If you have ever been to a concert, you know the power a great performance has. Seeing one of your favorite artists perform your favorite songs while being surrounded by others who feel the same can be a life-altering experience. The energy is simply unmatched.
Before the pandemic, I would go to concerts a couple of times a year. My dad frequently bought my sisters and me concert tickets for birthdays or Christmas.
Here’s a list of concerts I attended pre-pandemic:
- Train (twice)
- Lorde
- Paramore
- Ellie Goulding
- Ariana Grande
- Colbie Caillat/Christina Perri
I attended all of these with some family members, more than half of them being with my dad. He was (and still is) a great time at concerts. He sings, dances and hollers alongside my sisters even when he is the only dad in the room (see Ariana Grande and Lorde on the list above).
Then the pandemic hit and concerts were essentially banned. Large crowds weren’t allowed to gather and artists couldn’t go on tour. I didn’t realize how much I appreciated concerts until they were gone.
Early pandemic restrictions lead to a rise in virtual concerts, a very polarizing alternative to in-person music events. Artists were going live on Instagram to perform for fans and series such as NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concerts” were being posted on YouTube.
Some fans saw these performances as a chance to connect with artists. However, others saw it as counterintuitive because, for them, the appeal of concerts was seeing people in person.
However, now that we are emerging from the height of the pandemic, performers have started to travel again. Being in quarantine really gave me the opportunity to discover new music for myself and now I have many artists on my to-see list including Clairo and King Princess.
In the past month, I have also seen two of my favorite artists in-person: Lorde and Girl in Red.
While masks were not required, many concert-goers and employees still wore them. In addition, both venues no longer required proof of vacation, although they previously did.
Girl in Red
The Girl in Red concert was at a smaller venue, so it was standing room only. It was my first time attending a concert in the general admission section and I have to say I don’t know if I’ll ever want to go back to having seats. The concert experience was so much more impactful being surrounded by people dancing and singing along as hard as I was. It was also my first time attending a concert with my friends as opposed to my family.
Lorde
The Lorde concert was transcendental. It was my second time seeing her and it was obvious she improved her stage presence since her last tour. The way she interacted with the crowd while still performing choreographed sequences made for the perfect performance.
The cherry on top? She sang my favorite song unexpectedly.
Needless to say, I missed concerts and I can’t wait to see more performances by my favorite artists.