Entry Two: Why Live Music Hits Different
In the early 2000s, I attended my first ever gig. I was no more than 4 years old and my eyes were opened to a whole new world that, almost 20 years later, I am still obsessing over. Yes, given, it may have been to go and see Girls Aloud with my mum and sister and at the time I really wasn’t extremely arsed, but if you’re telling me when "Love Machine" comes on you don’t think to yourself, "yeah, it’s a tune to be fair," then I don’t believe you.
However, the first time I saw an artist that I was dying to see was Friday 23rd September 2005, and I completely fell in love. My family took my sister and me to Manchester Arena (M.E.N at the time) and I saw a show that changed my life—McFly: The Wonderland Tour. I was 4 years old and, apart from "American Idiot," McFly’s "Room on the Third Floor" debut album, and numerous of their albums after that, shaped my childhood in a musical sense. I had entered a world I never wanted to leave.
I was up in the stands and remember looking down and seeing a woman, absolutely battered, having the time of her life, fans screaming every word to every song, and my sister turned to me and said, "your heart feels like it pounds to the music, doesn’t it?" and that hit the nail on the head. It does just that, both physically and emotionally.
Since this point, I couldn’t tell you just how many gigs and festivals I have been to in my life. But there is something different about live music. Surrounded by thousands of complete strangers, all there for the exact same reason as you—to listen to an artist you love, to experience the experience they’re experiencing. It is something truly special.
Seeing certain songs live at a certain point in your life are moments you will cherish forever. You remember who you were with, how you felt in that moment, even where you were stood. Those moments resonate with you for life. Whether it’s been moments where you’re looking around at how amazing life is, or even taking a sucker punch from an emotional rollercoaster of a sad song trying to keep it together (we’ve all been there).
Standout moments for me? I look to how I felt in that moment, not just how good the song is. I think of Bastille performing "Pompeii" at Sziget Festival in Budapest with all my best mates from uni before I moved back home. The first time I ever heard the opening guitar of "Robbers" live by The 1975 in 2018. "Not Nineteen Forever" at Heaton Park, "Slide Away" at Knebworth, and "Hypersonic Missiles" at Co-Op Live. I remember every little detail of these moments in my life, and they are times I will never forget.
It’s not just about going to see your favourite artist. It’s about leaving your troubles and trauma outside that venue, for a few hours, being surrounded by thousands who have done the same, sharing a moment together with thousands of strangers that will be held for a lifetime.
THAT is why live music hits different!
This Week on The Music Guyde
Weekly Guyde
Weekly Guyde has landed and, seeing as we're on the topic of live music, I decided to dedicate this week to my top songs to experience live. I know Weekly Guyde is strictly 5, but I have put in 6—call it my treat.
Robbers- The 1975
Not Nineteen Forever- Courteeners
Slide Away- Oasis
Hypersonic Missiles- Sam Fender
Sign of the Times- Harry Styles
Use Somebody- Kings of Leon
Album Reviews This Week
Bradley Simpson – The Panic Years
The Lathums – Matter Does Not Define
I will be looking over the next few weeks at a way to create a schedule for posts so it isn’t all over the place and you know what to look out for each day. But I’m new to this, and I’m just getting stuff out when I can!