Hearing music live, whether it’s at some small venue in the East Village, or Lollapalooza at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois, is an amazing experience. The publicity regarding concert culture seems to be at an all-time high, especially with influencers posting outfit-of-the-day or sponsored content. The intrigue for seeking out live performances is booming, which can be attributed to the need of belonging in a community and how prone it is to create content for social media.
This is not a bad thing. In fact, it promotes an in-person, shared experience that we’ve been missing post-Covid. Life can get hectic at times, and because of that, we tend to forget how to have fun. Having a life online can be great, but isn’t it better to expose yourself to new experiences, especially when it’s in front of you? There’s nothing as euphoric as seeing your favorite musician live, in-person for the first time, regardless if you’re in the 500s. This past November, I had the chance to see Blood Orange live at the Brooklyn Steel. I was utterly entranced from seeing him play “Vivid Light” in person, instead of my phone screen. Moments like that, when you’re simply having fun and enjoying being in the present is one of the reasons that I find concert culture having a lot of hype. Being surrounded by people who also enjoy the music you listen to, can be reaffirming and cultivates a bond. When I attended night one of Bassvictim’s concert at Webster Hall earlier this month, the people who were attending the concert added a positive experience to the concert as a whole. I could belt out the lyrics to Dogtag Freestyle and the person next to me would do it even louder. Energy is crucial for a concert or music festival’s success.
Currently, I see people on TikTok getting amped up for Coachella and Lollapalooza, and that is only promoting concert culture even further. I speak for myself that I have fallen victim to posting clips of concert videos on social media, but I enjoy it! It gives the chance to other people to comment on it, and share their experience at the same concert. I mentioned that seeing live performances in person is a better musical experience, and I stand firm on that belief. However, a huge factor as to why concerts are big, is due to social media attention. It implores the viewer to be aware of specific artists and their tour dates, which in turn, creates an in-person experience that will live fondly in our memories.
Concert goers are funding the longevity of the performing arts, and that in itself should be a reason to see your favorite artists. Whether you’re wanting to meet new people at Madison Square Garden while bonding over Lorde, or having FOMO that you don’t have tickets to see Harry Styles, I urge you to get out and experience the world in any way you can, musically of course.