Straight edge fun (especially bands on the road)

[Slapshot666]

One thing I've noticed about a lot of non-edge social circles is that one of their main method of bonding is through their vices: Drinking, drinking games, drinking photos, drinking orgies, etc. I wonder if they've ever questioned just how well they would bond and what they would do without drugs in the equation. "I don't like sports, and he doesn't like card games. We both like booze, so let's just play Shotglass Checkers and drink ourselves blind."

My main question is: How would you explain to someone skeptical/unfamiliar with edgers how friends spend their time? What would be prime examples of straight edge activities? I especially ask this about straight edge bands on the road, since naturally they will want to spend their time between shows doing something exciting that doesn't involve getting trashed and wrecking hotel rooms (a common post-show ritual amongst many bands, especially rock bands). I would imagine that those activities would include things like sports (i.e. street hockey), clean pranks, gaming, and straight-up tourism.

I saw the preview for straight edge hardcore band Slapshot's Chip On My Shoulder documentary (yes, I am a big fan), and I noticed they had pretty creative ways of spending their time (the lead singer, Choke, is even seen floating around in an astronaut suit in one scene: I would really like to see how that came about!). They're proof that you can have the most memorable times of your life without drugs (especially since drugs kill your memory anyway).

I also ask this question personally because, while I am straight edge, I've never been a very social person, and I'm trying to form a band with someone who doesn't have the keg-dwelling fratboy mindset (no, I'm not condemning everyone who drinks, but I usually prefer befriending those who don't rely on it).

Discuss.

[straightXed]

One thing I've noticed about a lot of non-edge social circles is that one of their main method of bonding is through their vices: Drinking, drinking games, drinking photos, drinking orgies, etc. I wonder if they've ever questioned just how well they would bond and what they would do without drugs in the equation. "I don't like sports, and he doesn't like card games. We both like booze, so let's just play Shotglass Checkers and drink ourselves blind."

My main question is: How would you explain to someone skeptical/unfamiliar with edgers how friends spend their time? What would be prime examples of straight edge activities? I especially ask this about straight edge bands on the road, since naturally they will want to spend their time between shows doing something exciting that doesn't involve getting trashed and wrecking hotel rooms (a common post-show ritual amongst many bands, especially rock bands). I would imagine that those activities would include things like sports (i.e. street hockey), clean pranks, gaming, and straight-up tourism.

I saw the preview for straight edge hardcore band Slapshot's Chip On My Shoulder documentary (yes, I am a big fan), and I noticed they had pretty creative ways of spending their time (the lead singer, Choke, is even seen floating around in an astronaut suit in one scene: I would really like to see how that came about!). They're proof that you can have the most memorable times of your life without drugs (especially since drugs kill your memory anyway).

I also ask this question personally because, while I am straight edge, I've never been a very social person, and I'm trying to form a band with someone who doesn't have the keg-dwelling fratboy mindset (no, I'm not condemning everyone who drinks, but I usually prefer befriending those who don't rely on it).

Discuss.

I can only answer for myself, things i got up to when i used to be in a band and headed out of town to do shows were: Skateboard, it was always fun finding new spots. check out anything of local interest. read books and comics. go get food together. talk shit together and do anything fun that comes to mind really.

[Marion]

As far as I'm concerned, I've never thought that the way we spend time was much different from others... for example, with the few sxe friends that I have, we go to concerts, watch movies, listen to music or create some, go see one another's band rehearsing, and we even go to bars sometimes (mainly when there's a concert in it). The only thing that makes us different from the non-sxers is that we do all of it without drinking (and with having way more fun that those drunks who go to concerts, drink 20 pints of beer and can't even remember who they saw, the next day...)
And, as a whole, straightXed put it very well :

talk shit together and do anything fun that comes to mind really.

[MrMcKeigue]

Probably just do what the rest of us do: "Do anything that comes to mind."

But I hear you. Even when I'm hanging around my non-edge friends, all I ever hear is, "Shit, man, Uriah's weed is jank," or, "Ever smoked Camel Wides instead?" These are usually followed by 20-minute conversations in which I have no footing at all. Nice, right? Trying to change the conversation never seems to work.