Nothing beats that feeling when the lights finally dim, the intro starts, and there onto the stage comes whom you’ve been waiting all day, week, or months to see! Hundreds or thousands of other people there surround you, sharing the same level of enthusiasm and stimulation as you all cheer wildly. You’re finally seeing this concert and right now it’s the best night of your life!
If you’re a frequent concert-goer, you know these feelings all too well. There’s nothing like it; it’s one of the best feelings in the world! Music is everything to me and I love going to concerts. I’ve been lucky enough to attend over 30 concerts in a range of genres and a few music festivals as well. Here I’ll recount five of my absolute favorites shows and tell you why they were so incredible!
Coldplay
Ok I am SO biased here with this one. Coldplay has been my favorite band for over 17 years now. Since I can remember life, I remember listening to Coldplay. Of course I love their concerts for that reason but their shows have also made me appreciate their music more. I’ve been to four of their concerts over three tours, including the Viva La Vida, Mylo Xyloto, and A Head Full of Dreams tour. They put on the ultimate feel-good show.
With all the color explosion, special effects, opportunities for crowd interactions, Chris Martin running and jumping around the stage for hours, and not to mention the confetti, fireworks, and light show techniques… the energy is out of this world the whole time. The band members play around with each other but are super supportive. Their collectivity makes the show successful. Of course, the best part is getting to listen to Chris Martin’s angel voice and watch Guy Berryman jam out on the bass.
While the show does have it’s slow, moving, and often tear-jerking moments with the more down tempo classics Coldplay is known for, such as “Fix You” or “Us Against The World”, the spirit picks right back up with their mega hits like “A Sky Full of Stars”, “Viva La Vida” and the recent “Something Just Like This”, making the show a diverse, cathartic release of all your differing emotions! If Coldplay is ever coming to a city near you, I promise it’s not a show to miss!
Taylor Swift
Yes, I know this lady is always a hot topic of debate, but you have to admit she knows how to entertain. I saw this first hand on her 1989 tour in Philadelphia during summer of 2015. There was such a range of attendees at her concert, the most notable being a variety of ages. From little kids to grandparents, Taylor was able to put on a show for everyone. Her multiple outfit swaps, set changes, and even some guest appearances, gave her that mega “Pop Star” effect.
Like Coldplay, Taylor’s music is diverse and she gave a bit of everything from her young country day jams to her giant house hits to her UGH just-stab-my-heart-out-you’re-making-me-cry ballads! Her concert took you through a story, finishing perfectly with a giant fireworks show and had me riding on a high for the rest of the week!
J. Cole
J. Cole is so unbelievably talented. Anyone, even first time listeners, can attest to the strength of his vocal abilities. The man’s got a voice and he knows how to use it. I first saw J. Cole perform live in 2015 at a concert on his 2014 Forrest Hills Drive tour. I was so excited to see him and he lived up to the hype. That album was just so much fun and the way he went through each and every song on the record really gave you your moneys worth. A lot of times, artists will only perform their most popular songs, but if you love a whole album, it’s sucks to miss out on those less hyped ones, but J. Cole gave you everything and I have a major appreciation for that.
The second time I saw him was in Brooklyn, New York on his 4 Your Eyez Only tour. Now this- THIS was incredible. He was incredible. Again he took us through the whole record, which was a switch up from his usual vibe to a more socially and politically charged integration throughout the album. Some people weren’t feeling that, but I loved how raw and real he got when talking about social issues and using his platform to spread awareness and love for everyone. He made himself approachable in his stage setting, which was a small square boxing-ring-type stage in the middle of the Barclays Center, with the crowd circled around him. Going to this concert was an experience not only to hear music, but also to think about the United States and how so much can be happening. But, you’re here in this moment with thousands of other people just to listen to some music and that’s a beautiful thing.
Mumford & Sons
Now I thought I loved Mumford & Sons, but I didn’t realize just how much until I saw them live! I wasn’t expecting it but they shocked me beyond words. I’ve seen them twice now, first at a music festival where they were phenomenal, but again at their own single concert during the Wilder Mind tour and that was when they absolutely blew me out of the water with their talent. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you I’ve never seen a band put so much of themselves into their music and performance quite like the men of Mumford & Sons did.
They’re much more than the slower banjo love songs most people may know them for, and they proved that with a total rock out during their concert. They had my best friend and I dancing, head banging, and screaming the lyrics the whole night, especially going all out with their loud rockers like “The Wolf”, “I Will Wait” and “Dust Bowl Dance.” Don’t get me wrong, I loved when they took a quiet moment and you got to hear their beautiful voices and instrumental techniques in the more sad songs, as that’s what I was primarily expecting from their show. Don’t let them fool you though, if alternative rock is your thing, going to an M&S concert will not let you down.
Deadmau5
Ok, this was definitely the coolest concert I’ve been to in terms of crowd engagement and visual effects. It was something special. I saw Deadmau5 at Firefly Music Festival in 2016. I knew three Deadmau5 songs before seeing him perform live, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I was also attending this show alone as my friends headed back to camp for the night, so I wasn’t sure how much fun I would have by myself, but WOW did I have fun!
This isn’t a concert where you need to know the lyrics or tunes to have a good time- that’s the beauty of electronic house music. You’re there to dance, go wild, and just follow the beat. Deadmau5 opened the show using some really awesome visuals of old paintings and then transitioned into colorful light patterns and effects. The best part of the concert is how zoomed in everyone was to the rhythms and of course the glow-stick drops that happen every major beat drop, as is signature of Deadmau5’s fanbase! I enjoyed this show way more than I thought I would and it’ll definitely go down as a festival favorite in my eyes, and ears!
Well that’s it, my five favorite concerts! Music is very subjective to the individual but a good show is a good show. I highly recommend you attend any of these artists’ concerts in the future. You don’t want to miss what could become the best performance you’ve seen in your lifetime!