There is nothing more exciting than watching your favourite band live. The atmosphere in a concert is always electric and the crowd really helps to make the performance even more special. There are many different types of concerts and they can range from small intimate venues to large scale events such as stadiums or arenas. Some concerts also include visual effects and other stage setups to enhance the experience for the audience.
The term ‘concert’ is often used to describe a musical performance but can be applied to other artistic performances as well. Whether or not the event is a concert is usually determined by the nature of the music and the context in which it is performed. The difference between a concert and a show is subtle, but it can have significant implications for the way the event is perceived.
Concerts have a long history and were once the dominant form of music creation and dissemination. They were the place where contemporary written music met and clashed with other works of different times, a kind of ritualized performance that allowed musicians to become their own liturgy and to celebrate themselves in new venues that became their temples.
Since the 18th century, concert theory has tried to find dimensions of this interaction, ranging from seating arrangements and ritualized behavior to the acoustics of halls and the dramaturgy of programs. In recent years, however, another perspective has come to the fore, and this is that of the concert as a socially and aesthetically intense experience. Here, all aspects of the event – including seating arrangements, ritualized behaviors, acoustics, duration, the professionalization of musicians and the programmatic coordination of works – are viewed as factors in intensifying this experience.
Musicians and bands have always been conscious of this and they have tried to create their own temples by staging concerts in a variety of settings, from local pubs to village halls to huge football stadiums. One of the first bands to take this concept to a whole new level was the Grateful Dead, who were renowned for their elaborate concerts. One of the biggest innovations was the invention of the ‘wall of sound’ speaker system, which allowed them to create a very powerful and intense listening experience for their audiences.
Besides being an excellent opportunity to hear live music, concerts also provide us with a chance to meet our favourite artists and to get a glimpse of their lives away from the spotlight. In the past, musicians have shared their personal stories with their fans during concerts and it has been very moving to see the connection that can be made between a performer and an audience. This is a moment that should not be missed by any music lover and we highly recommend you to try and attend as many concerts as possible in your lifetime.