A Non-Scientific Pro-Con Type List for Summer Music Concert Attendance

I have been told by quite a few people that I am too practical, and this seems to manifest itself most obviously when I plan events in advance and/or have to spend money.  Music concerts require both of these; although I love music and would gladly see a different artist each weekend, this is not, in a word, practical.  Deciding which concert to attend is often determined simply by location or proximity to where I’m living at the time.  Summer affords more freedom in choice, as many artists tour heavily in the States during June, July, and August.  So before I blow my meager savings in order to see every artist in my iPod standing on a stage this summer, I ask myself a rather non-quantitative question: how much fun will I have? To break this down in a better fashion, I usually develop a non-scientific pro-con list with the following specifications:

Indoor vs. Outdoor: Summer outdoor concerts and festivals sound like a lot of fun- the sun is out, lots of bands on multiple stages, interesting people and vendors.  I’ve never been to a festival, but outdoor concerts can be more enjoyable than indoor concerts.  The main concern is, obviously, weather.  Standing in the rain and subsequent mud for 3 hours is unpleasant.  Conversely, hanging around with hundreds of people in much closer proximity than I prefer with even family members as the thermometer hits 90+ can make anyone grouchy.  Neither are high on the “fun” scale.

Outdoor concerts aren’t as loud as indoor ones unless you’re in the very front, because no matter how large those speakers are you’re still not enclosed.  While acoustics may be superior inside of a venue, if you are sitting in the cheap seats outdoors you will hear better than if sitting in the cheap seats indoors.  I prefer indoor concerts when the venue is smaller, and when the artist or band is low-key.  Music you feel the need to dance/jump around to/mosh for is preferably heard out of doors.  That brings up my next consideration.

Genre: Unless you’re the type of person who listens to, say, French new-wave electronica and nothing else, ever, you probably have a couple of artists of disparate genres you wouldn’t mind seeing live in concert.  Yet while Streetlight Manifesto and Adele may come up after each other on your Shuffle queue without you noting the odd juxtaposition, these would be two very different artists to see live in concert.  You could certainly see both, but keep in mind that the crowd at each will be quite different.  Seeing concerts is an interesting experience in that you’re in a large room with dozens (or hundreds) of other people who share a similar interest- yet the interest may stop there if you’re going to see a hardcore punk show and spend your 9 to 5 as a legal assistant.  My brother is a heavy metal fan who’s never been to a concert because my parents fear the bodily harm that might come to his rather dorky self in a mosh pit.

Certain bands and artists are known for the shows that they put on.  Bands with many musicians on the stage are enjoyable to watch simply because there is so much going on, but I’ve seen a band comprised of a guy with a guitar and a guy on drums put more fun and engagement into their performance than a band with people playing instruments I didn’t know were real (Japandroids for the former, if you’re interested).  Who else is going to be watching this show with you is worth considering if you’re deciding between concerts, but even more so how the show will be performed.  Adele has a powerful voice, and I’ve heard that she puts on fantastic shows, but the people in the crowd tend to stay where they are in the crowd and sing along; intense former horn section band kids who follow Streetlight Manifesto around tend to dance, jump, and run into you the entire show.  One is no better than the other, but they’re things to consider if debating how to spend your last $50.

Performance: This ties into the Japandroids show that I saw: some bands and artists are known for putting on better shows than others.  This might just take some asking around while it can be clear in other cases.  Pop singers put a lot of “extras” into their shows- costume changes, dancers, flashing lights, etc., but if they’re too auto-tuned as it is, the music experience won’t be that great.  Quieter musicians- folk bands, singer-songwriters- will have loud shows, but the energy is quieter.  As they rely on actual musicianship more so than insert name of pop princess here, what you hear will be more real and in some cases new or improvised, but there will be few of those extras.  One of the best shows I’ve seen was by the band The National, who played excellently yet didn’t do much more than stand up there.  This is a very subjective category, so think deeply about what you want to get out of seeing a bunch of people (or one guy) on a raised platform holding musical instruments.

Then you have the really out-there artists.  Certain acts have become synonymous with the tricks they pull on the stage- The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne goes into the crowd in a giant hamster ball, Daft Punk creates elaborate space-type constructions on the stage along with light shows.  Of Montreal has people come out on stage in costumes and act out scenes, while lead singer Kevin Barnes jumps around.  I saw an Of Montreal show in April that included a lot of things thrown into the crowd and a staged wrestling match.

This summer I will be seething with jealousy while a group of my friends go to the Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee, which should include a bunch of loud and rambunctious shows in the Southern heat.  I’ll also be wishing that I had the money to see Bon Iver put on a quiet and powerful show as he tours close to home.  Yet for the remaining music concerts I may be able to see, I’ll be using the above concepts to make vague pro-con lists, and will most likely in the end decide that life is short and I should just go to all of them.  For those of you planning trips to see your favorite artists this summer- or tagging along with more musically-inclined friends- my final piece of advice is this: wear comfortable shoes.  And have fun!