Whether it’s your favorite band or a random musical, you should go when given the chance
The lights dim, the curtain draws and the whole room goes silent as the musical number begins. The lights start flashing, the crowd starts screaming and the band strums the first note. The spotlight shines down, cocktails clink in cheers and the audience smiles as the comic cracks their first joke. No matter the type of performance, there’s nothing quite like the experience of a live show. Whether it’s a musical, a band or a stand-up show, live performances always feel whimsical.
Whenever I go to a live show, I get this distinct feeling of overwhelming joy during it. Sometimes it is an event I’ve waited months on end for, circling the date on my calendar and counting down the days until it’s finally the big night. Other times, I’ll find myself in a lucky position where a low-cost or free event pops up, and I jump at the chance. The spontaneity is exciting in and of itself, and the feelings I encounter while there always affirm that I made the right decision to check it out.
Recently, I had the opportunity to see a musical with a friend taking a theater class. We went to see “Kimberly Akimbo” on a Sunday evening and, never having heard of the show, I had zero expectations. We left smiling ear to ear, chatting the whole way home and trying to decode the meanings behind the darkly funny show we just experienced. We also reflected on how nice it was to spend a couple of hours away from the screens that have become so normal in our daily lives.
Another evening, my friends and I accompanied our roommate to a Monday night concert of a small band she’s a fan of at a cozy theater just outside downtown. It had been a long, Monday-feeling Monday, but for those few hours in that theater, we danced and laughed and sang along to songs we didn’t fully know the words to, or were hearing for the first time. When we walked out into the night, the music still thrummed in our ears, and the smiles were still glued to our faces.
There’s something so magical about live performances. They transport us out of our day-to-day lives, connect us to those we experience it with and get us away from scrolling addictions. It feels so intentional, and I feel present in such an infatuating way.
I believe live shows tell stories that evoke such visceral emotion because of this authentic feel, this intentionally present moment we choose to dedicate ourselves to being captivated by.
Go to random shows. Go to your favorite performances. Go to any live experience you have the opportunity to. Whether it’s something you save months and months for or something that falls into your lap, it will be incredible regardless. And who knows, if it’s something new to you, you could discover a story or some songs you truly love.