The pandemic has taken away so much, and live music and concerts were unfortunately another casualty of COVID-19. Stadiums that were filled with artists and their fans every week have been empty since 2019. Although I have been to some live music events since guidelines lifted, this past weekend has been a long time coming for me since the summer. Way back in June, my sister and I were able to get tickets to see the Jonas Brothers at Fenway Park. The idea was too good to pass up. One of my favorite bands at an iconic venue? I had to purchase the tickets ASAP. The entire week went by slowly as I did homework and went to my usual classes, but once Friday came, I was more than ready to make my way to Boston. The whole experience felt like a dream. I was back in huge crowds and at the same time listening to Jonas Brothers classics, you can’t get better than that. As I am coming down from the high of the concert, I realize now there was so much I missed about live music and being able to go to concerts with your loved ones. Here are some of the few moments of concerts that I cherish:
1. When the lights first go off
Everyone who has been to a concert knows the exact feeling of excitement when the lights in the venue go off and the show is about to start. It is an indescribable high that you get to experience with thousands of other fans. Even if you were dragged to the concert by someone, there has to be some sort of adrenaline that comes with this. All the anticipation leads up to this one moment where you can scream at the top of your lungs, ready to have a great concert experience.
2. Your favorite song comes on
Hearing some of my childhood songs being sung back to me live was definitely a highlight of my whole night, and is for any concert. Classics like “Burning Up” and “SOS” felt different in the best way as I got to watch Nick and Joe Jonas sing together on stage. Whether the song brings back the feeling of nostalgia, a happy moment in life, or even a sad memory, it is life-changing to sing at the top of your lungs to the person that created that song.
3. Going with family/friends
My sister flew up from Washington DC for the concert at Fenway, and I am so glad she did. For this specific concert, I think it was perfect we ended up going with each other since we grew up listening to their music. With other concerts, you could go with your roommate, significant other, or close friends. No matter who it is, you share that experience forever and all the memories/feelings that come with live music.
4. Taking the perfect video
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think taking videos is a great addition to the concert experience, especially when you are having some post-concert sadness a few days after. Even if it is just a few-second clip, you will be able to re-live some of the happiness and serotonin through the screen. I know I still watch videos from past concerts all the time just for fun. I recommend taking videos of some of your favorite songs, but keep them short, you still want to live in the moment!
5. Meeting new people
One of the hidden benefits of concerts is that everyone is there for the same reason as you. Sometimes, being a huge fan of an artist can be internal, especially if your close friends do not like that type of music or are not familiar with the singer. I specifically remember going to a Taylor Swift concert back in 2018 and feeling the contagious energy in Gillette Stadium. So many people were talking about their favorite albums, songs, etc. to people they didn’t even know in their section. These relationships might not last past that night, but at the moment, it adds to the environment and excitement of the concert.
This past year has been extremely hard for the music industry, and I am so glad venues are starting to come back and invite the fans back (fully vaccinated of course). I had a great concert experience this past weekend and I am motivated and excited to seek out tickets to go to more performances in the future.