Most of us have been to at least one concert, or maybe even 10, or even 20. When you go to concerts, it’s a completely different experience, and I say this as someone who didn’t have the opportunity to go to many concerts until coming to Boston, having already gone to three in this school year. Concerts show you so much about music that you didn’t fully think existed until you go to them. These events give you the chance to see the artists you love, in an environment that becomes intrinsically personal between you and the artist, even though theres a thousand plus people at the venue. It’s an experience, and we really need to start appreciating it more.

Going to a concert is so much more than just something you for a day, or something you do for a couple of days if you go to a festival. Going to a live music event is something completely different to anything recreational that you will do. Being at a show, where you get to see the music you hear all the time and love being made in front of you, is something that’s so special. When you see your favorite band of all time live for the first time you get to feel the music more than you do when you listen to them on repeat on Spotify or on iTunes. When they play your favorite songs just a bit different to how they sound on the albums, or perform a song that’s from their first album. All of these little things make the adventure so much better.

Not even the music itself, but the stage, the venue, how the lights are set, and everything that goes into making this show monumental all play a role in making you love live music more. Whether you’re there listening to music at day or night, or if it’s a three day festival like Coachella or Lollapalooza, the idea of being at a place where music is made surrounded by other people who love it just as much as you do makes being there worth it. If you love music enough, you won’t care that you have to spend money to buy a ticket, or even travel an hour to go see your artists live.

When you get to see the people you love most do something they love, and in turn something you love too, in front of you and hundreds, or thousands of other people, it’s an experience that can’t be topped. If you’re going to see a band, a singer, or a DJ, whatever you’re going to a music event for, just know that it’s something you can’t compare. These events, that are done so creatively are made for us. Yes, tours are vital to a musician, but they’re vital for us, as the fans too. When going to a show, we get to hear everything from the artist. Their explanation behind the song, why they wrote it, what it means to them, and in turn what it means to us.

Because of all of this, live music is so much better than the music we listen to through our earbuds. Yes, without the songs on our phones, we wouldn’t know about our favorite artists, but thanks to live music, we get to feel the artists too. So next time an artist you like is in town, take the time to go and see them, because you definitely won’t regret it.