Ever since I was little, I’ve been addicted to attending concerts. From my first Grateful Dead shows with my dad, to the recent SWEAT Tour I went to with a friend, I am always seeking out opportunities to listen to music live. There’s just something about the energy: the singing fans, the pounding drums, even the way your feet hurt from dancing. For me, nothing tops the feeling of screaming my favorite lyrics with my favorite people. Since I think about concerts often, I’ve decided to compile a list of the best ones that I have ever been to.
#10. Glaive – The Old Dog New Tricks Tour
One of the first smaller-scale concerts I ever went to was at the Orpheum for an artist named Glaive: a hyper-pop/indie musician. My friend that I went with was a huge fan of his, so she helped me push up to the front near the stage. Even though I didn’t know a lot of the songs, I was filled with energy all night. Everyone around me was jumping and screaming, and their vibes really rubbed off on me. I had a great time, and Glaive’s voice sounded great!
#9. Conan Gray – The Comfort Crowd Tour
I’ve been a huge fan of Conan Gray since around 2018 when his EP Sunset Season was released. I loved his soft voice and his dreamy instrumentals. So, of course, when he went on tour in 2019, I begged my dad to buy us tickets to see him. He obliged, and we ended up seeing him at the Ritz. Even though I was with my dad of all people, I had so much fun. I was starstruck from seeing Conan in real life (he is as majestic as he seems online). His voice was so beautiful, and he made the slowest of songs fun to scream to.
#8. Ricky Montgomery – The Rick Tour
This show was one that really surprised me. I had expected it to be slow and emotional, as most of his songs are. I definitely wasn’t expecting to be jumping around and screaming as much as I did. Ricky was so upbeat the entire concert, turning his slow songs into power ballads that were fun to dance to. It seemed as if his energy was limitless, as he was flying to each end of the stage at all times.Â
#7. I Don’t Know How but They Found Me – The Gloom Division Tour
Firstly, this band is crazily underrated (you should check out their music). Secondly, their show was incredible. I have seen them three times, and they never fail to disappoint. Through plenty of audience interaction, dad puns, and even making his way to the back of the crowd, Dallon Weekes proves himself to be a very entertaining performer. The music itself is funky and danceable, and Dallon’s voice is so pretty.
#6. 3arelyhuman – The Sassy Scene Tour
3arelyhuman is definitely an artist who I would classify as “scene.” Their style is edgy and intimidating, but they are so sweet to the fans. Throughout the show, when we were all jumping in the pit, he never failed to say how much he loved us and showed his gratitude. Everyone was dancing (and we were in Crowbar, a very small venue) so we were all covered in sweat. The vibes were immaculate, and the songs were so hype.
#5. Twenty One Pilots – The Clancy Tour
I have been obsessed with this band since middle school, and so much of their music holds a special space in my heart. When I got to see them earlier this year at the Kia Center, I was so excited. I knew every song. What I didn’t know is that they would employ incredible transitions between many of the songs. There were also many graphics on the screen that were representative of the lore, so it was a very visual show. Tyler and Josh are a fantastic musical duo, with Tyler singing and Josh playing drums (even singing at one point).
#4. Sabrina Carpenter – The Short N’ Sweet Tour
Before I attended this show, I had seen so many clips of it on TikTok. I thought I knew everything there was to see and hear. However, I must not have seen everything, because I was shocked at all the thought that went into the production. The choreography was impressive, and Sabrina’s outfits were gorgeous. The entire show felt like a giant sleepover with the way that it was set up; it even featured a game of Spin the Bottle.
#3. Melanie Martinez – The Trilogy Tour
This show was utterly gorgeous. There were moments when the visuals took my breath away from how pretty they were. Also, Melanie’s stage presence is incredible. Her voice is powerful, and she conveys so much emotion through the way she sings. I loved how she played music from each of her “eras,” telling the complete story of Crybaby.
#2. Panic! at the Disco – Pray for the Wicked Tour
I may be a bit biased since Panic! is my favorite band of all time, but I had so much fun seeing them for their Pray for the Wicked tour. Brendon Urie’s live vocals are so amazing! He had no trouble hitting high and low notes, which truly showed off his incredible vocal range. The songs themselves are also just so good. They’ve never failed to release bangers (except for their latest album Viva Las Vengeance, which I think we can all agree was not great).
#1. Charli XCX and Troye Sivan – SWEAT Tour
The best concert I have ever been to was the SWEAT Tour, a collaboration between Charli XCX and Troye Sivan. When I first bought the tickets in March, I was only interested in seeing Troye, since I love his music. However, that summer, the Brat album came out, which shook me to my core. I thought the album was great, as did the rest of the internet. When it came time for the concert, I was beyond hyped to see both Charli and Troye and let me tell you that they killed it. The show was about three hours, and throughout the entire thing, everyone was jumping. It felt like a club in the Kia Center that night. There was never a moment where the energy dipped. I really loved how Charli and Troye took turns performing (one would do about three songs, and then they would switch). I think this decision helped keep the crowd’s attention.
And there you have it, my top 10 concerts of all time. I hope you can find this list useful as you contemplate which tickets to drain your bank account buying.