Nostalgia

We've been exploring the psychology behind nostalgia recently, looking at how experiences and memory form bonds in our motivation and emotional states and ultimately create a desire to advocate the source of our nostalgia and promote it to others.

One good example of this advocacy is the desire to protect or preserve our memories in their positive states and this translates into a physical preservation of the tangible elements that represent the nostalgia. Or in other terms - we hold dear the things we love!

Last night we got along to the Birmingham Academy to see Vampire Weekend. For those that remember, the Academy before it was signed up by Carling was The Hummingbird and it was at The Hummingbird that I crowd surfed and stage dived to Nirvana on their first UK tour.

So as they announce the closure of the Academy to move to a bigger, better venue, I'll be missing the sweat box summer night when the Kings of Leon played, a floor sticky enough to separate your trainer from your sock and a dodgy sound system.

In my mind a little bit of my life lives on in the venue with the memories still vivid when I step inside. All of this just serves to reinforce the value of what we do here at Open, creating good times and great memories and ultimately providing people with nostalgia.