The worst fight Mike and I ever had was at a concert. It was also the stupidest fight we ever had.

I mentioned yesterday that Mike can’t stand it when people sing along at concerts. Well, guess what my favorite thing to do at concerts is? Yep, sing along. And dance, but that’s neither here nor there.

I’ve been going to concerts since I was nine years old. My mom took me to see Debbie Gibson (and I still love her dammit, she is so much better than Tiffany!!!) at the Great Western Forum. I sang my heart out at that concert, and I was hooked. I’m lucky that my parents let me go to concerts at a young age. I think I have my grandma to thank for that – she drove my mom and her sisters and cousins from LA to San Diego to see the Beatles back in the 60s. Start ’em young!

When Mike and I started dating I was working for Universal Music Group in the A&R department. Part of my job was going to concerts and little coffee shop shows. Pretty cool, right? I always brought Mike with me. Since I was working, there wasn’t any singing from me.

The first concert we went to that Mike picked was Brian Wilson. Fun, right? All those Beach Boys songs were just ripe for me to sing along to. Unfortunately, Mike did not appreciate my harmonizing. And he told me so. And I was like, Sacré bleu! Why do you go to concerts if not to sing along?! And he said “TO LEARN.” And I laughed and he was serious. It all went downhill from there. How could I possibly date someone that didn’t SING ALONG at concerts? And how could he possible date someone that INTERRUPTED HIS LEARNING.

I might have called my friend Hardcore to tell her I was going to break up with him. And yeah, I might have been drinking. But I was being STIFLED, people. STIFLED. I didn’t break up with him, obviously, but I did swear I would never go to another concert with him again. Really loudly, for all the neighbors to hear.

My vow lasted about six months. I took him to a Rufus Wainwright concert for Valentine’s day. I tried my best not to sing along, but when I got an uncontrollable urge I sang into my scarf. I’m not a machine!

Since then we have worked out a basic understanding – if we are going to a concert that is more “me,” I am allowed to sing along. It’s your lucky day, No Doubt fans! And if it’s a “Mike” concert, I will dance and lip sync. I’m like Britney Spears, but on weaker crazy drugs. And if we’re going to a concert we both like, the rules will be established as necessary. For example, Mike bought me tickets to see Fiona Apple for my birthday. He digs her, too, but since it was my birthday present, I was allowed to sing along. Pwned!

Mike doesn’t know this, but I am going to dedicate every waking moment to making sure Annie is a “sing alonger” at concerts. He might be able to stop me from singing at concerts, but he’ll never be able to say no to Annabel.