Last night I went to my first concert in almost 20 years. I went to a One Direction concert when I was 14, but in the time between buying the tickets and the actual concert, I lost a lot of interest in the band and didn’t know any of the songs. I was also so far away from the actual stage that I couldn’t see anything, so I suppose I should rephrase that: I’ve never been to a concert in an intimate venue, seeing a band I truly cared about. Some people would definitely think that to be crazy. In all honesty, anyone who knows me probably knows any money I have to spend on live events goes to soccer games. However, when I found out Young the Giant was coming to Seattle, I was pretty excited. I didn’t buy tickets for awhile -- even though I loved their new album, I just couldn’t bring myself to.
While I was on vacation over the summer, while I was watching TV, they played one of their new songs on "The Tonight Show." I was so impressed, and I bought tickets to the show right then and there. I was definitely excited now. I found out my best friend and future roommate were going, which made everything better. My boyfriend ended up going as well, which was pretty awesome. They were both seasoned concert-goers, so I was in good hands.
It felt like years from when I bought the tickets to when I finally got to go, but the night finally rolled around, and in general, it was amazing. There’s obviously something about seeing music you love live that is special. I totally understand now why people stand out in line for tickets, or sit outside the venue for hours to be in front of the crowd. The best comparison I can think of is when your team scores a goal in soccer, and there’s this sort of collective euphoria. That’s just how the entire concert felt. It definitely helped that Young the Giant is probably better live than on their album.
I’m not sure how it took me almost 20 years to go to a concert that I actually care about, but it was an amazing experience for sure. There’s nothing quite like hearing the first notes of a song that you’ve been waiting all night to hear. I definitely don’t have as strong of a connection as some people do to music, so I can’t imagine how concerts must be for them -- people like my roommate, who’s cried every time she’s seen Young the Giant (last night was her third). I think that was the coolest thing about the whole concert. Seeing people that were so emotional, so overcome by seeing their favorite band. Music can mean a lot to people, and I will definitely be going to another concert soon.
