The music world is not as out of reach as some may think, and the Florida punk scene is the perfect example of this. Some of the most “normal” people could have a completely different life than they show on the surface. They do not always show the real meaning behind the fast music that fills their hearts, the dive bars they call their homes and the community they call their family.  

   The life of an accountant named Bradley Sugarman changes on the weekends; he is the bass player and backup vocalist for a local band called “Mosquito Teeth.” He explains how he used the scene to break out of his shell and become a more extroverted person, “I can’t speak fondly enough of the punk scene. Of course, it has its problems, but I am such a better person because of it.” 

   Matt Fryer from the former band “Gag Order” delves into what the punk scene is all about, “Punk almost picks you.” He also says that “embarrassment or anger can be just as much of a good emotion as love or fear” when one looks at mainstream music, versus the more “underground.” Fryer is also a father and works in outside sales for a wholesale company. Looks can be deceiving, right?  

   Many crazy things happen within the community, including many experiences no one could ever begin to think of. The singer Alex Lenix of the former band “The Damnsels” (now in the band “Sick Talk”) explains some of his crazy experiences. One story was when he had his first major show and got told to leave an area designated for the headliners, yet, by the end of the night, he was sharing a beer with their guitarist. Along with the outlandish stories that build the community, small things like the venue bathrooms become filled head to toe with stickers, sayings and downright raunchy things people call artwork. Lenix shares one of his favorites,“The Damnsels SUCK,” along with Sugarman sharing his, which are the memorials to members who have passed. It may sound crazy to have a socially acceptable remembrance of someone in a public bathroom, but in the scene, it is not about the place, but the fact it happened.  

   A sense of community is formed within shows. Someone may have pushed another down, but that same person is going to pick them back up. Shows themselves can get grueling at times, but most people mean no harm and the people that do get shut down quickly. People that have never officially met in their lives will keep each other safe and help get everyone in the flow of things.While the idea of it all may sound scary, just knowing the community is safe with the people around makes comfortability skyrocket. The main thing to remember in the scene is to just be honest; no one has to act like someone they are not to please a group of people, because on the inside, everyone is an “outsider” or “weirdo” to someone.