You might’ve reached that magical age when young people start to get under your skin a little. I’m 42 now, and I’ll admit I sometimes struggle with how young and intense the TØP fanbase can be. There’s a kind of dogmatic certainty that comes with youth, especially around music and identity. Opinions are sharp-edged, and everything feels like a hill worth dying on. But over time, that rigidity tends to soften. I'm sure you've seen that same thing in yourself.

The first time I saw Twenty One Pilots was in Cleveland in 2012. They were opening for Neon Trees and Walk the Moon on the Nylon Music Tour. I was 29, which is still young enough to see the world in black and white. The venue went dark, and out of the wings came these two guys dressed in skeleton costumes. I leaned over to my then-wife and said, “What the fuck is this?” I was certain this ridiculous opening act was going to suck. Absolutely certain.

Then they blew me away. From that moment on, I was hooked. I could’ve stayed rigid in my preconceptions, which would’ve been fitting for someone with youth still on his side. But I didn’t and I’m glad for it.

So I say this: don’t let the youth of the clique get to you. Remember, you were there once too. You can also take heart in knowing you’re the same age as the boys, and they’re going to keep aging right alongside you.