by Adrianna Ohmes

Concerts.

They’re what I consider heaven on earth.

A band comes out on stage while the lights are out. The screaming fans awaiting what is the promise of a good night. The speakers blare intro music and the first beat of the drum or chord of the bass drops, sending the whole crowd into controlled chaos.

That’s what I live for.

Since losing my concert newbie status to the Jonas Brothers on Feb. 27, 2008 in the Sprint Center, I haven’t entered a packed arena for a concert. The closest I’ve come to an arena filled with fans since was the Goo Goo Dolls concert on Aug. 19, 2010, but they closed off half of the Independence Events Center.

Since then, I’ve visited tiny venues, campgrounds and built stages in various states.

Let me clear this up for you first.

I hate having arranged seating at concerts.

Seats alone at a venue rip another small piece of my heart apart.

I’m a general admissions child.

I prefer my venues small, my crowds friendly and my artists accessible. The smaller the venue, the better.

I know it’s not just the weird fangirl in me who grows an intense emotional connection to the music of my favorite artists.

And after growing that attachment to someone’s music, meeting them is just the cherry on top. But packed arenas aren’t ideal to hug your favorite musician in and tell them how much their music means to you.

Sure, meet-and-greet passes exist for pretty much everyone now, but those are instructed and expensive.

I’m talking about standing outside of a venue and having the ability to walk up to a musician, ask for a photograph, autograph and a hug like it’s no big deal. Or even better, when the band member comes to you. (Yes, I’ve had that experience. Shout out to Alex Garcia from Mayday Parade for being an angel. This may seem like name dropping, and frankly, it is if you know who I’m talking about.)

Also buying tickets to an arena are much more expensive. Small(er) venues normally don’t charge over $30 for a ticket unless it’s a musician who’s in high demand. (Ed Sheeran tickets at the Midland being $70 for balcony. Shout out to Hannah Taft for telling me!)

The last concert I went to was Every Avenue’s Last Call Tour which was supported by three other bands. The venue, The Firebird in St. Louis, was one of the smallest I’ve ever been in, as in there wasn’t even a barricade. I was sitting on the stage during the band changes. They only charged $15 per ticket.

Now outdoor festivals and shows are normally a bit more expensive, but if it’s an all-day event and there’s more than three musicians there that you want to see, it’s worth it.

But I have to argue that my favorite part of the concert experience at small venues (besides the music, and then hugging and talking to your favorite musicians) is meeting new people. They don’t have to be at the concert for the same reasons as you.

Maybe they’re super fond of the opening or a supporting act. Maybe they just wanted something to do on a weeknight. Or maybe their friend dragged them to it.

I’ve only ever found that at small venues, the fans tend to communicate more and be friendly.

Back in 2011, I stood outside of the Beaumont Club (still internally crying over it closing) for around four hours to see a show. There was a group of four Canadians who were following the same tour and had nothing to do but hang outside of the venue. Well after hours of talking, finding bathrooms together while our friends held our spots in line, and learning about how much we had in common, we all became friends on Facebook and continued to talk for a while afterwards.

That’s the kind of small venue experience I love.

Making friends in line to then go into a show with where you all get to jump, dance and sing in a group together while your favorite artist rocks out on stage. Plus, it helps when you’re comfortable enough with someone to not worry when a rowdy crowd starts pushing everyone around. Personal space=respected.

The group of Canadians I met even left after the band they came for played and gave us their front row spots.

That meant that I had musicians singing to me all night.

Not everyone will respond positively, but be friendly. Concerts are an experience to be shared.

We may not have the same taste in music, but I challenge you to

1.  go to at least one concert in a smaller venue (If not, be in general admission because it’s more fun and can be cheaper.)
2.  meet/compliment an artist who isn’t necessarily the most famous (It can be the opening or supporting act. They need words of encouragement too. Plus they could suddenly get famous one day too.)
3.  talk to someone in line with you (They could share the experience with you and you could help make their night memorable.)