Concerts: Bringing the Music you Love to Life!

Have you ever been to a concert?

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Ashley Bendorf

The Driver Era performing at the Truman last September!

Ashley Bendorf, Reporter

With the rise of streaming services and the ability to watch performances online, concert sales should potentially be on the decline. Contrary to this theory, concerts are becoming more popular. In the early days of recording artists, sales and promotion came primarily from concerts, rather than records. Casual fans went to the concerts, while “real” fans purchased physical copies of the music. Concerts are fantastic, but there are some aspects that are ruining the experience for fans. 

Capturing moments from a concert is important, but when the crowd is blocked by thousands of screens, it can ruin the moment. Concerts are more fun if you’re paying less attention to your phone and more attention to the artist. Chances are, someone else is filming the concert and posting it to social media. Being in the moment and just witnessing the artist in person is much more important than taking a video. It is also annoying to other people if you’re filming because it can block their view. 

Camping out for concerts has become more normalized in recent years. In concerts with general admission, fans camp outside the venue for over twenty four hours just to get a good spot. This is incredibly unsafe, especially since most concert venues are downtown and can be dangerous at night. Camping also creates a lot of waste. Fans often leave any trash or belongings they have outside the venue, since they are not permitted inside. Blankets, water bottles, and food trash litter the streets due to these fans. A better way to ensure a good spot is to use a wristband system. The venue will put numbers on wristbands and fans wait in line in number order. 

Some popular venues in Kansas City include the T-Mobile Center (formerly known as the Sprint Center), Starlight Theater, Uptown Theater, the Truman, and the Azura Theater. The Truman and Uptown Theater are both general admission, meaning there are no seats. Typically fans are squished together, but it is still enjoyable. This summer there were many concerts that performed in Kansas City, including The Driver Era, Rex Orange County, Maren Morris, and Garth Brooks. Many Aquinas students attended these concerts. Senior Mary Kate Phelan attended The Driver Era concert in December, which she claims was the best concert she’d ever been to because it was a dream come true. 

Sophomore Victoria Venable went to New York City to see Harry Styles during his residency in Madison Square Garden. She said it was the best night of her life. Harry Styles’ concerts have a certain energy that is different from any other concert. Every person there is decked out in boas, sparkles, and glitter. There is an overwhelming amount of positivity and love present at his concerts. Harry Styles promotes “treating others with kindness”, and this is present at all of his shows. 

Concerts are experiences that can provide memories for a lifetime. Seeing an artist you love can make their personality and talent shine even greater.