As an avid concert goer and appreciator of all things music, tossing hundreds of dollars a year towards concert tickets and all of the band merch a person could ever have just seems like the only thing to do, and I have absolutely no regrets about that. It seems crazy to me that anyone would choose not to experience live music and how indescribably life-changing it can actually be. Having passed up certain concerts in the past due to money or time conflicts, I have come to the conclusion that every single concert you may attend is indeed a once in a lifetime opportunity, even if you can see the same band a year later at a different show. Every single concert has its own vibe and overall effect that you just might not experience ever again. I can personally say that every single concert I have been to has been unbelievably perfect in its own way, and I wouldn’t trade a single one. Here are a few of my favorite priceless reasons to never miss a show:
You never know which show you will have your best crowd surf at, and to be honest, it’s usually not the one you’d expect. By the way, don’t ever pass up the opportunity to crowd surf/stage dive/go crazy as well. The best concerts just might involve stories in which you may or may not have ended up with an injury that was totally worth it. Or maybe you made it on stage and high-fived your favorite musician and that is something you won’t forget. No matter how many times you do it, the thrill and adrenaline of crowd surfing never really goes away, and it is always a good idea. But, like I said, some shows’ crowd surfs are just better, for some reason that you may not even understand.
Never pass up small shows or the opportunity to see unknown or upcoming bands. They often have the best and most personal shows. Plus, you’ll want to be able to say that you were one of the small group of people that saw them and spoke to them before they went big. Some, if not most, of my favorite sets have been performed by opening bands or locals in bars and they truly always end up being the greatest people because at this moment in their music careers, every show might still be a priceless opportunity for them and they will do everything to make the best of it. There is no greater feeling than heading home after a show with a new band on your heart, and one day hearing their song on the radio or watching them headline another show, knowing that your support helped make a difference in their music careers.
The venue makes all the difference. You can see the same five bands performing the same exact songs, but if the venue is different, the experience will be entirely different as well. From outdoor festivals, to seated theatres, to old high schools, the venue is truly one of the most important aspects of a show. Believe it or not, I find that the smaller the venue, the better the show. On the other hand, though, walking around an outdoor music festival where at every turn you are surrounded by new music and a completely different scene can take your breath away. From famous festivals like Vans Warped Tour to smaller, indoor ones such as Bled Fest, the experience is entirely different, but I wouldn’t know how to choose one over the other.
You never know when it’s going to be a band’s last show. Bands require a lot of cooperation and understanding from a large group of people, and sometimes things don’t always work out for the best. Sometimes musicians just feel like it's time to retire their band, and there is no saying when that might happen. I couldn’t tell you how many times I saw a favorite band live, and then found out a couple weeks later that they would be breaking up and calling it quits at the end of their tour. You don’t want to say that you had and missed the opportunity to see your favorite band because you kept telling yourself that you could see them later and then later never happened.
The people you go with can make or break a show. Whether you are a novice and are attending a show with experienced attendees, or vise versa, make sure the people you choose are outgoing enough to get in the crowd and have a good time. I’m not saying that if you go with a friend that doesn’t “mosh” that you’re not going to enjoy it. But, in my experience, the crazier the group you go with is, the more exciting the overall experience will be and the more stories you will have. As a side note, being the person to bring a friend to their first concert can be an incredibly rewarding opportunity and watching them experience their first show truly makes you appreciate it all that much more. Also, the different people you meet at every different show might have a lasting affect on your life, and you do not want to miss out on that. In my experience, you rarely leave a show without meeting at least one person worth keeping in touch with, or at least telling a friend about when you get home.
So my advice to you is go; go to every concert that even remotely interests you and make the most of it while you're there. You will only regret the shows you miss, not the shows you went broke to attend or the ones you went out of your comfort zone for. I can honestly say that when asked what my favorite memory is, I always end up thinking back through all of the countless shows I've been to, and picking one in particular is impossible. I wouldn't trade a single one, and one of my greatest accomplishments in my young life is all of the shows I've been to and the people I've met because of them. Everyone should have something that important in their lives, and luckily live music is everywhere, so never make an excuse to miss out on it. Go.
