Concerts Are Important!

I've been to a few concerts recently and I thought I would reflect on why I think concerts are a significant part of growing up and the effects which concerts have on the audiences.

Taylor Swift was AMAZING!
08/06/18

My first concert was in 2012 and, since then, my love and enthusiasm for music and concert-going has only grown! Even though I’m now a student living away from home, it hasn’t stopped me from attending concerts and other events seeing those I love and admire – in fact, it’s only June and I’ve already been to five events and have one more planned for October!

Let’s go back to 2012 and appreciate me queuing up for my first ever concert:

 As a 14-year-old boyband loving girl, the fact that my favourite childhood band, McFly, were coming to Leeds excited the hell out of me. Going to my first ever concert was such a big deal to me; I couldn’t wait to choose an outfit (I opted for a yellow hoodie…WHAT WAS I THINKING? – I WAS BOILING) and to tell my friends and family all about this band I was going to be seeing live.

Being so close and intimate with musicians who you have grown up admiring is such a unique experience, particularly in a venue like Leeds’ O2 Academy, as no matter where you stand you’re always pretty close to the stage – this is something I was really shocked about, although I wished I could’ve queued earlier to have been closer to the barrier. I remember screaming at the top of my lungs and shaking a lot when they arrived on stage because I just couldn’t believe I was in the same room as them, about to hear my favourite songs performed live. This experience was like no other, being surrounded by fans who share the same love for the bands as I do, singing at the tops of our lungs, completely fixated on those band members who had brought happiness to our childhood and creating an idyllic atmosphere for everybody in the venue.

It’s safe to say that seeing McFly live only furthered my love for them and my love for concerts as I have seen them three more times since 2012 and have met them twice (I’ve met Tom three times now because I LOVE him… but who’s counting??)

First time I met Tom!!
29/10/14

The bond between artists and their fanbase is strong, not only because the artist receives a LOT of money due to their fans’ dedication, but it also works the other way around because the artist evidently spends so much time producing the best content for their fans, supplying them with new music and a chance for them to feel more engaged through a concert. Unlike festivals, concerts provide the most dedicated fans with a set list of their favourite songs, allowing them to escape from the stress and pressures of daily life.

With this, it frustrates me how many people fail to acknowledge the legitimate passion which the fans have for their respective artists, as they frequently ignore the fact that music is a distraction for any negativity in a person’s life...

I’m not ashamed to say that during my teenage years I was OBSESSED with One Direction (yes, I visited the 1D World pop up shop in Leeds and yes, I paid £20+ for a photoshopped picture with Niall) and the amount of negative press which One Direction fans received and still does astounds me. Don’t get me wrong, some of their fans are pretty ‘out there’, sending them peculiar gifts and following their every move (I mean everybody needs their privacy) but there isn’t another fanbase at the moment who is as dedicated and appreciative of an artist’s work than the One Direction fandom.

I saw One Direction on their Take Me Home tour in 2013 and I have never been so overwhelmed about seeing a band as I had in the space of those two hours. The love and compassion from everybody in the arena was so strong that it outweighs all the negative attention One Direction fans receive. Looking back, being a part of a fanbase during this particular concert was so powerful to witness, as it provided realisation that many fans use concerts as a means of escapism, as you can see the pure joy on everybody’s faces.

One Direction can Take Me Home (ha)
15/03/13

The positive experiences of concerts definitely supersede the negatives, however, it’s impossible to discuss this topic without mentioning the tragic loss of life after the Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in 2017. A year on and it horrifies me to think about how scared everybody in the arena must have been once they heard the explosion. In a matter of a few seconds, in a place of sanctuary filled with young fans, their amazing and unique experience of seeing Ariana perform her music live had been ripped away and destroyed by a person as a foolish act of terrorism. Sadly, it’s an act like this which called for more action to be taken and I’m glad to see the security tighten at concerts as I hope something like this NEVER happens again, particularly when regarding young children, their happiness and, most importantly, their safety.

Despite this, it was breath-taking to witness the gradual recovery from this tragic event, which is particularly shown throughout the music industry and their dedication to power through and not be defeated by such a horrific incident yet paying tribute to the 22 people who lost their lives through their music and during concerts. I thought that Ariana’s immediate action to put on a benefit concert as a response to the incident just proves how influential and powerful the effects of live music and a dedicated following has on the world in showing recovery and determination.

It’s truly wonderful!

Thanks for reading.

Em x