Photo courtesy of Kate LeBlanc.
I am a self-proclaimed concert addict.
The worst part? I know it, too.
For some reason, whenever an artist I remotely like comes anywhere semi-near me, I’ll either try and convince someone to go with me or simply go alone. It’s a bad habit that I should probably quit, but I can’t because there’s nothing like live music from a good musician.
I have been to 53 concerts.
Somehow I’ve managed to far exceed the average amount of shows people have been to, and I’m not even 20 yet. Shockingly enough, I’m going to at least six more shows this year, and I even went to one over spring break, so, I guess now we’re at 54.
I’ve seen everyone from “American Idol” (Season Five was my first concert ever!) to “Blink-182” to “One Direction.” I’ve traveled as far as Canada and as local as the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, my hometown, to see a show.
Despite all my “research,” I still don’t know exactly what it is that makes going to concerts so addicting. But I do have some theories.
First, there’s absolutely nothing in the world quite like hearing your favorite song in real time. I live for the moments when an artist plays the first few notes of the song you’ve been dying to hear. There’s a sort of euphoria that takes over the entire concert hall, arena, or stadium when they play that one iconic song that everyone knows the words to. Even the people who don’t want to be
Second, it’s just a fun thing to do! Who doesn’t want to go to concerts? Half the reason I’ve been to so many is because if people suggest going, I’ll usually say just yes. If the tickets are cheap and the company is good, who cares what act you’re seeing? What matters is that you’re excited to be with your friends and ready for a new experience. With that experience comes new memories that you’ll have forever, which is truly what’s valuable about attending that show.
Third, every show is different, and that’s what makes every concert exciting. You really never know what you’re going to get when you go see an artist. It doesn’t matter if you’ve seen them before or if that’s your first show ever; no musician ever puts on the same exact show. Their ability to change notes, sing a new song and interact with the audience is never the same twice. You’ll always be getting a little something different each night, each year, each performance.
Lastly, concerts give you a greater appreciation for the music you are often listening to alone. When you see an artist perform with a live orchestra, or with a seven-piece band, you can better visualize what the production of the music was like. Songs are not created by one person; it really can take an army.
When an artist needs a 50 person orchestra to produce one song on stage, you realize that they brought those 50 people into the studio to record that song. And that’s just one song! There’s so many factors that go into making one song, when you see it performed live, you finally get to understand that at face value. Live music gives you a better appreciation and full understanding of what the production process was like and how the artist ended up creating the music they did.
Like many, live music is a huge part of my life. It has given me a venue to listen to the songs I love, appreciate the process behind the magic and express myself in the best way. I’m glad I have made concerts such a huge part of my life for those reasons and more.