Concert Culture

Imagine a rock concert in 1968. What do you see in the crowd? Hippies, out to the horizon, dancing fluidly and smiling at the sky? What about the 90’s? A mosh pit of misunderstood youths jumping around to Alice In Chains?

What about today?

At the risk of sounding like my parents, I’ll just say it: Phones are ruining the concert experience. Instead of letting loose and feeling the music we were desperate enough to pay $100 to see, we decide to… capture a low-quality video of it. The concert itself is so much better than the video will ever be, so treat it like a movie you get to watch one time. If you really let it move you, one time is all you need. I’ll break it down so that this isn’t just another anti-modernity, “phones bad” post.

• You won’t really appreciate the video. You were there in-person. The video has nothing on the immersive experience of being there. It just pulls you away from the music.

• Others won’t care to see your shaky, choppy video from the pit (unless of course it’s generational musical genius John Mayer, in which case please send vids).

• The artist on stage, playing their soul out, probably wants a little positive reinforcement other than a bunch of stationary robots holding up their rectangles. Show the love. Groove with ‘em.

• If it’s a big concert, it’ll likely be filmed professionally anyway. If it’s a small concert, you essentially have floor seats. Go crazy.

This, of course, is not to say you can’t get a quick video for old time’s sake. I like seeing my friend jam to a Phish guitar solo as much as the next guy.

What I’m hoping to convey is this: you have one life, a life where sometimes, a brave artist climbs up on a stage and makes mind-bending music right before your eyes and ears, reminding you of that other side of being human. The one where the confines disappear, where you may not find the answers to life, but where you’ll certainly find the beauty. Relish in that. Don’t waste that moment trying to show people the moment you’re in. Just be in it. Your future self is watching you through memory, and they will thank you for drinking in the spectacle around you.

With all that being said, consider applying this philosophy not just to concerts, but to life at large. I’ll try my best to do so as well.

Thanks for reading. Go jam out.

-John