The one place I feel most alive, comfortable, and at home, is at a concert. It's an escape from reality. No matter what's going on at the time, you can go watch your the artists you listen to every day perform your favorite songs, and everything just slips away. I've been to a lot of concerts, and have narrowed out the good from the bad as time went by. If you're thinking of trying to see someone new live, or debating whether to go or not, here are the top 5 best performers I've seen live!

6. Blink 182

I think the best thing about a Blink 182 show is you could look to your left and see a young boy, to your right will be a high school girl, and ahead of you will be men that look like they could be your father. Blink 182 reaches everyone, and their shows are just a big party to celebrate life and music. While they may not take everything seriously, their shows are so much fun, especially when they play their hits like I Miss You and All The Small Things. It's not exactly the same anymore because Tom left the band and you won't be able to hear his signature "where are you" live, but Matt Skiba has been an amazing replacement and brings a new element to the band that sounds fantastic. I've only seen them live twice and both times I had a connection to make my experience a little better than the ordinary (thank you Travis!), but I do hope to see them again soon.

5. Imagine Dragons

The first and only time I saw Imagine Dragons live, it was kind of by accident. I went to the show to see the opening act. Obviously I knew who Imagine Dragons was because I was familiar with their popular songs, such as Demons and Radioactive, but that was really as far as my knowledge of them went. Boy, was I in for a surprise. I was in the pit for the show and I honestly thought I would leave after the opening act. Thankfully, I decided to stay, and it was one of the best shows I've ever been to. Even though I didn't know the songs, I really felt like I did. Every single person in the band is an amazing performer and you can really see how much they love what they do. It was one of those shows that reminded me how much I love music. And that's why I always tell people to go to shows even if they don't know all the bands, because you might fall in love with one of them. I know I did. I've been listening to them ever since. (Pick up their new album, Evolve, it's pretty amazing)

4. Ed Sheeran

My little ginger. I've witnessed this guy go from a formerly homeless act from the UK, to a full-blown international superstar. And I couldn't be more proud. He's not only the best songwriter of our generation, he's an incredible performer too. Ed is the only person I know who can make Madison Square Garden go completely silent for an acoustic song. His shows go by incredibly fast because you're just having that much fun. I've gone to almost ten of his shows now, and they just get better and better every single time. He's on tour now, so please do check him out when he comes near you!

3. never shout never

This one is extremely personal and nostalgic to me. never shout never is my longest favorite band. The first time I saw them live, I was in the 5th grade. Since then, I've seen them live 12 times and become quite close with the members. Christofer Drew, the lead singer, has had a huge impact on my life and who I am today. He's the most positive and refreshing person you will ever meet. And you can feel and see that at their shows. I always say this, but Christofer is the one person that you'll see live and be completely taken back at the fact that he sounds exactly like he does in the studio versions. They also show how talented they are by constantly changing their sound on the spot live. For example, recently they made one of their most popular songs, Trouble, reggae live at Warped tour. If you want to go to a feel-good show and reminisce on some songs you probably loved in middle school, this would be the one to check out!

2. The 1975

My favorite band of all time. If you know me, you know how much this band means to me. If you don't know me and haven't heard me ramble on and on about them, please check them out. Their music explains my favorite genre and sound perfectly. Their live show is something you've never experienced. They're known as the "rectangle band" to some people because their logo is a rectangle, and that plays a huge part in the live show. They are surrounded by rectangles, above and around them, that change color and go with the mood of the show. And don't get me started about their song Robbers, because I could honestly go on for days about how it's the best song in the world. Please check them out when they come back on tour with a their new album, Music For Cars, in 2018. Believe me, you'll be in for an experience.

1. twenty one pilots

This one was a no-brainer for me. Whenever I think about the best live show that I've ever seen, I automatically think of twenty one pilots. That's partly because their advocates that "live music will never be dead", and that's visible at their shows. It's not just a concert, its a performance. For their last album cycle, Tyler and Josh both had "Blurryface" personas that they would put on during shows. They also interact with fans in ways you've never seen. First of all, they have a "B Stage" where they perform a few song in the middle of the pit. Tyler runs across the crowd in a giant hamster ball, does a disappearing act and ends up in the nosebleed seats, Josh has a drum solo which he performs on top of fans that hold him up, and they perform their last song, Trees, in the crowd. They also have the most inspirational and relatable lyrics I've ever heard, so it's amazing for fans to scream them out with the band. It's refreshing to be surrounded by people who feel the same way you do, and believe in the same movement. They really have the best live show right now, and I can't wait to see what's next for them since they just finished an album cycle.

In the words on twenty one pilots, "it's not the speakers that bump hearts, it's our hearts that make the beat." Go see your favorite artist live.