My Love of Concerts

I’ve been very blessed in my life to have had the opportunity and means to attend many concerts, theatre productions and sporting events over the years (check out my very first blog post HERE to see a DIY way to keep your tickets to catch a glimpse at some of the ones I’ve been to). I think it was just a part of the way I was raised - my mom always had this philosophy that you should spend a little bit of the extra money you have on experiences rather than material goods. She would always say “Sara, those clothes at the store will always be there, but this experience might not be.”

Going to concerts and being in that environment with so many fans has reminded me why I love going to them.

Megan Courtney wrote a blog for Odyssey in December of 2016 titled “10 Reasons Why I Love Attending Concerts So Much.” You can check it out HERE.

Also, to get your fix during this isolation period check out this article detailing all the best home concerts you can stream!

I thought it might be fun to go through her reasons why and give some personal anecdotes for each one.

Drumroll, please.

1. The pre-concert excitement

There is nothing quite like logging on to Twitter one day and seeing that your favourite artist has just announced a tour. Gearing up for the ticket presales and trying to find access codes just adds excitement to the thought of going to a concert.

2. The concert atmosphere

Walking into a venue of almost 20,000 fans, all excited to see the artist about to go on stage ignites a feeling of unity among strangers. I remember at the One Direction Concert in 2013, it was like I became best friends with the strangers around me. For a couple hours we were able to forget about our own personal troubles and bond over our love for the band.

3. People you meet

Now this one is tricky for me. While I haven’t actually met anyone that I still talk to today at a concert, I have met some characters that my friends and I still discuss. It’s great how we can bond over the people that we see or interact with at these shows.

4. Being up close and personal

Nothing could have prepared me for sitting in the nosebleeds at the John Mayer concert last year, when an arena worker came up to my two friends and I and started talking to us. She asked if it was only us three and when I replied yes, she pulled out a stack of tickets from her pocket and told us that our seats have been upgraded.

We went from nosebleeds in the upper bowl (first picture) to amazing seats in the lower bowl (second picture). Definitely one of the best shows I’ve been to! (Picture credits: Sara Grilli)

5. The anticipation leading up to the concert

Counting down the days to the concert adds to the excitement. Back in the day when I would use a paper calendar, I would circle in red marker the days I was going to concerts and be super excited when it was finally here.

6. (Possibly) getting to meet the artist

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING could have prepared me for Christmas morning 2013, when I opened up my present from my parents and sister to see an email confirmation for both tickets to see Demi Lovato AND a meet and greet package. I was so excited and I think I remember almost crying with happiness. And to make it more exciting - the concert was on my birthday. Truly a night I will never forget.

Credit: @saragrillz on Instagram

7. The memories that you make

I am a firm believer of not watching the concert through a phone or screen and have made it a point to only take a few pictures and then put my phone away and just take in the moment. I love making memories like that and being able to talk to my friends after and share our stories.

8. Finally Getting to See Them After Listening to Them for A Long Time

Getting to see my favourite artists live after being a fan for so long is just the best feeling in the world. The first band that I was truly obsessed with was the Jonas Brothers. After taking a hiatus break and coming back in 2018, it was like my feelings toward them never left. I still had the time of my life at the show and felt like I was back in 2008.

9. Having an Open Mind to other artists

There are so many concerts that I’ve been to where the opening act was so good that I went home after and downloaded their music. Whether it was seeing Charlie Puth open for Shawn Mendes, or seeing Ed Sheeran open up for Snow Patrol or even Rihanna open up for the Black Eyed Peas, I’ve always been open to adding to my music collection.

10. The After concert reflection

Sitting on the subway home and just talking about the best parts of the show with my friends is one of the best parts of the whole experience. Sharing pictures that we took or voice memos of our favourite songs it’s one of the best ways to keep the feeling of being at the concert alive.

Let me know on social media the best concert you’ve ever been to!

Make sure to check out my calendar for upcoming posts and events!