Boston is a city bursting with history, gorgeous seaports and picturesque gardens.
However, all of these aspects of Boston can put a price tag on city living, which makes spending a weekend night out with friends quite the frightening task for those who value their savings accounts.
Settling in for a month now, I’ve finally settled on one of the most popular social outings for college students in Boston — concerts! Almost everyone loves music and the best part about such a phenomenon is that there’s always an artist out there for everyone. From genres like alternative or classic rock, or from K-pop to electronic dance music, they have all graced the Boston stages recently.
On the other hand, the price tags give us the hard truth. Whether it’s the Orpheum Theatre, MGM Music Hall or TD Garden, you are bidding farewell to a big chunk of change. To see a popular artist, concerts seem to cost as much as three shifts at work for me.
In the words of Billy Mays, that’s not all! Even the cheaper tickets come cold served with a side of deception. Sure, paying around $48 for general floor admission to see Coin seems like a bargain, but wait until checkout when TicketMaster slaps you in the face with a fee almost as much as the ticket.
So, are concerts really worth it? Combining my own experiences and the most recent shows, I’ll be your tiebreaker.
Post Malone or Post-pone?
Let’s start with the bad news. Concerts aren’t always guaranteed. Sales may seem final, the venue may be decorated and the lighting may be queued. However, the show doesn’t start until the performer hits the stage. Unfortunately Post Malone canceled right before his show just last weekend on Friday, Sept. 23. Amidst an injury sustained from falling into a crack in the stage at his St. Louis show just a week before, Post Malone announced his cancellation to all social media. Here is part of his official message on Instagram:
“On tour, I usually wake up around 4 o’clock p.m., and today I woke up to a cracking sound on the right side of my body. I felt so good last night, but today it felt so different than it has before. I’m having a very difficult time breathing, and there’s like a stabbing pain whenever I breathe or move. We’re in the hospital now, but with this pain, I can’t do the show tonight.”
While the rescheduled show is planned for October 10, many fans may not be able to attend, losing some money and a potential experience. With tickets starting at around $100, it’s not going to be easy to feel financially secure after making that purchase for some people.
COIN: Making History
Coin was the first concert I attended since moving into college. Coin is an American pop rock band formed in 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee and currently consists of Chase Lawrence (lead vocals), Ryan Winnen (drums) and Joe Memmel (lead guitar). I saw them at the MGM Music Hall — a new live music venue located next to Fenway Park.
Known best for their 2017 hit “Talk too Much,” Coin has launched into stardom with album “Dreamland” in 2020 and their “Uncanny Valley” Tour. As a Coin newcomer, their concert seemed like a healing experience and exciting party — filled with flashing lights and energetic music. The group belted out messages like, “Don’t turn your back on the ones who don’t turn their back on you” and “Do you ever love something so much it hurts?” Coin announced during the concert that their Boston show was the largest Coin show to date.
Lizzo: Love Wins!
Perhaps the biggest name to touch down in Beantown over the last month was the iconic popstar herself, Lizzo on Sept. 30. With diverse music tastes around the world and hundreds of artists, it’s difficult for one artist to distinguish themselves from the rest and find their unique voice.
For Lizzo, that’s not a problem. Her discography is filled with variety. From dance floor thrillers like “Tempo” and “Rumors” to super slow ballads like “Naked”, “Jerome” and “Break Up Twice,” Lizzo will always fit the mood.
Her entire concert was surrounded by self-love, self-care and self-confidence. Everytime she steps on stage, Lizzo hugs the arena with a kind, funky and free energy, giving a safe space to those looking for one.
The Verdict
Music is inevitably a big part of our lives. Ultimately, it has been a giant part of bringing people together for me — especially in college. Tapping into my own experience, I could not tell you how many times I sent and received links to Spotify playlists as a way to get a feel for potential friends. In a way, music is an indicator of our personalities. Therefore, it is an extremely powerful tool to use when searching for compatibility.
So, is it worth it? Of course it is! Sure it can be quite the price, but concerts create communities and safe spaces within them, including memories to last a lifetime. Some might not go as planned. However, I believe it’s a chance you should be willing to take in order to experience a fun-filled night out. So, go see a concert!
I know I’ll be at Dayglow on Nov. 18. See you there!
