Concerts: A great experience or a waste of time
January 18, 2023
Concerts are amazing by Ken Sanabria
I stood there waiting for singer Role Model to come out on stage. My body was sweaty and full of excitement. Fans around me screamed as his hit song “Death Wish” played. Soon, everyone made a beeline toward the stage. I thought to myself, “Man, I love concerts.”
The nature of entertainment has always called to me. I attended my first concert around the age of five. Gaining the opportunity to see Big Time Rush live was a game changer; my eyes were opened to a new world. I have seen a total of eleven artists live and my experience has always remained positive.
Blasting my favorite songs in my ears and playing music on a speaker is one thing; going to a concert is another. Hearing an artist’s music in person is superior to headphones. Surrounding myself with nothing besides their music is an incredible feeling. The beats, lyrics, and instruments can be felt all over my body; they swim through my bones.
When I attended a Slipknot concert in June of 2022, I could feel the guitar, drums, and even their footsteps across the stage. Viewing the artist as well as the instruments live unleashes a rare form of energy. The energy allows me to completely immerse myself into the live music. In reality, the art can be disrupted through daily occurrences, whereas at the venue, the music engulfs me. It is difficult to be disrupted at a concert unless having floor seats or participating in mosh pits, both of which are obvious distractions.
Live music does not only sound good, but it feels good. Music itself creates the atmosphere of concerts. Whether being sad, hype, or serious, the energy is dependent upon the music and the artist. Every concert I have attended has brought unmatchable energy that I cannot feel on my own.
Concerts in general are fun to see, but gaining a souvenir from the event is unforgettable. A majority of the shows I have seen end with the artist throwing an irreplaceable item into the audience. Shawn Mendes threw his guitar pick, Role Model threw his angel headband (which I received), and the drummers from slipknot threw their drumsticks. The only way to retrieve these memorable items is by attending shows. A guitar pick will not appear out of thin air.
Next time a likable artist goes on tour, buy the tickets and have fun. Let loose and allow the music to take over. I promise the everlasting memory of the concert will overpower any worries.
Concerts are more trouble than they’re worth by Jaeyana Sourya
I stood there waiting for singer Joji to come out on stage. My body was screaming, and my limbs became numb. Fans around me became riotous, pushing through the crowds, screaming at people, and throwing items onto the stage. I thought to myself, “Concerts aren’t as great as people make them out to be.”
Music always entranced me like the sweet melody of a siren; it is an escape from reality, just like a book. Listening to music brings me to another world; soothing like a lullaby. No matter the genre I was always captivated by the tune. Though, comparable to a book, the live adaptations aren’t as good.
I can never become engrossed in the music of concerts. Between the different noises, aromas, and people, nothing ever seemed good about a concert. Hearing an artist’s music through a device is better than attending a concert.
Whether it be seeing the live adaptation of my favorite book or artist, the quality is never the same as the original. Most people don’t expect the artist to sound the same at concerts. Though at the very least, they expect a quality auditory experience. Between the instruments and the vocals, there is no consistency. At most performances, in my experience, the singers are always too soft and hard to hear, while the instrumentals are too loud or quiet. The sounds that always dominate in concerts are the people yelling or talking. I attended for the music, yet the overwhelming noise of other people talking drowned that out.
On that note, the experience of going to a concert isn’t all that great. With the poor quality and discomfort of attending concerts, I would rather stay home. In the face of famous artists, people are likely to do anything for attention. Yelling shameless remarks, throwing items on stage, or pushing, people will do anything for attention.
I stand there as people crowd over me. If I don’t move when they ask, they push and shove people out of the way only to get closer to the stage. They act like they’re entitled to the front row, like their spot belongs there.
These people, who reek of dirty wet socks, push up against each other unconcerned for personal space. Their drinks fall upon others’ clothes as they bump into people. They get drunk and have no care in the world. Other times, these people push through the crowd hoping to get closer to the stage, with no regard for the people who waited for hours in line to get that spot. If the people don’t move, they push and get handsy, slowly ruining the atmosphere for those around them. I never want to experience that again; it is distasteful.
The only memory I recall from concerts is the fatigue tied to the event.. Even though all concerts differ, being in a physical and mental state of destruction after the concert is one similarity. The long drive to the concert is fun and exciting, but at the end, traveling back home is exhausting. All that’s left is a lethargic feeling. My sister and I had an aching body, pounding headache, and ringing ears after attending the Joji concert. The aftermath was horrible. The feeling is equal to staying up for multiple days in a row. I felt like I was slowly going insane from the noises and headaches.
The next time I think about a concert, in an instant, the bad memories will resurface before the good memories.
