By: Becca Pyszka//
The concert atmosphere is in a league of its own. There’s so much positive energy and excitement at a concert regardless of how big or small the venue is. When you enter through the doors, you are given the opportunity to tune out the world for just a few hours and share the positive energy with everyone around you. Personally, I’m the type of person who constantly looks for a show to attend. Concerts bring me unexplainable happiness and if I could go to a concert every week I totally would. Some may think that that’s a little crazy but the thrill of live music keeps me coming back for more. There’s just nothing else quite like it!
Going to a show to see one of my favorite artists is something that I hold so dearly because these artists put everything they have into their live shows and they personally inspire me to keep following my dreams. Although it’s fantastic to see the show of a favorite artist that you’ve been listening to for years, it’s also super important and sometimes just plain fun to go to a show when you barely know who the artist is at all!
The great thing about music is that there is so much of it! There are so many different genres, and I believe that it’s important to listen to a wide variety and see what else is out there. To be honest, just in the last couple years I’ve been going to shows or festivals even if I barely know the songs being played. At these shows I usually end up liking the artists almost immediately and I begin to “binge listen” to their catalogue on Spotify for weeks!
Living in Nashville and being with friends who all have varying music tastes has introduced me to artists I never would’ve listened to before. In downtown Nashville in August and early September weekends, there’s a music festival called Live On The Green, which is put on by the local Indie radio station, Lightning 100. They bring in around 35 artists from different genres, and it’s a great opportunity to discover some awesome talent! Last year I went to see Lennon and Maisy, Family of the Year, and Ben Folds. I mainly went to go see Lennon and Maisy, but staying for the other artists was a great choice because I was introduced to tons of other music! Even just going to small shows at local venues when you may only know one song will change how you view the artist. You never really know how you will react after seeing an artist perform live for the first time.
Experiencing new music live has made me expand out of my comfort zone with my music tastes. I can honestly say that I’ve been to some shows that I didn’t particularly enjoy, but I’m still glad I went because it was an experience to explore something new! Most shows I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and now I support those artists, look forward to new releases, and even attend their other shows. For me, the best thing about music is the privilege to be able to witness it live. I encourage everyone to try to go to a show of an artist you barely know or have never even heard of. You never know what can come of it, or what song you can discover that could completely change your life!
