I’ve been to seven concerts and two music festivals in the past five years. Which is not a lot in comparison to others who’ve been to 20 in a singular year, but it’s still enough to consider myself an avid concert goer. I’m always down to attend a concert, regardless of how well I know the artist. The reason for that being that the environment is addicting. The friendships that form, the energy from the crowd, the outfits, those few minutes after the show ends and everyone is coming down from the adrenaline, the sore throat the next morning…everything about it. The way your body aches from standing in line and in the pit for hours. There’s nothing like it.
Online I’ve seen multiple people talk about how they met some of their best friends at concerts. Complete strangers end up next to each other in line and next thing you know they’re planning their next trip to see each other or the next concert that they’ll see together. I’ve experienced it myself, maybe not to the same degree but I’ve definitely made new friends at concerts. While waiting in line for Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour Tour I met three college students from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). I got to learn about them, what they were studying in school, and their aspirations post graduation. One of them even had a role as a day player in an episode of Doogie Kamealoha, MD. where he played a named character. The other two were film students who had already done some directing of short films. We spent the day talking and laughing, but when it was time to enter the venue we parted ways. I follow them on Instagram and we still keep in touch.
Talking to the people around you is just something that happens. You’re in line for hours (if you decide to camp out to get a good spot if you’re general admission) and you want to make friends with the people around you, so that no conflicts arise. It makes it a safer environment because then everyone is looking out for each other. Do you need some water or deodorant? Good thing the person in front of you, who you’ve been talking to for hours, has some that they’d be willing to spare. Concert environments are one of those rare instances where human beings are being nice to each other for no other reason than the fact that they want to. It’s uplifting and it sparks hope that the hatred we see in humanity isn’t all that exists. I’d do anything to be at a concert with a crowd of strangers enjoying the same human experience.
Photo taken by Star Pompa
Comments