Imagine this: you are going to a concert tonight. You have been looking forward to this event for ages. It’s a tad bit early in the day but so what! It’s never too early to get ready for a night of memories. The new outfit you’ve been planning looks great on you and you are pumped. The only problem, you still have an hour before it’s time to leave. You spend that time blasting music and doing your favorite “at home dance grooves.”
“Ok, can we go yet?!” is the only thing that is repeating in your head. FINALLY, it’s time to head out to the show.
You’re sitting in the car. The anticipation is so strong. You try listening to music to calm your nerves, but …you can’t turn down the excitement.
As you park the car and head for the venue you feel those butterflies stirring in your stomach. It’s really time! You head for the line, have your IDs and tickets checked, and then finally take your first steps inside the concert venue. What a rush as you take it all in! You’re surrounded by folks with smiles on their faces, people wearing full-on band merch and talking about one of their favorite artists that is about to take the stage.
The venue is packed already. While you get comfortable in your spot you feel a shiver up your spine. You are settled in and ready for the opener to begin. The 30-minute set goes by quickly. It’s time to grab a drink before the main act. As you are walking around, you notice that the vibe in the venue is anticipatory and upbeat.
As you return to your spot, they lower the lights, and you know it’s just about showtime. The soundman plays the production intro, the band enters the stage and the crowd roars. The energy is so intense, the band has to have an extra moment to take it all in. The singer announces, “Thank you Southern California,” and everyone loses it. This is the moment you have been waiting for. You feel the adrenaline rush that you have been craving, and the music begins.
Everyone raises their fists and pumps to the beat of the music. Tonight, we are all one. We are all here because music is our escape, and the crowd gets lost in the experience – feeling ecstatic as the music pulses through the venue.
The band comes on for their encore performance, and you are shocked that the night is coming to an end already. Didn’t the show start just start a few minutes ago? Concerts are the prime reason the saying “time flies when you’re having fun” was invented. You, and most everyone else, sings the last song at the top of their lungs. This is the life! You are one with music lovers, the artist, and best yet, with yourself.
As the band takes their final bows and throws picks, drumsticks, and setlists to the crowd, you give your final cheers and say your goodbyes to the people who shared and enjoyed this magical concert. What a night! You were so invested in the show and being in the moment that you completely forgot to take your phone out the entire time…now that really says something about the experience!
Concerts are our escape. When we are at a show, we are singing, dancing, and screaming the stresses of our daily lives away. The connection that music fans feel with the music and their fellow concert attendees is something truly special. When the love that we feel for music can be shared amongst friends and strangers alike, amazing things can happen.
Rock on: where music meets the soul!
By Ali Korver