Do you know that feeling you get when it’s been a long day, but you stuck it out and now you’re being rewarded with the concert tickets you bought months ago? It wasn’t for anyone super big, just a little indie band that got big enough to do a little tour across North America. And you find yourself huddled in the pit where everyone stands a little closer in anticipation. You're there with a friend or two who are also very into this artist, together you’ve spent countless car rides and late nights walking home belting out their lyrics and letting the words melt into your soul. All the times you’ve cried listening to their songs in search of the slightest touch of comfort have all led to this moment. The chance to see them perform live.
The crowd around you is alive. A couple of people hold beers, other people have already pre-gamed beforehand which is what you've also done, but the effects are starting to wear off. Here to see the artist, so you stay in the crowd instead of opting for a top up. Shortly after, the opener comes on and everyone gives them their utmost support. They’re cheering after every song and participating in all the crowd engagement activities this artist facilitates. Leaving everyone full of excitement and anticipation for what's to come.
The lights dim, the band plays a soft intro, and the next thing you know, your favourite indie artist is standing right in front of you. The cheers around the venue almost make you go deaf, but you don’t mind, you’re right there with everyone else, screaming at the top of your lungs. The next hour and twenty minutes are the best time of your life. It’s the first time in a while everyone is on the same wavelength. Your belting out lyrics at the top of your lungs and jumping up and down aggressively during the intense instrumentals.
And then it happens. The artist's biggest song comes on and everyone goes crazy. All around the venue everyone raises to their feet. It’s the most lively karaoke session, strangers are smiling widely at each other, friends and loved ones are grabbing onto one another as they loudly belt out the lyrics together. Swaying together, the artist's bandmates also feel the energy shift and go out of their way to perform the song to their heart's content. There is not a single body in the room who does not feel apart or separate. Even if it is just for a moment, everyone is united.
My favourite part about these concerts is the amount of love and happiness that gets packed into such a short period of time. How everyone jumps in sync in terms of the amount of passion that they put into celebrating the song but out of sync as everyone does this at their own speed in their own capacity. People are taking selfies together with the stage, swaying in and out of sync with each other and grasping what is left of the show in order to escape from the dreaded reality. There is a disinterest in being perfect and a care that everyone shows for the artist and their music that is something you can only find in the moment.
It’s this feeling of togetherness and this people-to-people action that you can’t get through a screen. Something that feels different each time you experience it because it’s with different people and in a different setting each time it happens. The stage looks different and the people you’ve come with aren’t the same. But there are some similarities, the drinks taste the same and the food menu is the same as last time. Despite the merch rack being in the same spot, it has a consistent line as attendees do their best to preserve an unforgettable night. Is it this mix of familiarity and unfamiliarity in the night that makes you excited? Or is it the anticipation of seeing someone you’ve admired for so long perform?
Here all judgment is out the window. Instead people are here chasing their own happiness and fulfillment in their own unique way. Some people celebrate by filming as much of the concert as possible, while others completely tune in, turning their phones off in the process. There is no right or wrong way to celebrate an artist, instead, the many different ways they are celebrated shows the artists uniqueness and appeal to different audiences.
This feeling can be addicting. As you chase this feeling of adrenaline and extreme happiness, as your twenty year old self, you’re working day and night to afford moments like these everytime you go out. You’re waking up at various times working at multiple different places and staying up late as you’re desperately searching for a stable full-time income. It’s a time in your life when everyone around you is at a different stage in life, some people are living in their forever homes while others are still living in dorms or at home. But it’s also a time when your friend group gets a little smaller and those who stay grow a little closer.
It’s the time when you're perfectly in the spot you're supposed to be and you don’t even know it. Instead you’re rushing to fill a void that doesn’t need to be filled immediately. You’re rushing into relationships, taking on more than you can manage at work, and you’re burning out. And what breaks you out of this cycle faster than ever? Sometimes it is attending a music event.
Do the connections you feel at a concert bring you a little closer to those people in your small circle? Or are you at different stage in life? In your different stage of life do you also experience these feelings every so often? Or is it just a feeling of youthfulness and something that grows dull? Why are we drawn to these feelings and what is it that makes these feelings so powerful?