What Makes a Great Concert?

The screams of the crowd are overwhelming as your favorite music artist steps to center stage with guitar in hand. Loud music begins to play as even more screams and excitement come from the stands. Great concert, huh?

What makes a great concert? Music artists are constantly criticized over their performances. As we hear every week from Simon Cowell on American Idol, performance is everything. An artist just can’t be a singer, they have to be a performer as well. Are people just blessed with the ability to perform, or is it something that can be taught?
So what makes some concerts better than others? What has Elvis, The Beatles, and Madonna had that made them music icons and some of the best performers of all time? In this article we’ll dig deeper into understanding what makes a concert and a performance worth attending.
“ I like concerts outside, There’s something freeing about seeing a live performance outside, especially when the weather is nice.”-Heather , 19
Everyone has a different opinion on what makes a great concert. However, there are several factors to any show that stand more important than others. Are these things on your list on what makes a good show?

(1) Music-Lets face it, the music is the main reason we buy tickets to a concert. If there was no music, there would be no show at all. The actual songs the artist sings are usually the reason why the artist is known.

(2) The Crowd-The screams of the crowd are half of the fun of any good show. The feeling that you get after a concert when your throat is sore from cheering shows that you were a great concert. An artist with a really big fan base usually has a great crowd. You want to have a really energetic crowd in order to get the party started.

(3) The Environment-You wouldn’t go to a rock concert at your grandmother’s house would you? Probably not. Most people find that a performance’s location makes the performance more fun. 19 year old Heather told Sweet Reads, “ I like concerts outside, There’s something freeing about seeing a live performance outside, especially when the weather is nice. Having good weather at a concert is like icing on a cake. It makes the day perfect.”

(4) The Special Effects-Fire, smoke, LCD screens, multicolored lights. These things make a good concert ten times as exciting as any typical one. The opening sequence to any good concert has some great special effects. Whether a light shines and a curtain drops, or the artist rises from the bottom of the stage, special effects are key.

(5) The Souvenirs- Every good concert has good souvenirs. Everyone knows this. Even though most shows have ridiculous prices for souvenirs, it’s almost a necessity to buy at least a simple black T-shirt. If it’s a really great show, you might even want to purchase a cute messenger bag or hoodie as well.

(6) The Friends –Friends. Family. Whoever you want. The people that you attend a performance with are a crucial part of the concert experience. You want people who are fun and aren’t afraid to let loose and have a good time. Close friends are great to go to performances with. You can sing and dance, and they won’t find you annoying, they will probably be joining in with you! Plus, close friends are perfect to go to concerts with because you can sing along and talk about your favorite concert moments.

Concerts Let You Bond!
“ I went to the Fall Out Boy concert this past year, and I found out that a girl in my Nutrition class went too. One day, I struck up a conversation about the concert with her, and now we’re best friends! We liked the concert so much that we both went to the Jonas Brothers concerts a few months later.”-Melanie, 15

(7) The Aftermath-The ringing in your ears. The sore throat. That constant beat in your head. If you don’t have any of these things by the time you exit your concert, it wasn’t as good as you thought!

People like all different kinds of concerts, but the factors that make any concert great are the music, crowd, environment, special effects, souvenirs, friends, and the aftermath. Pick a concert where these seven things are successful, and you will have a night full of singing, dancing, and a lot of great memories. No matter where you are, don’t settle for anything less than a great concert, they’re out there if you just look!

Warped Tour is known as one of the best concerts of all time. Here are a list of some of the bands performing at Warped Tour in the summer of 2008!
· The Academy Is
· All Time Low
· Gym Class Heroes
· Paramore
· Mayday Parade
· Cobra Starship
· Say Anything
· Relient K
· Story of the Year