Giada Alleva (286)

It’s early morning, and you’re on the way to school, whether it be in a car, bus, or the subway, when you mindlessly open up a social media app. You click on an acquaintance’s new story when you’re met with pictures and videos of a musical artist that had been playing a show just the night before. As time goes on, you notice this to happen more and more with various different artists in various different places. And, as time passes, the question being asked when these images hit your screen is: why is this the case, and why now?

In the early months of 2020, the world went into a lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. After over a year, the world slowly opened back up again, and restrictions were gradually removed on public spaces and gatherings such as schools, religious spaces, and concerts. “I think that it took awhile to get back into things after COVID for most artists, and it’s kind of been getting back into a regular state now,” said Garrison Weidner (286) when asked if he noticed a rise in concerts going on around the city. He attributed the perceived “concert boom” to people still acclimating to the world post-pandemic.

When asked about his experiences at concerts, Garrison stated that being on the younger side at concerts can be uncomfortable at times, and it can “[put you] in some sketchy situations.” He continued, “The concerts I go to, I’m the youngest one there, but I’ve made some friends, and it’s cool that I can be friends with them over the same thing we enjoy, even though I’m in high school and they’re in college,” Garrison commented. 

Music has the ability to bring people together, and concerts are a great way to bond with others – friends and strangers alike. It’s been almost six years since the world first quarantined due to COVID, and live music performances are, thankfully, able to thrive again. With this, people are able to connect with one another in a unique way once again, even after being deprived of it for so long.