As A Concert Addict, I Went To 183 Music-Related Events In 2017

2017 Echo Park Rising

Is there a point where going to concerts has become an addiction? If I count all the musical events I went to this year, I reach the astronomical number of 172, including 15 festivals – and since some of them lasted several days they represent a total of 24 days of festival. To this I could add 5 signing events (the Drums, Beth Ditto, Prophets of Rage visited Amoeba, Steve Jones sold his book at Book Soup and Peter Hook did a Q&A at the Regent for the release of his book), 4 films and Q&A (‘America Valhalla’, ‘One More Time with Feeling’, ‘The Icarus Line Must Die’, ‘Don’t Break Down’) and 2 exhibits (Bjork Digital and Paul Simon), all related to music, thus a total of 183 music-related events. I also have to add 2 more events before 2018 rings, as I am going to ‘Blank Generation: A Night of 70s NY Punk’ tonight and to Flamin’ Groovies at the Bootleg tomorrow!

Does this mean I have spent half my year at concerts? I have! And since I had to put my addiction in numbers, I made this inventory below, which is quite insane I have to admit. Should I consider myself an addict of live music? May be, but where is the bad side of this addiction? Oh I know, my house is a mess but at least I won’t regret missing the good stuff. I guess I am the antidote to the cocoon lifestyle, I never enjoy my comfy sofa, I never have time to cook a meal and I should definitively cancel my cable TV, what it is for? I am never home!

But there’s nothing like live music, the rush of adrenaline during a concert, the joy to discover new music and new performers, the satisfaction to explore how different people can express themselves. It’s the ultimate human experience, and no concert on your giant screen TV, and certainly no video on your tiny iPhone screen, can replace this moment of existence, despite what some people say. When it comes to concerts, the emotion only exists in a live setting, the exchange between a performer and his or her audience cannot be televised and recorded. You have to be there. It’s the uniqueness of the moment that makes a concert so precious, and when you are attending one, you know you will never relive the same exact thing, even if you go see the same performer at the same venue, it’s a unique moment and it’s your life.

My best memories are probably memories about music and concerts, and I can certainly do it to this point because I am single. I totally enjoy my freedom, and I will stop you there, I am not going to concerts to fill a hole, comfort my loneliness or socialize as a matter of fact, I truly enjoy live music and so far I haven’t found anything else like it.

So don’t be hesitant like Courtney Barnett in her song ‘Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go To The Party’… ‘I wanna go out but I wanna stay home’, Go out as much as you can, it’s your life and it will never happen again.

As A Concert Addict, I Went To 183 Music-Related Events In 2017

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