Why concerts matter

I cannot imagine that I’m the only one who has watched full concerts on YouTube lately…..like for the past sixteen months or so. I’ll find myself with extra time, nothing to do, and I’ll think about watching television. After a short channel surfing session, I’ll sigh heavily and flip over to YouTube, thinking that maybe I’ll see something there that sounds good.

Invariably, I’ll somehow be swayed into clicking on something Duran-related, and the next thing you know, I’m looking at some concert from a tour or two ago. I’ve seen shows, or at least clips from shows, that I never thought about going to see myself. In every case, I think it’s going to be great, and then as I’m watching, I just feel sort of empty. Flat. Not quite bored, but maybe a tiny bit sad.

It just isn’t the same. You can’t download a live show and get that same LIVE experience. I don’t care what anyone says, even if you feel like you’re seeing the same “front row” shot as you might being there, it isn’t the same as knowing and feeling you’re in the same room, the same basic breathing space, as the band. There’s this weird vibration in the air, partly energy and partly your nerves about to split in two like an atom – you can’t mimic that with a downloaded concert. Your brain knows that John Taylor isn’t there in your living room, no matter how much you say otherwise. My heart knows the difference between dancing around in front of my big TV, and feeling that catch in my breath just as the lights (finally) go down, right before the band takes the stage. That moment is huge. The surge of emotion is so real. I can’t imagine never experiencing that again.

-R