If you’ve ever seen one of your favorite bands live, I’m sure you can relate to these phases to some degree. If you like the band, it’s probably like a cold, just some minor symptoms, then you’re over it, no biggie. But if you’re absolutely obsessed with the band, then the symptoms are severe, and it takes weeks before you’re the same again. Either way, there are always these stages you go through before, during and after a concert.
Phase One: Pre-Show Hype
If you’ve been planning this day for months, waking up and realizing it’s the morning of the show is probably the most exciting thing in the world. You rush through your day, playing the artists’ music every chance you get. The second it’s time to leave, you’re in your car, racing out of town with a one-track mind. Your whole drive is your- and maybe your friend’s- excited predictions of the set-list and how close you plan on being to the stage. If you’re downright obsessed with the band, you’re even thinking of what they’ll wear and how perfect they’ll look the second they walk on stage. All these thoughts are so overwhelming, you just want to fast-forward to the show right away.
Phase Two: Stress
You just got to the venue and now you’re going through every possible thing you need to do prior to the show. Where do I park? Do I have time to eat before the doors open? I didn’t forget the tickets, right? Do I have enough cash on me for merch? If you’ve been waiting for several hours before the show in order to be close to the front, you’re probably worrying about how many people are ahead of you. Then there comes a point where everyone is wondering how much time is left until the show starts and all you can think is: JUST OPEN THE DOORS.
Phase Three: The “Is this even real?” Phase
Okay, you’ve seen the opening acts and excitement is pouring out of you with every passing moment. You know the people you paid to see are minutes away from starting their set. Then finally, they’re on stage, and you literally look around like “WTF I’m actually here, this is actually happening. The music I play every day like it’s no big deal is being PERFORMED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.” You’re so stoked, you have no sense of time, location or any stress; you’re just singing your heart out, living in the moment.
Phase Four: Post-Show Hype
The show’s over and you’re on your way home, talking to your friends at a million miles an hour about every moment that was your favorite. If you’re a total fangirl (admit it: we’re all a fangirl for something, maybe not music, but something else) you’re probably talking about how perfect they looked, too. Isn’t it amazing how they looked like they’re an angel from heaven in front of all those stage lights? The music you just heard live is on in the background and you can’t even think about sleeping that night, you’d rather stay up and relive the moments you just witnessed over and over. The hype is intensified if you met any of the performers after the show. You post the pictures everywhere and wonder what night could be better than this one.
Phase Five: Sadness
This is the absolute worst realization that always hits the second you wake up the next morning. You realize the night flew by in two seconds, even if you spent at least four hours inside the venue. This isn’t even counting how long you waited outside! You listen to their music with nothing but nostalgia, look at your videos or photos you took, just wishing you could rewind time and experience it once more. You’re at school or work thinking how much reality sucks compared to the night before, when you felt the most alive. Don’t worry though, it’ll pass…maybe.