One of the many downsides of lockdown is the thousands of events it had to postpone, with live music being one of the biggest effected industries, with hundreds of thousands of people and organisations who rely on live music suddenly in deep water. Being a man of leisure now, I find myself reflecting on what I miss the most about the live music experience.
First off, I think the atmosphere is the best thing, even over the music itself. It doesn't matter if you are in the pit or sitting in the rafters, the feeling of being shoulder to shoulder with fellow fans is electrifying. Moreover, especially if your in the pit the craziness that ensues music is just electric. Having never been in an active pit (I say that because I was standing for an Ed Sheeran concert - which was the opposite of active) I can't accurately account an anecdote about getting thrown around with fellow fans or mosh pitting to my favourite track - but when Slipknot come back to the UK ill be sure to try and get some standing tickets and make the dream to getting in a fistfight during Vermillion a reality. But, I digress. Atmosphere is amazing at live gigs. The anticipation is palpable pre show, and as your all packed together and the lights go down as the show is about to begin your sucked in. Every single second of your attention for the next few hours are focused on that person, that instrumentalist, those dazzling stage projections, that experience. For some, its an experience in theatre, a spectacle that sucks them immediately into the narrative world of the music. I immediately think of the Bandito Tour from Twenty One Pilots, the way it was so immersive and involved the crowd was really brilliant and just a visual feast, safe to say it was an amazing show.
(The Bandito Tour - Copyright Jay Blakesberg)
Now, the music is a pretty pivotal part, and can actually be make or break for a lot of people. Lets be real, although its kinda frowned upon these days a lot of people these days tend to lip sync their songs on live performances, so seeing them live is a bit of a pivotal moment. Can they really perform these insanely complex songs without the help of a backing track? Nine times out of ten, yes they can, but sometimes i know people have been completely taken out of an experience because they realise that actually the artist they've gone to see isn't as multi talented as they think they are. They build themselves up in the news and media as this musical genius, their songs sound pristine on the radio - and then they see them live and suddenly you see behind the wizards curtain. On the flipside however, for some seeing one of their most liked band is almost an affirming experience. Not only does it solidify your support of the band at the time, but it also in a weird sense makes you feel closer to the artist. Your sharing a space with your idol, who's blasting out songs like no tomorrow. You feel proud to be there, to be listening to all of the radio born fever dreams come to immediate and beautiful fruition. The only experience i have for this is going to see Panic! At The Disco live, and although i understand the controversy surrounding Brendon Urie (and ill hold back my opinions for now, as they're far from positive after practically idolising the man for years) back in 2019. I won't lie, I Write Sins Not Tragedies live was breath-taking. The song i had only ever heard through Spotify that was so iconic was being performed, i had goose bumps all over my body, it was a moment where I screamed along to every lyric, new every small musical detail and just let it wash over me. In that moment I felt as close to the band as I ever could, until I then distanced myself from their work early last year for obvious reasons.
(Panic! Live in London 2019)
Another highlight of the musical experience is the fans. Now, sometimes their less than savoury. I feel as though sometimes certain fans of certain genres are given a bit of a bad reputation for no apparent reason. What i said above about a fistfight in a Slipknot pit was a passing joke, because metalheads are actually lovely people, and somewhat misunderstood. Just like people think pop pits are dull. I've only ever experienced one, and im sure to some people that was the perfect amount of hand waving at the Ed Sheeran concert. But what you can't deny is that you can meet so many new people at concerts. You’re all bound together by a mutual respect and love of an artist, of the way their music speaks to you. You all want to loose yourselves in the lyrics, feel every thumping bass line in your chest as it beats out just an arms length away from you. Your all sharing this moment of connection, not only with those on the stage but also those around you. Jumping together, shouting the words together. That sense of union is something I’ve never experienced more potently than at a live show. That is what I truly miss, being part of a real, palpable community of fans, not just a part of the Reddit page.
So who am i looking forward to seeing live soon? Well, my tickets to The Hella Mega Tour are still on hold for the second year in a row, so I'm very exited to finally see Green Day and Fall Out Boy live in London in 2022. Apart from that, I'm itching to see Slipknot live, and Iron Maiden (Unsurprisingly). This will probably manifest itself in going to a festival like Download or Bloodstock or something so i can see them all in one hit, maybe even Reading and Leeds, but i feel the line-ups for that are getting weaker by the year. But, overall, I'm feeling the withdrawal from live music. Lets hope that soon we can all come together again in the pit, and scream the lyrics to out favourite songs, together at last.
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