You have to get vulnerable. It’s a scary thing to do, but the payoff is enormous. People get bossed around by the fear. The fear of your vulnerability not being reciprocated. Non-reciprocation can be painful, but giving in to that fear is how we bond as people. That’s when we feel faith in humanity. Those warm moments of colour in the tepidness of status-quo life. Whether you’re on stage or in the audience, you must channel that fear into something productive, or get rid of it. Have you ever stood at the back of the gig with crossed arms and a neutral expression, constantly under the watchful eye of your own ego, wondering if whatever crappy band is cool enough to show enthusiasm for? I have. Most concert-goers have. It’s a tentative way to experience anything. It’s like boring sex. If you’re worried about being cool, you’re not cool, so don’t worry about it.

—Dan Mangan