Concert Withdrawal, And The Need For Live Music

As someone who has religiously been attending concerts since I was 11, I can tell you firsthand that the pandemic has caused some chronic concert withdrawal. The feeling of being in the crowd amongst others who are all there for the same reason you are, is a special and intimate feeling.

It’s been over a year since I’ve personally had myself up against a barricade, my Vans sticking to a sticky floor, bodies against bodies while we all crowd together anxiously awaiting the music acts to take the stage and transport us into a completely different world. Concert venues have always been a wonderful escape and sanctuary for me. Once I discovered the magic of pop punk shows leading way back to Good Charlotte and Fall Out Boy, I was officially hooked. The energy that is fed off the stage and the energy the crowd gives back will leave you breathless both from awe and screaming your lungs out. I was hooked instantly from that first adrenaline rush I got at a Mest show in 2004. I needed the almost euphoric feeling you got from going to these shows. When it was over there were a few days of concert withdrawal, but it wasn’t long before another upcoming concert announcement caught my eye and I knew I could do it all over again.

Going to concerts was something I seriously took for granted, always certain that another would pop up sooner rather than later. The impact of music streaming over the years has hit the music industry hard, making record sales look nothing like they used to when you had to physically go to a Sam Goody and buy a copy of a CD. As the times changed, so did the way these bands and artists made their money. Ticket prices increased dramatically making live shows the biggest source of income for many artists. Dedicated fans happily paid the inflated prices, knowing for the most part they would get the experience they hoped for. ‘Take my money!’ is a meme I would constantly use every time a new concert date popped up.

Since the global pandemic hit, the world of live music came to an abrupt hault. Shows were postponed, pushed back, and eventually cancelled as the severity of the virus spread took place. Although a lot of these musicians took to live streams and even virtual concerts, it still wasn’t the same as being in a crowd in person. The question that raises concerns is will we ever be comfortable being so close to one another again? Will it ever even be allowed in the future?

I would hate to have somebody elses body sweat rub up against me, but I loved having that feeling of unity as we all pumped our fists in the air singing these songs that meant something to each of us. It’s hard to feel that same connection when you’re watching it alone in your bedroom no longer hearing the crowd sing with you. Can live music ever be as intimate of an experience as it once was? Will we all have to wear masks and be in our own social distanced bubbles ? That’s probably something Jimmy Livingston aka Bubble Boy would be cool with, but as for me I would feel the disconnect.

The future of concerts and live music seems so uncertain, just like any other large social gathering. It raises the question of will only the vaccinated be allowed to enjoy these events again in the near future, or will the way we experience live music be changed completely? Save Our Stages Act was a huge awakening to how dire things have gotten. The $15 billion funding package meant for independent venues was a relief to more than 1,200 live music venues across the country.It raises the concern of if the recovery from the losses these venues and artists face is possible. If new protocols and rules are put in place for concerts will it cause less people to want to attend? Playing to a venue of only 25% capacity does not compare to a sold out one.

Whenever the answers and solutions are put into place I will definitely be there, even if it is in a social distanced bubble. So many people put their heart and soul into constructing the shows that we live for; from the stage crew to the main act they all play a part. It would be a devestation to so many if the experience of a concert or any live event became something that we only talked about in past tense. Until the solution is presented and put into motion we will continue to suffer from this concert withdrawal, and just hope and yes even pray that we can all get back to the General Admission floor once again.

Authors Note: If you’d like to donate and contribute to Save Our Stages , please visit the website www.saveourstages.com for more information!