I know I’m not the only person that can proudly admit that my first concert was not some cool indie group but the one and only ‘S Club 7’. I was so far away I could barely tell each band member apart, but nevertheless I remember the atmosphere being completely electric. A crowd full of fellow 7 year olds with their sparkly hats and flashing lights, screaming reach for the stars like their lives depended on it. It was probably our parent’s idea of hell, but at least it gave us something to look forward to for a few months. Although I was probably far too young to appreciate it as much as I appreciate concerts now, it definitely stemmed my love for them.
As we grow up, the simplicity of going to see a band/artist purely for the love of the music is only one of the many reasons why we go to concerts. The countless times where I, and many others, have gone to see a band to either impress people or satisfy a friend is a little ridiculous. Going to the Kerrang! Tour in 2009 as my first standing concert was probably not one of my brightest ideas; attempting to mosh to Bring Me the Horizon in a dress and dolly shoes was also probably the worst idea I’ve ever made in my life, but at least I learnt from it. I’m still not sure how many people went to ‘Chase and Status’ because they actually liked ‘Chase and Status’, however many interesting stories were told the following day, so I have no doubt that most people enjoyed it nonetheless.
Without the anticipation, concerts would not be the same. Whenever I see a ‘directioner’ counting down the days to go and see One Direction when the concert is many months away, it makes me cringe. I am in a way in awe of how someone could stay excited for such a long period of time when I only really get excited a week before a gig, but at least they’re making the most out of it.
A concert would not be the same without the atmosphere that comes with it. Whether you’re watching a small band in an elite little venue, cramped and meters away from the front but surrounded by others who adore the band just as much as you, or at a larger venue seeing an artist you like, but don’t love, so you can stand in the middle with your friends and just dance and enjoy the music, the atmosphere is always exhilarating. Being in a room full of people who share the same interests as you is also strangely comforting. It’s nice to be able to feel safe and free in a situation that could cause you to feel completely different if altered slightly.
In a way it’s strange that we spend quite a significant amount of money on listening to live music, when it often doesn’t sound as good as it does when blasting out of speakers. But, it’s never the band alone which we’re paying money to see. We’re paying for the atmosphere, the opportunity to belt out song lyrics and not look like a weirdo, the days of excitement beforehand and maybe the small hope that you will actually meet the band after, but let’s face it, it rarely happens.
Chloe Smithers is currently studying for her A-levels at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls and loves attending concerts/gigs in her spare time.
