When I tell people I have never been to a concert, I receive various reactions. The most common one is shock.
As an 18-year-old female, everyone I come across expects that I have attended a concert in my lifetime. Until recently, I did not have any artists who I liked enough to hand over my money to hear them live. Because of this, I never understood why people would spend money to hear someone perform when they could listen to the music via their phone anytime they pleased.
So, when I finally decided to pay $30 – definitely on the low end of concert ticket prices – to see Moon Taxi, a band I enjoy listening to, I worried if the experience would live up to the hype.
Was it worth the hype? Short answer – yes and no.
Why “yes”?
As a lover of music, there are few feelings as great as the reverberations of a song you love going through your body.
The energy of the crowd was contagious; one clap caused the whole audience to join in. I love being in a group with that kind of positive captivating energy.
My friend, who can hardly be called a fan of the band, was very open-minded about the concert and was able to jam along without even knowing the lyrics. My experience partly relied on her attitude, which thankfully was positive.
Why “no”?
Despite costing a mere $30, the concert itself did not exceed my expectations.
I enjoyed myself enough because I was in good company, and I liked the main act. However, the opening acts ate up two hours of a less than four hour show, and being surrounded by drunk young adults diminished my ability to have a pleasurable experience.
Overall, I did have a good time, and I believe if some of the circumstances had been different I would be able to say I had a great time. The hype surrounding concerts is justified, but the experience one has completely depends on the individual and the circumstances.
If you enjoy music, and can find the extra money to pay for a concert, go for the experience so at least you won’t have to deal with the horrified looks when you tell people you haven’t been to a concert.