Music is an annoyance for some and a way of enjoying life for others, but the experience of a live concert that connects fans and artists can be extremely magical.
It is important to note that there are different kinds of concerts. For example the rules and ethics of a classical concert requires silence and quiet reflection, while a metal concert is anything but quiet and reflective.
I have been to more concerts than I can count, but my favorite type of shows are the general admissions shows where you stand in a sea of people. As strange as it may seem to want to be squished between strangers, it’s the atmosphere and emotion of this type of crowd that creates the magical connected feeling I’ve come to love.
During heavier songs, mosh pits do open, and it is important to know some common rules to maintain safety if you are going to be in or around one. The emotion that you can witness people expressing is amazing, and I think that’s why even though they can be quite rough, people such as myself enjoy it.
I have been crushed and knocked about in pushy crowds and I have had crowd surfers land on my head, but I wouldn’t trade the experience of being up in the middle of the action for a spot located safely in the back. I’ve done it before and I’ve regretted missing the full experience every time I’ve chosen to hang in the back.
There are only a few groups I have seen that have put on a show that has created an atmosphere better than any other, and one of those bands is called Pierce the Veil.
On Feb. 14, 2015, Valentine’s Day, I had the opportunity to see the show but was lucky enough to live out a fan’s greatest dream and meet the band. Maybe I was still “fangirling” over the moment when their set started later, but the atmosphere that night was amazing.
At one moment the crowd brought the singer, Vic Fuentes, to tears when he paused during an acoustic version of one of the band’s songs because we continued to sing the words in flawless harmony.
When the slow songs hit is when I am having the most fun. Staring into the eyes of artists who are watching thousands of people stare back and sing the words they wrote in their bedrooms and move as one creates a bond between thousands of strangers at once.
Another amazing moment that night was when the entire crowd screamed in amazement as a crowd surfer appeared to fly up out of the crowd at the exact second the heaviest drum beat hit. It was something that would be almost impossible to capture with anything but memory, and it’s something special that the band and crowd can share forever.
Those impossible to describe moments are what keep me going back to concerts all year long.
When the adrenaline of the crowd and being around the people that inspire you fades, your body begins to notice the incredibly rough conditions you just put it through. The longing to feel the excitement and not notice the pain in your bones can make your mind get caught up in a desire to not do anything but go back to when you felt like you were on top of the world.
Of course, not everyone will love this type of show and a stadium show with assigned seats where you have your own room may be a more appealing way to view an artist live for most people, but I will always cherish the intimacy of standing in a crowd that has the power to move as one.
