Before COVID-19, I had only been to one concert. It was at Gillette Stadium, a massive venue filled with thousands and thousands of people coming together for their shared love of music. I think during the pandemic, everyone missed the feeling of live music. There is nothing quite like seeing and hearing your favorite songs performed right in front of you. I felt the absence of live music during the pandemic, so when I was presented with an opportunity to finally go to a concert again I had to take it.
During the summer, a few friends and I were walking through the streets of Allston when we came across a guy on the corner of the street handing out stickers. Too many people ignored him for my liking. Who would say no to a free sticker? When we walked up to him we were greeted with the sticker and a flyer for a concert at Brighton Music Hall. His name was Leo, and he explained that he was part of a band called The Q-Tip Bandits. He excitedly told us how his band would be playing the following Friday and that we should check it out. Now, I could never deny a personal invitation to a concert from the singer himself. When we reached our parked car, we immediately played their music. Blasting it as we passed him on the street, he lit up when he heard his song.
I consider running into him on the street a stroke of luck. The odds of meeting a stranger advertising their music and liking said music seemed low, but their music genuinely surprised me. Upbeat and full of life, their music radiates a kind of joy that I knew I had to see live. The following Friday I made sure to attend their concert. Brighton Music Hall is not a large venue by any means and, if I’m being honest, the lack of people in it was intimidating. However, once the openers started, the venue was flooded with people. Although I didn’t know any of the songs being played, I was in awe at how talented each artist was and how much passion they had while on stage.
Finally, our friend from the street corner appeared on stage with the rest of The Q-Tip Bandits. They had stage decorations of colorful flowers which matched their vibe perfectly. The whole room felt energized the instant they stepped on stage. They sounded incredible live, and the joy of their music translated through the whole audience. With such a small venue, it was easy to tell that everyone in the room was there for the music and to support these artists. The intimacy of smaller venues will never be able to be captured in stadiums.
There are so many talented people in the world that deserve to be recognized. Supporting smaller artists is something that can help them gain that recognition. Not only is there a deeper connection between the artist and the listener, but being able to see them perform is incredible. You won’t be fighting for your life against Ticketmaster or taking out a loan to listen to an hour and a half of music. Who knows, you could be supporting the next Harry Styles or SZA.
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