear—all performing songs that I will always love, and no one trying to push new shit on us. They knew exactly why they were there and what we wanted to see/hear. That’s the right kind of old school show. That’s what Billy Joel would do!

I think what I learned is that nostalgia only gets you so far. How many times do I really need to see Blink-182? As much as I loved them growing up, seeing them last fall was just not the same. Their juvenile act is the same, but their music has evolved with their age (as it should) and it just doesn’t work anymore. My taste has evolved with my age, too, and Blink-182 and I have sadly gone separate ways. Some bands have stood the test of time and have grown up with me like Green Day and Andrew McMahon. Others are still stuck in the late 90s and early 2000s – decades which I have grown past emotionally and physically (don’t even get me started on the comeback of the Birkenstock).

Maybe it’s because the cost of a concert is now an arm and a leg, but I’ve become more discerning about who I will spend money on. If I’ve never seen you and you’re a classic (hey, Sir Paul, can’t wait for this weekend!), then I’ll do it. If I have seen you or know others have seen you and know you put on an amazing show, then heck yeah. There’s something to be said for letting go. I’m sorry, Blink-182, but that’s what I’ve had to do with you.

Also, my time is more precious now and I am pickier about how I spend it. I’d rather listen to an old CD in my car and remember driving around in high school to “Boys of Summer” than see The Ataris again (if they’re still a band). If you’re an aging rock star, though, and I haven’t seen you yet, come at me! If you’re a new band . . . your songs better have enough variety to keep me interested.