What's your experience of Gigs/Concerts?

When I went to see The Bootleg Beatles in Glasgow, There was a support act, His name was Nikki Lipp, He was amazing, But I felt like the audience just talked and I found it very distracting. I find it a bit rude, to be honest. 

I saw the band Europe in Glasgow and they went a little over board with the lights, I found it very hard to look at the stage. 

Anyone who goes regularly will either be fine with the high volumes (possibly helped by the hearing loss they've picked up) or wearing earplugs, so it's not just a you being weird thing. 

You can get lots of kinds of earplugs these days that will massively cut down the volume without muffling the sound like earphones or regular foam earplugs would. In my experience it actually makes it sound better than no earplugs anyway because you get a much more balanced sound instead of things being drowned by bass. You should give it a go if it's something you want to do and the volume is the thing stopping you. 

I last went to a gig in 2011 where some mainly 1960s music was performed (not hard or heavy rock) .  I liked the music but I found the volume way too loud (I wasn't aware of anyone else in the audience feeling the same) and I had my fingers in my ears to provide some relief.  As a result of this I am unlikely to go to any more rock concerts unless I have my noise cancelling earphones with me.

yeah, same. Don`t get me wrong, if it had been a big tent (-and crowd), I would `ve had a different experience....in fact, I think I would have left....but, it was spacious enough but loud with the music...which I felt able to just go with...I volunteered there in 2022, then paid this year (-both times on my own, as per......!!!!!)....I would not go on my own, as a paying customer again, as I really found it to be too overwhelming and left before the big acts that I really wanted to see!! (-volunteering..I had a tent, in a completely distant field, that I could go back to.....as a paying guest...I didn`t know where the escape/respite was)

I went to Download 2016, and sensory wise there is a big difference for me when the noise is intrusive vs when it is deliberately sought out. If I had been deaf I imagine I would have still heard the music just from the soundwaves hitting my body. It's great, like stimming all over on a natural high.

Euan. My best experience was when at Download 2022. I thought I`d go into one of the tents and have a listen to Napalm Death (!!!!)....Mate, I was stood right next to the speakers and close to the stage. The sound, emotions, etc, were all really intense and loud...I just closed my eyes and just went on a journey!!!! I came out of there feeling awesome

I was at a Gig; on Tuesday night. A free Gig, at a bar near Belfast. My friend, and I, couldn't stay for the whole event; due to time. However, I bought a £20 LP at the merchandise table.

Whenever I saw Paul Draper; back in March, at Gorilla in Manchester, I felt the 'Jet Lag' from an overnight coach journey, vua Glasgow; after heading, via the Ferry, from Belfast. I never feel comfortable; mainly as I don't drink alcohol.

Time is my major issue, long events exacerbate my anxiety.

I've been to a few now but I always go with someone else, usually my brother because I suffer from anxiety and the thought of being on my own is terrifying. My experience has been good, I've had a few meltdowns at live performances but I've still enjoyed it. I love the feeling you get being there, like this energy coursing through you and everybody else. It's sensational!

So far I've seen Ed Sheeran live 3 times, Michael Bublè, Taylor Swift, Bob Dylan and Adele

I go to quite a few, I prefer to go with someone else but will go on my own if it's someone I really want to see.  That said I prefer to hang at the back to one side, where I can get out easily, it's less crowded and I don't feel in anyone's way.  I'm also quite tall so I try to stand behind someone else tall so it's not really me blocking everyone else's view! 

Big stadium or arena gigs aren't my thing, I will do it but find it very stressful getting to and from the venue or navigating back to friends if I have to go the loo or I go to the bar.  There was also a gig I went to last year where right at the end someone wearing patchouli stood in front of me and I had to move as it's a trigger and I thought I might be sick!

All that said, I love live music and most of the people I would go to see have what I would call a decent set of fans.

Thanks for sharing! I agree, that feeling of being in the moment and just a part of it all is great. I hope that one day maybe you will be able to go back and have that feeling again. 

Take care.

I used to work in the theatre, doing lighting for many, many shows and gigs - and I found the whole experience traumatic. I now have medically-recognized PTSD as a result. It was the worst possible environment to be in - never mind WORK in!

Me and my cousin tried to sneak into a Robbie Williams concert fifteen years ago, but the security guards caught us.

I love them. To me it's not like a normal crowd you'd get on a busy high street- everyone's there for the same reason and it's okay to have big feelings about it.

Something I really like about the kind of gigs I go to is the familiarity and predictability. My fellow fans are instantly recognisable, I know the unspoken rules of the mosh pit through observation and conversations with friends, and I know what the music will be like.

I'm sure all of us here understand what it's like to be alone with our interests. At gigs, I don't feel alone any more.

I went to my first one last year. It was Wembley Stadium because I'm a madman.  It wasn't the plan to go on my own but that's what ended up happening thanks to my poor planning.

I felt vulnerable not having someone with me to share the experience with, but I enjoyed the show. It got overwhelming when you've got 70,000 people trying to leave the same venue at the same time.

I love a good concert but I need to be prepared that at times it will be overbearingly noisy and busy. I've been to many different concerts, including to see Elvis Presley which I found a very enjoyable experience but I did have a meltdown afterwards because of the noise and large gathering of people.

I haven't attended a live concert for some years now, I'm too old and know that I wouldn't be able to tolerate the environment like I used to. My husband isn't in the best of health either so going to a concert now wouldn't be good for us. But I have very fond memories of the concerts I have been to.

I love them - it is a chance to adopt a different persona for the evening, to revel in the auditory onslaught (I prefer heavy rock / metal concerts), be around others with similar passions and just get swept away in the intensity of it all for a few hours.

I used to love them. When the lights went out and someone I loved was playing, the anxiety I got from being around these people and the sadness I got the rest of the week would drop away and I could be almost entirely present and in the moment. I guess in that situation I had that mentality where I felt like I was part of this crowd, where in a crowded shopping centre I felt very much like one person surrounded by other people. For 60-90 minutes I felt actually happy. 

Maybe one day I'll be able to go back, but my anxiety went from social anxiety to GAD and panic disorder so they're too scary now.