I’m a big believer in investing my money in experiences instead of things. The problem with this is there are a lot of things I want to experience. One of my favorite things to experience is live music. I’ve probably been to more concerts this year than most people attend in their entire lifetime. I would much rather invest my money in a person living their dream than on a shopping spree at the mall. I have a weakness for boys that have any type of musical ability, so you can imagine where all of my money goes. I went to a concert this weekend and will be attending four more just this month. The concert I attended this weekend and two more this month are all for the same band. Some may not understand why I spend hundreds of dollars to see the same band on the same tour play the same songs over and over again but that’s okay. I do it because I invest in experiences. If there’s a band I enjoy, I want to see them as many times as possible. They make me happy so why wouldn’t I want to experience that happiness over and over again? Going to concerts is just my way of maximizing my happiness.
This weekend I saw the band 5 Seconds of Summer. I’ve seen this band seven times previously so I’m no stranger to hearing their songs live. The great thing about seeing a band so many times is that I have been able to see them grow as artists. I first saw them in 2014 as they played to a room of about 2,000 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Since then, I’ve seen them open for One Direction and headline stadium shows. Last summer, I stood in the front row as they played to a sold out Hersheypark Stadium. At this point, they had only been to the stadium once before to open for One Direction. Now, they have played at this venue two times on their own. I’ve had the privilege of being at both of these shows. I’ve witnessed their setlist change as they’ve released new songs and have become more secure in their musical ability. The crowds have gotten bigger and their setlist has gotten longer. Each concert has been more memorable than the last.
Being able to watch 5 Seconds of Summer grow as musicians has strengthened my love of live music. Even though I’ve spent tons of money I probably shouldn’t have supporting them, I’ve invested in experiences. I’ll always have their concerts to look back on and each time the memories will put a smile on my face. I won’t outgrow the experiences like I would if I had spent that money on a pair of jeans or a new shirt. I know 20 years from now I’ll still remember the words to “She Looks So Perfect” and I’ll be able to tell my children about the time I spent $500 on a concert ticket.
