Crossing into the next dimension: Heavy Metal

 Grand Funk Railroad sold its commercial appeal with their ability to play to large crowds, creating an atmosphere that would transform concerts forever.  Larger and larger crowds demanded bigger and louder amplifiers, belting the heavy, abrasive sounds of bands like Grand Funk Railroad.  This moved the concerts into the big leagues, literally.  The large arenas represented heavy metals version of the Roman Coliseum.  The masses gathered to witness something spectacular take place right in front of their eyes.  This allowed heavy metal to become a large part of the mainstream music scene.  Now bands were getting recognition for the performance, not just the record.  The crowd became empowered by sheer numbers.  They became a powerful force, a mass unified by music. 

            When Grand Funk Railroad sold out Shea stadium, it marked the new echelon of heavy metal, and soon there were more heavy metal acts taking to large arenas.  Just like the Beatles in ’65, Grand Funk Railroad and heavy metal was pushing the boundaries of being a phenomenon.  In these massive crowds, people lost themselves and their inhibitions from daily modern society.  They became empowered by the energy in the atmosphere.  It is impossible to feel the energy in an arena filled with people focused on a common goal, whether it’s a political rally or a heavy metal concert.  Once you enter that concert space, that alternate dimension, everything disappears except that moment.  Work, religion, and social classes are all pushed aside to experience that moment with 100,000 other people.  It is an incredibly powerful phenomenon, and bands such as the Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin started filling arenas with thousands.  This allowed heavy metal to grow on a giant scale, as the constraints of small concert venues was removed and replaced with giant arenas.