The art of the fanboy
Sometimes it’s a fact that’s hard to come to terms with. The day you realize that you are a fanboy of several different things. Like me. Here are some signs that you might be a fanboy like me:
1. You write a blog post gushing over something you absolutely love. Check!
2. You constantly visit the band/artist/celebrity’s MySpace/Twitter for updates. Check!
3. In a review of a festival you spend more time talking about one act than others. Check!
I however have come to terms with this. There are a few bands that I am absolutely obsessed with: them being the Winter Gloves, Beast, Los Campesinos! I am also a rather big fanboy of Lana Gay from CBC Radio 3 but I’ve already gushed over her in one blog post.
I had my sort of epiphany, the realization that I am a fanboy when today, I was on the Winter Gloves’ MySpace. See, I’m already planning on going to see them at Harbourfront in Toronto this Friday (they go on at 8!) but then I saw that they are playing a free show at the CNE on August 29th with Tokyo Police Club. I had a mini heart attack. If I go on that day, in one summer I’ll have seen both the Winter Gloves and Tokyo Police Club twice. My heart beats with anticipation.
But see, being a fanboy is a bit of an art. If you go too far with your fanboy-ness, then you end up looking like an obsessed freak. The idea is to use your extensive knowledge of whatever it is you are a fan of but not overdo it. For example, if you’re in a conversation with someone and you’re discussing your favourite band, it’s fine to throw in a few points like “Did you know that Charles F of the Winter Gloves was in a band called Lady Grey before he formed Winter Gloves with his friends?” The person you tell this to will be moderately impressed. However you cross the line when you’re not even talking about the band anymore and are just throwing the facts around at totally random intervals.
As well, as much as you’ll want to jump up and down and gush, you need to cool down a little. I recall that when I saw Beast at EdgeFest a few weeks ago I could not even contain my excitement at seeing them. This got to the point when one of my friends said “You’re really excited, aren’t you?” Guilty.
And so despite seeming weird from time to time I am at peace with the fanboy part of me. I leave you with a video of how one guy reacted when his Mom cancelled his World of Warcraft account. This is when the fanboy has gone way too far.
