I am a true believer that the best way someone can spend money is on experiences (well, of course, there’s food too). This is something I always tell my friends when they are hesitant to spend a lot of money on concerts. Of course, I know they are expensive. Personally, some of my fondest memories looking back at high school are jamming with my best friends, listening to the live performances of music we blast on repeat in the car. I thought I’d share some of my favorite people I’ve gotten to see in person, and why those experiences were so magical.
10. Timeflies
I saw this Boston-born duo twice at the House of Blues, once in the fall of 2014 and once in the fall of 2015. What really made this concert for me was being in Boston, where I’m from and where they started. They met at Tufts and have been making amazing remixes every week, as well as their own music, ever since. It’s been one of mine and my friends’ favorite bands since middle school, so it was so special to see them. They always had fun openers and so much energy on stage.
9. MØ
This Swedish artist was performing at Boston Calling Music Festival in May of 2015. Her energy was instantly captivating the second she came on stage. She had an interesting aura about her that I hadn’t seen in any other artist performing. She made an effort to hold eye contact with a number of people in her large audience, which was a unique part of her performance. I’d have to say “Lean On” is one of my favorites by her, and was incredible to hear live, too.
8. Hozier
Another one I heard at Boston Calling, this time in Fall of 2015. Hozier’s melodic voice was even better in person, and he stood out to me as another performer who works to connect with his audience. My friend even left his concert saying that she thinks he would get along well with her mom, so I think that shows how personal he makes his concerts. “Cherry Wine” would definitely be my favorite from his set.
7. Mumford and Sons
Mumford and Sons closed for Boston Calling on Saturday night this past May, and it was the perfect end to the day. Saturday was more folk-themed than the rest of the weekend, so there were far fewer people that were my age. That Friday night before, we saw Chance, and there was definitely a different crowd there. My favorite moment was when during one of their songs they had the pillars in the back of the stage giving an illusion that they were falling (and lit on fire), and it was absolutely breathtaking. Not to my surprise, this was one of the most dedicated crowds I had ever seen. Everyone there knew the words to every song, and it made the night that much more magical. Their song “Awake my Soul” was even better live, and perhaps one of the best songs I’ve ever heard live.
6. Louis the Child
I saw Louis the Child when I was visiting one of my friends at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Being at this venue I had never been to before in a city I knew so little about made the concert so different from anything I had ever been to. The club he performed at was super swanky, and the crowd was mostly students from Tulane or other schools nearby. His energy stayed upbeat the entire time, and he had the crowd completely captivated until the early hours of the morning, which was incredible. His ability to entertain the audience for that long was helped with his cool remixes and great upbeat classic songs that the entire crowd knew the words to.
5. Galantis
Some friends and I from Kenyon went and saw Galantis in Columbus this past September. It was probably because we were touching the gate right in front of the stage (you’ll notice a pattern in the top five that I happen to be in the front for all of them), but we were completely enveloped in the smoke that was pouring out from the stage, which made the concert that much better. They did a lot of their most popular songs, which were awesome to hear, and they also played us the first release of one of their new songs. Things like that make you connect more with the artist and leave you with a more memorable experience.
4. Quinn XCII
I actually have seen Quinn XCII twice in concert—once opening for Louis the Child in New Orleans, and once when he was performing at Breakaway Festival in Columbus. Both times were absolutely amazing, mostly because he’s just one of my all-time favorite artists. He did some new remixes and covers to popular songs, but he also played all of his famous songs. The first time I saw him, his song “Another Day in Paradise” was the best, but in Columbus, he played some of his more new songs like “Straightjacket” which was great live, too.
3. Odesza
Odesza was another one I saw at Boston Calling, right up against the gate. On top of the incredible music, the lights were unlike anything I had ever seen before. Although I wasn’t super familiar with them before I saw them live, their performance made me fall in love with their music. However, unlike most amazing performances, the artists barely moved around. The two of them mostly just stood behind the table and DJ’d. The highlight for me was definitely Odesza’s remix to “Something About You.” The light work, acoustics, and crowd energy was unparalleled.
2. Misterwives
The entire band of Misterwives had the biggest on-stage personalities I’d ever seen. The lead singer was incredible, but she also didn’t outshine any of the other band members. If you’re familiar with Misterwives, much of their music is kick-ass-feminist-anthems, and she was sure to throw in some really inspiring lines before and after the songs. Her energy was out of this world and made me want to listen to their songs over and over. In fact, my friends and I did for months. “Not Your Way,” “Reflections,” “Our Own House,” and “Best I Can Do” were always on all the way up in the car.
1. Chance The Rapper
The second the Boston Calling lineup came out, and when my friends and I saw Chance was headlining, we immediately bought 3-day passes (literally that very second, I was in English class), so the hype for Chance was real. We waited eight hours standing to keep our spots right up against the gate, and every second was worth it. Having Chance at a music festival might even be considered dangerous. Because everyone else had the same idea to camp out and wait for him, people were going hours and hours without food, water, or using the bathroom. As it got closer and closer to him coming on, people were passing out and needing to be carried out of the crowd to get medical help. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. I don’t know if I could pick a favorite song, but “Sunday Candy,” “Favorite Song,” and “Mixtape” (which he opened with) were incredible. Chance made his huge stage and crowd somehow seem small, with his very personal performance. He clearly has so much passion for what he does, and his energy didn’t die down even for a second. I had never been to a concert where I felt like I really knew all the words to all the songs. I also thought he did a great job doing a bit from all of his mixtapes, not going too heavy on just one. He played all of his popular songs, did a couple covers, and brought back some old classics.
Of course this is a wide range of performers, but I strongly recommend going out and seeing any of them if they happen to be in your area! And, if you have seen them, I hope you loved them just as much as I did. So grab a friend or two, and go out and enjoy some good, live, music and make some memories.