As a music lover, one of my favorite things to do is experience live music. While concert ticket prices have been at an all time high recently, I am lucky enough to have attended concerts from my favorite artists over the past few years. Listening to music live is a whole new experience that I recommend to anyone who has the opportunity. Every concert is different and provides a thrilling experience along with unforgettable memories. While I have been to many concerts, there are a few in particular that stand out to me.
- Harry Styles – Little Caesars Arena
I saw Harry Styles for the second time in 2021 during ‘Love on Tour.’ At the time of this concert, I had nosebleed seats and had no idea I’d be seeing the same show in the pit of Madison Square Garden in New York City a week later. Regardless, I would not trade my nosebleed seats or the memories I made at this concert for the world. My best friend and I attended the concert together, and we have both loved Harry Styles since 2010, when One Direction was formed. For this reason, we already knew we would have the time of our lives. While some people don’t care about the opening act of concerts, I think the right opening act can really get the audience excited and set the tone for the rest of the show. The opening act for this leg of the tour was Jenny Lewis. Even though I had not heard any of her music prior to the concert, she was very talented, she was entertaining, and she really interacted well with the audience. What really made the night memorable was the atmosphere that Harry Styles created for his fans. Aside from putting on a great show, he also made everyone in the audience feel like family. It was clear how much he really loves his fans from the way he interacted with us. I had the best time screaming the lyrics to all of my favorite songs with my best friend, and I will never forget the memories I made at this concert.
- Billie Eilish – Little Caesars Arena
As someone who has been a big fan of Billie Eilish since 2017, I was beyond excited to be able to go see her ‘Happier Than Ever Tour’ in 2022. While I had pretty good seats for this show, I don’t think there could’ve been a bad seat in the arena. The setlist for this tour was amazing. Incorporating older and newer songs gave me so much nostalgia from when I first started listening to her. While Billie’s music is already amazing on its own, she also had an incredible set and visuals that not only enhanced the music, but also the experience. With only Billie, Billie’s brother and producer Finneas, and her drummer Andrew Marshall on the stage throughout the entire show, it made the experience more personal, free of backup dancers or tacky choreography. The show was delivered in a way that was very heartfelt, leaving audience members feeling very connected to her music on a new level. The night ended with confetti raining from the sky during her song ‘Happier Than Ever’, which gave a magical touch to the evening. As I left with my heart full of joy and hands full of confetti, it was evident that Billie Eilish knows how to put on a show.
- Ruel – The Majestic Theatre
This past summer, I was offered the amazing opportunity to see Ruel for the second time with my best friend. Ruel is an artist from Australia, so this was his first time performing in Detroit, which was super cool to see. To enhance the experience, we were able to get VIP tickets that gave us the chance to be in the audience during the sound check. During the sound check, we were able to talk to Ruel, ask him questions, and hear him sing several songs that were not on the setlist for the show. This was my first time experiencing a sound check, and it felt super personal and unique. Throughout the show, Ruel and his band had an energy like no other that exuded into the audience. At one point in the show, Ruel even came into the audience to sing with all of his fans. By the end of the night, I was friends with everyone standing around me, as it brought us closer together to be able to sing our favorite songs with one another. He and his band put on an amazing performance, and it was great to hear the songs I know and love in concert again.
4. Suki Waterhouse – El Club
While I went to this concert in support of my best friend, and I didn’t know many of Suki’s songs, I left this concert adding all of them to my playlist. To start out the night, Suki had an amazing opening act called Blondshell, a talented vocalist and lyricist who I now listen to every day. Suki not only had a beautiful voice, but also a captivating stage presence. She is an artist who needs no visuals or autotune to put on a great show. While the venue was quite small, this only made the performance more personal. The bands for both Blondshell and Suki were incredibly talented, and we were even able to talk to some of the members after the show. It was very special to attend a concert knowing none of the songs and leaving with a new favorite artist and many amazing memories.
5. Giant Rooks – The Shelter at St. Andrews Hall
Most recently, I saw Giant Rooks at The Shelter in Detroit. I went to this concert with no previous knowledge of the band, but I was excited to hear new music. The Giant Rooks are from Germany. With five members in the band, every member brought a different energy to the show with every instrument they played. The talent in this band was extraordinary. Frederick Rabe, the lead singer, had a voice like no other. The band brought their all to the performance, regardless of how many people were in the audience. They even walked throughout the crowd during the show. This concert opened me up to a new kind of music, and I was lucky to see this band perform live.
Whether you want to make lifelong memories with your best friends, experience new music live, or just want to get out of the house, every concert has something for everyone. The opportunity to experience music live is unique and will leave you looking for the next concert to attend. Big or small, I recommend the experience of experiencing live music to everyone.