trigger Warning: This article mentions themes of mental health issues
The past few weeks have been rough for me. I had some terrible things happen in my personal life over spring break and then had to jump right back into my rigorous and demanding schedule at school, full of midterms and big assignments.
Frankly, I had been feeling like a shell of myself and hadn’t been getting the same joy that I usually do out of my daily routine. However, this event helped me process what I was going through and kept me from falling further away from myself. My two friends are a part of a local rock band, Skruple, based in Amherst, Massachusetts, and they hosted a basement performance. The band’s talent was truly inspiring. Seeing music live is one of the outlets in my life that fills me with intense positive emotions, incomparable to other experiences.
The cinematic Scene
I had gathered up a few of my friends who didn’t necessarily know each other before and we walked for about 15 minutes to the small house where Skruple was performing. After waiting in a short line and paying a small fee of $5, we went down the stairs to the basement, where we were immediately greeted by extremely kind and memorable characters also attending the show.
It was the perfect space – just the right amount of people and the right kind of people – my friends and I felt welcomed and safe. Walking down the stairs and entering the basement that was lined with blue lights and seeing my talented friends perform with their band felt like I was entering a movie scene, or some version of Euphoria that was directed by a woman. There truly was no phone in sight, and everyone was in the moment, enjoying themselves. It was the first time since spring break that I knew I was going to get through this tough time. I had been feeling very down all week until that night. After seeing the performance, I started processing and working through the numbness caused by my experience that occurred weeks prior.
Not the first instance…
My first relationship ended the week of the 2024 election and I was feeling completely defeated and devastated, both for my personal life and the world around me. About two weeks after these events, still feeling depressed and hopeless, I attended my first Coffee Haus, hosted at Amherst College, to support one of my friends who was performing their one-man show. I was moved by their act, but also by the passion and community I saw in the other performers and concert goers. I got to dance like no one was watching, and met like-minded people that I otherwise would’ve never encountered. I remember feeling for the first time in weeks that everything was going to be okay. I have since shared the magic of these local shows with my girlfriend and other friends of mine by bringing them along and sharing information about other shows, even when I cannot attend.Â
Vulnerable yet safe
Performing an original song or piece in front of an audience is incredibly vulnerable and takes a lot of bravery. Every local performance, coffee house, punk show, etc., that I’ve been to, you can feel the respect for the performers, their craft, and the attendees alike in the air. Similarly, entering a new space or music scene is also very vulnerable and brave. Even though I’ve never performed at one of these shows, I use them as a chance to experiment with my self expression in ways that I normally wouldn’t–trying out different makeup, hairstyles, and outfits. I feel very physically comfortable, social, and freely able to be myself at these events. There is a shared respect for our individual differences and experiences, and for the powerful emotions that go into song productions.
Why i prefer local
Obviously, I also enjoy going to larger-scale concerts in larger venues that require more preparation. However, there is a huge difference in the atmosphere, as well as in cost. For starters, smaller and local artists will be significantly less expensive and can be more accessible than more well-known artists. You can get closer to the musicians and actually see them without needing to look at the big TV above them like you do in a stadium. In my experience, the people I’ve encountered at smaller performances are generally more pleasant and respectful. I’ve been pushed around a lot more at bigger concerts by strangers who don’t care for my boundaries or for the fact that we are both there for our common love for the art. Most importantly, there is a sea of phones recording every second of larger concerts, and it completely takes away from the experience. Concert etiquette is a lost art in many of these larger venues, but it is still ever present at smaller ones.Â
While seeing live music isn’t the be-all cure for mental health issues or processing traumatic events, it can certainly be a helpful tool. It gets you out of bed, gives you a fun event to look forward to, and gives you an opportunity to be social and meet new people with common interests and values. The experience of witnessing the performance itself is moving and inspiring within itself, and has had positive effects on my emotional wellbeing.Â
Can’t get enough of HC UMass Amherst? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, listen to us on Spotify, like us on Facebook, and read our latest Tweets!Â