Making the most out of concerts and live music
CREDIT: CONTRIBUTED TO THE CORD
The benefits of attending concerts go far beyond a single night of fun.
Waterloo (CUP) — You've all heard the stories of people going abroad and having their lives changed, or the two-week trip they took to Hawaii gave them a new outlook on life.
Don't get me wrong, travelling is cool. I've gotten the chance to take some pretty great trips and they haven't necessarily defined who I am, but they definitely are always a fun time.
However, when I choose to spend my funds, I spend them on a different type of experience.
Everyone who knows me knows I love concerts; I have seen all of my favourite artists live, I go to at least 10 if not more concerts a year and Ticketmaster for sure has taken thousands of dollars from me.
A lot of people don't really get the hype, they've never been to a concert or went to some local band when they were eight and that's it.
There's a euphoric feeling that comes with standing in a room full of thousands of other people just as passionate about an artist as you when you're all screaming your favourite song at the top of your lungs and dancing the night away.
I've seen all types of artists in all types of settings — I've seen The 1975 for $20 in the now-defunct venue Kool Haus, and I have also paid $250 on top of flights and hotel costs to go to Las Vegas to see the Backstreet Boys.
With all the money I've spent on concerts, I easily would have been able to fly to an all-inclusive resort in Bora Bora by now.
So, what's the point of continually spending my money on these things, sometimes seeing the same artist multiple times in one year?
It's the feeling of hearing one of your favourite songs live and all the memories it brings.
Whether a song got you through a hard time, brings back a point of happiness and youth in your life, or even reminds you of certain people, hearing it live brings back the memories a thousand times stronger and you're surrounded by others who feel the exact same way.
Everyone is decked out in their concert shirts that they proudly sport outside of concert halls and when asked about their favourite band could go on about them forever.
Being a true fan of an artist doesn't just mean liking their music. You learn things about them, on the odd occasion you get to interact with them and really, fans are artists' entire worlds.
How can an artist be successful without a fanbase? That's why concerts are so special. Die-hard fans of these artists travel from thousands of miles away to spend a few hours not only hearing songs live but also getting to connect with other fans, they get to see the band in the flesh and they get to have memories that last forever.
In my experience, I've gotten to see main artists bring out their friends on stage, like Justin Bieber surprising the crowd with Drake, Taylor Swift bringing out Bryan Adams and I even got to touch Harry Styles' hand — which, to be quite honest, was the best moment of my life.
Sitting in a venue when the lights turn off and everyone scream because they know they're about to experience one of the best nights of their life is something that's hard to fully explain because each person gets a different experience from a concert. I would take screaming along to my favourite song right back to my favourite singer over laying on the beach any day.
The benefits of attending concerts go far beyond a single night of fun.
Waterloo (CUP) — You've all heard the stories of people going abroad and having their lives changed, or the two-week trip they took to Hawaii gave them a new outlook on life.
Don't get me wrong, travelling is cool. I've gotten the chance to take some pretty great trips and they haven't necessarily defined who I am, but they definitely are always a fun time.
However, when I choose to spend my funds, I spend them on a different type of experience.
Everyone who knows me knows I love concerts; I have seen all of my favourite artists live, I go to at least 10 if not more concerts a year and Ticketmaster for sure has taken thousands of dollars from me.
A lot of people don't really get the hype, they've never been to a concert or went to some local band when they were eight and that's it.
There's a euphoric feeling that comes with standing in a room full of thousands of other people just as passionate about an artist as you when you're all screaming your favourite song at the top of your lungs and dancing the night away.
I've seen all types of artists in all types of settings — I've seen The 1975 for $20 in the now-defunct venue Kool Haus, and I have also paid $250 on top of flights and hotel costs to go to Las Vegas to see the Backstreet Boys.
With all the money I've spent on concerts, I easily would have been able to fly to an all-inclusive resort in Bora Bora by now.
So, what's the point of continually spending my money on these things, sometimes seeing the same artist multiple times in one year?
It's the feeling of hearing one of your favourite songs live and all the memories it brings.
Whether a song got you through a hard time, brings back a point of happiness and youth in your life, or even reminds you of certain people, hearing it live brings back the memories a thousand times stronger and you're surrounded by others who feel the exact same way.
Everyone is decked out in their concert shirts that they proudly sport outside of concert halls and when asked about their favourite band could go on about them forever.
Being a true fan of an artist doesn't just mean liking their music. You learn things about them, on the odd occasion you get to interact with them and really, fans are artists' entire worlds.
How can an artist be successful without a fanbase? That's why concerts are so special. Die-hard fans of these artists travel from thousands of miles away to spend a few hours not only hearing songs live but also getting to connect with other fans, they get to see the band in the flesh and they get to have memories that last forever.
In my experience, I've gotten to see main artists bring out their friends on stage, like Justin Bieber surprising the crowd with Drake, Taylor Swift bringing out Bryan Adams and I even got to touch Harry Styles' hand — which, to be quite honest, was the best moment of my life.
Sitting in a venue when the lights turn off and everyone scream because they know they're about to experience one of the best nights of their life is something that's hard to fully explain because each person gets a different experience from a concert. I would take screaming along to my favourite song right back to my favourite singer over laying on the beach any day.