Bright lights surround you, and the only audible sound is coming from overpowering speakers that drown out everything else. You sing along with your favorite artist right in front of your eyes. Even though there’s only a few songs left before the concert ends, you know the memories will last a lifetime.
Concerts of various genres can be a source of entertainment for people of all ages as they watch their favorite musicians perform live. However, as technology advances and prices rise, new struggles present themselves for those wishing to see live music.
Ticketmaster, among a large group of similar applications, is a website to purchase and resell tickets for many events, such as concerts. Though its purpose is to make it easier to buy tickets, the website still has many flaws.
“Ticketmaster is the main website that I use, and it’s honestly not the best,” said Naydelyn Rodriguez ‘23. “A lot of people log on around the same time that tickets go on sale, … so it starts crashing, and it makes it difficult to get tickets.”
In addition to the website freezing and crashing, it can be hard to find tickets in what most consider to be a reasonable price range.
“When it’s [tickets for] seats … that’s so much more difficult because you are trying to get the section you want, and if you don’t get that, you have to compromise somewhere else, and they go so fast,” said Brooke Beck ‘24.
Though Ticketmaster aims to make purchasing tickets easier, it doesn’t remove the towering fees and expenses of concert tickets, especially for high valued performances. The high cost often causes severe financial burdens in addition to the incapability of young adults to pay for tickets.
“Usually, there’s a set price on what the tickets are, but as more people start buying tickets, prices start to rise,” said Rodriguez. “Normal seats that would be $50 rise up to maybe $100 or up to $500.”
Spending money on tickets is just one of the ways concerts can be an expensive outing. Even inside the venue, food and merchandise add extra costs.
“Money is stressful for people and sometimes everything is overpriced,” said Sara Targum ‘25. “Water is like $10, and you don’t want to spend money on that, or you just can’t.”
Especially for popular artists, stadiums can fill to maximum capacity and be very crowded, causing excessive lines and waiting. To avoid missing parts of the concert, people often arrive early or stay hours after just to stand in merchandise lines.
“There’s usually a ton of long lines,” said Rodriguez. “I try getting to the event maybe five hours prior to when the doors actually open, just so I have time to buy merchandise and wait in line.”
However, crowds aren’t necessarily bad and can even elevate the experience for some.
“Honestly, I think [crowds] make it more fun,” said Aishwarya Miglino ‘25. “If there’s not that many people around you, it’s awkward. I feel like everyone [else] makes you want to dance and be in a better mood.”
Some might be able to relate to the appeal of big crowds, but there’s also more personal reasons why concerts might peak one’s interest. For Adam Niemenn ‘26, concerts give him a chance to bond with his dad when they go together.
“Seeing what [my dad] likes in music and interpreting it into what I like [in] music was really interesting,” said Niemenn. “It was a cool experience.”
Concerts can be a lighthearted and cheerful way to have fun with friends or family. However, music can have a deeper meaning to a lot of people, and going to a concert can bring this to life.
“Music just helps me focus, even if it’s just in the background,” said Seth Geer ‘24, who went to a Tyler the Creator concert. “It helps shape how you grow up and the actions that you make and your moods … [The concert I went to] was definitely a morale booster.”
Concerts might not be the best activity if one is aiming for a simple, straightforward event. Among the high prices, difficulties in obtaining tickets and extensive lines, it can be overwhelming and stressful. However, the many positive aspects of concerts can make them a memorable occasion.
“There wasn’t one open seat [at the venue],” said Sara Blauser ‘25. “It was kind of crazy to see how many people were there … You’re not always going to get the best seats, but it’s worth the experience.”