Tuesday night was concert #7 in the summer concert series, Jimmy Buffet. I can’t say I’m a huge Buffet fan, but I’ve heard his concerts are a lot of fun, so I figured I’d see what all the fuss is about. I went with a group of veteran “parrotheads” so they could show me the ropes and help me navigate through all the chaos that is a Jimmy Buffet concert.

Devout parrotheads take their tailgating very seriously, many starting shortly after noon to prepare for the 8 pm concert. The parking lot was like one massive luau with thousands of fanatics blaring tropical music, grilling cheeseburgers, and firing up their blenders to mix margaritas. Resort wear seemed to be the trend where even the cars were clad with grass skirts and leis.

But even though the parking lot seemed crazy, it was a quiet nap by the pool compared to the cacophony inside the venue. The lawn section was a sea of Hawaiian shirts, beach balls flying everywhere. It was as if someone had uprooted a Sandals resort and plopped it down in western PA. It was here that we encountered the craziest fans of the night including a couple of guys dressed as pirates with stuffed parrots on their shoulders. Buffet’s stage continued the theme with a tiki hut backdrop and several hula dancers.

The music itself was nothing extraordinary, but it was a lot of fun. Jimmy Buffet is kind of like Raffi for grown-ups: fun, sing-along songs…only about tequila and trying to get laid. So you just go with it. Sing along and have fun. That’s just what I did. I have no intention of ever purchasing a Buffet album, but for that one evening I was a Buffet fan. Concert highlight? What else! Margaritaville! Second place? Guys in coconut bras. I’ve got nothing but respect for guys that don’t take themselves too seriously to put on a coconut bra and grass skirt. Worst part? The terrible lines for bathrooms and port-o-johns.

Although I don’t see myself joining the order of the parrothead very soon, all in all it was a fun experience that I would definitely be willing to repeat sometime.