The 21 stages of the emotional rollercoaster that is seeing your favorite band live
If you’ve ever seen your favorite band in concert, you know the emotional rollercoaster all too well. There’s the anxiety of getting tickets, the excitement of snagging a front-row spot, the euphoria of hearing them play and the sadness when it’s over way too soon.
Seeing your favorite band live is a process, no matter who they are. There are shared experiences we all have, even if we have different favorite bands, that makes going to your favorite band’s concert all too familiar. We’ve described what it’s like below for you to relive it all again, or to warn you what it might be like when you finally see your favorite band in concert.
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1. You go through the stressful process of getting the tickets.
You have to make sure they are touring in a city you can go to, you need to find someone to go with, you need to make sure you are free on that date, etc. It’s quite a process, but if all the stars align, it is so worth it.
2. You feel sweet relief, but also a pain in your bank account.
It’s exciting to know that you’re going, but the initial sting of dropping a bunch of money on tickets hurts.
3. You listen to every song ever made by the band.
Because if they play that obscure track off that one album no one but you remembers, you will know all of the words. Studying is important, kids.
4. You figure out what you’re going to wear.
Are you going to wear one of the band’s shirts? Make your own? Dress up or look casual? These are extremely important questions that take a lot of consideration.
5. You get the Christmas Eve feeling the night before.
You know you’re not going to be able to sleep. There’s just no way. If you do happen to finally fall asleep, you have dreams about the band pulling you onstage or something like that, which is pretty exciting. You also probably wake up multiple times throughout the night hoping it’s morning already.
6. It’s the day, and you can’t hold in your excitement.
You can’t believe you have to go through a whole day before the show. If you have to work or go to school, you know you won’t be even a little bit focused. The time seems to move slow as you countdown to the big moment.
7. You get to the venue (probably way too early) and wait in line.
You have to make sure you have the best spot in the pit, so you show up at least two hours early. You are at the front of the line and don’t mind waiting, because you’re about to have the best night of your life.
8. You hope that while waiting in this line, your favorite band happen to walk by or come out to show appreciation for your dedication.
Come on, we’ve all thought it. Chances are slim, but it does happen sometimes. If it did, your entire life would be made.
9. You get in and claim the best spot ever.
A wait well worth it.
10. You and your friends take turns headed to the merch table while someone holds down your amazing spot.
Because you have to buy a T-shirt to commemorate this experience, and you will probably wear it for at least seven days straight.
11. You listen to the opener.
Depending on who it is, you might be into the band or you might not. Either way, you’re probably not as excited for them as you are for the headliner, so it’s kind of just something you have to get through. But you should do as Hayley Williams says and show support to the opener, even though you’re excited about the headlining act.
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12. You literally are sweating bullets freaking out when the opener ends, and there’s that weird waiting period.
The stage is changing, and there’s waiting music playing over the speakers. You contemplate if you have enough time to go to the restroom before the band come out. You try to guess how long it will take for them to start and how they will begin the show.
13. It’s 60 seconds before they come out, you can tell, and you actually think you might explode
This is when things start to change. The music stops, the lights dim and you know it’s about to happen. You wonder what song they’ll come out with, but you really don’t care because you can’t believe this is happening.
14. Your favorite band come out, and you let out a yell like never before.
Like a full-on scream. There they are right in front of you. The moment is finally here, and you can die happy.
15. You listen to the amazing show, sing every word to every song and never want it to end.
All that studying really paid off. You literally don’t focus your attention on anything else but the band in front of you. This is your happy place.
16. Your favorite band leave the stage and you’re crushed.
How could it be over? It seemed like time was moving so slow before the show, and then, in a flash, it was all over. You feel like it shouldn’t have ended that way, and you don’t know what to do.
17. But wait, there’s an ENCORE.
And you realize this is why they’re your favorite band in the first place. They place an amazing encore that fulfills your wildest dreams. Now, it feels OK for the evening to be ending.
18. The encore ends, and you are floating on a cloud.
You just saw your favorite band in concert. It feels like nothing you’ve ever felt before.
19. Until it all comes crashing down and post-concert depression sets in.
Because it should have never ended. You contemplate if you can quit all responsibilities and just follow them on tour.
20. You post all over the internet about how life changing the show was.
Memories may fade, but Instagram videos last a lifetime.
21. You anxiously wait until the next time you get to see your favorite band live because you have to experience that again.
Because there’s no way you’re only going to their show once.
