I went to a concert with my friend Allison on Tuesday and enjoyed a lot of firsts. It was my first time in the city of Philadelphia, and it was my first time seeing the band that was playing. Allison sprung the plans on me during a shift at work, and I decided it would be fun to have a night out with a good friend. To top it off, the tickets were only 12 dollars! Which is a rarity nowadays.
Fast-forward to the show which was in this venue called ‘Kung Fu Necktie’. Once we were allowed in, we immediately sat at the bar, as most people who have turned 21 within the past year do. I remember spinning my head around and seeing the band. As Allison saw the lead singer pass, she freaked out (and I sort of did too). I listened to this band’s whole discography while I was in the shower and it did not help that the lead singer looked as if he stole all of the beauty in the world.
One of the bands that opened up was called Fashion Jackson, and these guys were great. It is truly amazing how live-music sounds so much better than the audio off of Spotify. The lead singer could not have been older than 17, but was wailing on the guitar like a seasoned professional. He had that performance energy you could feel from across the room and, they all looked like they were living the dream. I felt the music going through my body as if it electrified me. It was truly something special to see.
Once Bay Faction came out, the venue became very cozy and intimate. There could not have been more than 40 people in this room. We all sang along to the music and had a good time. After the show, I somehow convinced my friend to ask the lead singer for a picture. He was so jovial and kind, which helped ease both of our nerves. Allison walked out of the show and thanked me, but really I wanted to thank her. She introduced me to an amazing band and helped me get out of my house for a little bit.
As a psychology major, I have heard the term for this moment many times. It is called a “peak experience”, and it is a moment of pure bliss and contentment. You could not possibly feel this high of an emotion on a daily basis, or else your brain would explode. This random Tuesday night, I felt like I was on top of the world. When you live in the same place all your life, you forget the livelihood that resides in other places. You forget how special people are. But that’s the thing that sucks about concerts. As you watch the beautiful lead singer leave, you realize it’s back to the real world. As I drove to school in rush hour traffic that Wednesday, the post-concert depression sank in. But post-concert depression is okay, because it means you had the time of your life the night before.