5 Reasons Why Experiencing Live Music is Worth Your Money

After a long day at work, who wouldn’t love to put on their earphones and relax to Charlie Puth’s latest ballad or jam to Queen’s timeless feel-good tunes, while foolishly hoping today is the day you won’t be crushed like sardines in a can as you try to squeeze yourself into the subway? But it’s Friday night. And instead of heading home, wouldn’t it be nice to go out and ravel in the sights and sounds for a change? If the band whose songs provide soundtracks to your day is having a concert in town, why miss out on the opportunity of hearing them live? If you’re still not convinced, here are several more reasons why going to concerts is worth your hard-earned money.

1. It’s not just about the popular singles.

If you’ve reached the stage where you consider buying a ticket to your favourite artist’s concert, you probably like the artist more than just their single playing on a loop on the radio. Concerts provide us the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the “hidden gems”, tracks on the album that don’t get a radio play, otherwise not known to the public ears. The contemporary music industry has, to a certain extent, encouraged mainstream listeners to adopt a taste for pop songs with repetitive hooks rather than to really understand what they are saying (and there sure are a lot of songs that don’t covey any deep meaning). A live concert is much more than just the radio-friendly, overplayed singles.

2. You’ll immerse in the atmosphere.

Are you one of those people who count down to the New Year in front of a TV or go out with friends to celebrate and maybe wrap up the night watching the fireworks? If you identify yourself with the latter then you probably know what it means to immerse in the atmosphere. In a place where a particular event is happening, what attracts people there in the first place is a common interest. You go to a concert because you enjoy listening to the works of the same artist; and something about sharing the moment and the live energy or singing along with fellow enthusiasts is uniquely special. Next time, try starting a conversation; you might be surprised by just how naturally the conversation can flow as you talk about the songs you’ve both bobbed your heads to over a thousand times or how the songs help alleviate your sorrows through the darkest moments.

3. It’s an experience worth a lifetime.

What beats something you can physically obtain is something you can keep eternally: the memories and experience that accompanies them. This isn’t something tangible, but rather a feeling that spontaneously curves up the edge of your lips whenever you relive the moment. This is not something duplicable and each experience is unique to the owner. Such is the experience that you can recall 10 years from now and tell yourself “Damn, what a night that was,” or “Damn, what a night of hell that was” as you giggle at the poor decisions you might’ve made. You just never know what might happen going to a concert. A live music show takes a lot of planning, effort and labour in order to pull off successfully. Granted, there’s never a lack of surprises — from the performer, the crowd and the energy exchanged between them. And will it be the kind of production that boasts blinding extravagant lighting effects? Will the speakers drown your voice in a sea of boom and bass? Or will the sonic experience be more raw, with you being in a quiet, enclosed room filled with fixing eyes, anticipating the next unplugged performances. In whatever way the spectacle turns out, all of those things cannot be conjured by the music you listen to solely on your device.

4. Oh, the visual satisfaction and exclusive souvenirs you get.

Whether you proclaim yourself a real so-and-so’s fan or hold a certain amount of respect for them, you know it’s inevitable to have some feelings towards the artists you listen to. You might have a giant poster in your bedroom that you don’t like to admit you kiss goodnight every now and then, a band t-shirt or mug that fellow fans would instantly recognise, or simply a ringtone of your favourite song. Going to a concert would be a way to satisfy all the cravings of you have because you’d get to see the artist in person! Imagine being able see their eyes, hair, face, the way they sing – how awesome would that be?! What’s more, you’d be able to get exclusive items only available at the concert like signed albums, limited edition posters, tour shirts, wristbands and more to add to your personal collection.

5. It all boils down to supporting the artist.

Despite all the entertainment that artists can provide us, singing is still an occupation that needs monetary support for artists to continue to innovate, create and provide us with new music. While performing live or touring give the artists an opportunity to see their fans, they’re also how they sustain themselves in the ever so saturated music industry, and, in a symbolic sense, showcase the fruit of all the blood and sweat they’ve poured into perfecting the composition of each song. Buying a ticket to a concert is a way for fans to show support and motivate the artist to produce more (and hopefully better and better) music. There are various components in keeping someone motivated and inspired, but who doesn’t need to make a living?

So, whose gig are you going to see now? We’ve got some recommendations if you don’t have anything in mind yet!