The Student News Site of Utica University

The Tangerine

The Student News Site of Utica University

The Tangerine

The Student News Site of Utica University

The Tangerine

Springing Into Concert Season

Source%3A+Marissa+Verdon+via+Instagram
Source: Marissa Verdon via Instagram

Marissa Verdon, Staff Writer

With the snow slowly melting away, the spring and summer concert season is right around the corner.

With bands like Taking Back Sunday and Dirty Heads making stops in Utica during the summer, students are reflecting on their previous concert experiences and looking forward to new ones.

“The last concert I went to was John Mayer at the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse,” senior Calico Yaworski said. “It was one of the best, if not the best, concerts I’ve ever been to.”  

According to Pollstar, around 66.8 million tickets were sold worldwide in 2017. Being a short drive away from cities like Boston and New York City, it can be tempting to make the trek to see their favorite artists. So how many shows do students really go to?
“Typically I go to about three to seven concerts a year, so one every few months,” Yaworski said. “In the summer I tend to go a lot more.”

“The last concert I saw was Vince Staples’ and Tyler, the Creator’s “Big Fish/Flower Boy Tour,“ junior Mike Santiago said.

While he likes to know an artist’s back catalogue of music, Santiago is not afraid to try something new, especially if it is a friend’s recommendation.

“Concerts are great experiences especially with friends,” he said. “Even if I don’t know who the artist is, I know I’ll still have a good time with them. It’s also a great way to start getting into an artist.”

However tight schedules don’t always allow  students to go to as many concerts as they would like.

“I don’t go very often at all due to having my head in the pool, but I hope I will be able to go to more in the future.” said Sophomore, Daniela Hannah, who notes that her Water Polo schedule doesn’t allow much room to go to shows.

So what is so special about concerts? Students agree that while going to see their favorite artist jam out in front of them is important, it takes more than that to keep them coming back to shows.

“I love concerts because they’re a unifying emotional experience,” Yaworski said. “You’re standing there with thousands of other people who connect with the music you also connect with. It’s magical.”

Yaworski isn’t alone in her love for the energy musicians put into their live performances.

“I love the energy of seeing an artist or band perform live,” said Santiago. “There’s a certain quality and rawness to their performance that you can’t get out of a studio recording.”

Junior Ethan Kipp enjoys the feeling of sharing the moment with artists and other fans, noting that the magic goes beyond the music.

“The point of the concert isn’t seeing the band or hearing the songs because you could live stream or listen at home,” Kipp said. “It’s the moments, the weird out of tune sections of the band, the dull hum of the crowd before the music starts and the out of tune screamed lyrics.”

Kipp believes the music is important, but the community and the experience at concerts is what keeps people coming back.

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