Your favorite artist just announced they’re going on tour, and they’re coming to a city near you. You enlist your concert buddies, and you win the stressful and competitive ticket-purchasing battle. You are going to see your favorite songs live.
Is there any better feeling?
The anticipation of an upcoming concert just makes the hard days a little easier.
Concerts are one of the biggest sources of joy in my life. I love everything about them, and I am living in that post-concert depression so I wanted to take this opportunity to gush about live music.
If you are anything like me, the prep for a concert starts several days in advance, researching the best time to arrive at the venue to get the perfect view. Evaluating the vibe of the crowd to pick out the perfect outfit. Making sure all your travel plans are in place.
My favorite pre-concert task is picking out an outfit. I always take concerts as an opportunity to play dress up. The best concert for this was Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
I adored the Eras Tour not only for the three-hour mind-boggling performance of Miss Swift but nearly every single person in that stadium was dressed up.
I personally recruited my best friend to personify the song Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince and it was one of the most fun things I have ever worn.
An excuse to wear a crown? Absolutely taken.
While the Eras Tour was one of the best nights of my life, it was an exhausting experience that made me really appreciate the smaller-scale concerts I frequent.
Medium-sized concerts at venues like Fine Line and The Sylvee have been some of my favorites. I love the rush of getting a good general admission spot. Of course, that’s often only possible through concert camping.
The best experience I have had while concert camping was when I waited for eight hours on the streets of Minneapolis to see Maya Hawke.
This may seem like a weary and exhausting process to some, which makes me think some aren’t going to the right concerts.
The community you build with your fellow concertgoers is so special. It is a connection that can’t be replicated or replaced. These are people you would never otherwise have the opportunity to meet like the girl I met from Utah while in line for Maya Hawke.
The people around are so excited to talk about the artist you are about to see, and you get to hear some insanely cool people talk about some insanely cool experiences.
This, of course, is all the pre-concert experience. The true meat of the experience lies inside the venue.
As the people file in, the energy gets more and more electric. Everyone around you buzzing with excitement, gleefully chattering about what song they are most excited to hear.
Some are emotional about their deep connection to the artist, and some are just excited to bust out a funky little dance.
Then, the lights dim, and an epic roar follows as the opener steps on stage.
I have been very lucky with my concert openers. When I saw Hippo Campus they were opened by Gus Dapperton, whose music I instantly fell in love with so much so that I just recently attended a Gus Dapperton headlining show.
Never discount the opener just because you are excited about the main act, they may just be your next favorite artist.
And then the moment you have been waiting for, since you bought the tickets weeks, if not months, ago. All the preparation has been for this moment.
The headliner walks out.
It’s a blur from then on, screaming your favorite lyrics and videotaping your favorite parts. Live music is just better than streaming.
I love it when you can see how much fun the artist is having. They are creating art and watching their passion and hard work be enjoyed, which will never get old.
That’s what is at the heart of concerts for me, the artist, whether as big as Taylor Swift or as small as Ella Jane, I love seeing how much it means to them to be performing.
These songs mean the world to them, they gave them to the world and the world responded. That’s so beautiful.
And dangit, I just love to bust a move.
Freeman can be reached at [email protected].
