Concerts eh?

Why do people go to concerts?

You pay above average prices for food and drink, not to mention the cost of the ticket!

You have to worry about getting there and getting back.

You have to disturb people to get in and out of your seats.

Then if it’s outside you might well be freezing cold for hours on end.

And all that to hear a music that is acoustically subpar when you could listen to a perfect rendition of that song for free on your phone.

So why do people do it?

For the feeling of connection.

For the goosebumps you feel when you’re part of an 80,000 strong crowd all singing in unison.

To hear a song beside a loved one and from that moment on those notes takes on new meaning.

To throw away your inhibitions as you get swept up in the crowd screaming your head off.

I think some artists realise this and some don’t.

Some strive to make it a unique live experience and some aim to replicate their studio sounds.

It’s not a studio, there is an audience present and the more the artist leans into that difference the better their gigs will be.

I think Ed Sheeran gets it right when he tells the crowd about his connections to the location, encourages them to sing the chorus, shares fun facts about songs and uses foot pedal loops to create the music right in front of the audience’s eyes

I think The Kooks got it wrong when they came on stage played their songs and walked off.