Some people go to universities where they feel out of place and may not fit in with the atmosphere, but there is always the idea of music. It can be a talking point in a conversation or a place to get away and enjoy music on your own or with others. You could go to gigs to get away from studying and work, unwind and come back with a new perspective on life – but is it worth it in the end? Victoria Blake discusses.
I remember the live music scene back in Austin, Texas. Austin is the “live capital of Texas” in addition to being the capital of Texas in general, and you can easily find a live show in a different genre every night. Even if you can’t find one that appeals to you, then there are many things around music venues to go and do. The city boasts the enormous two-weekend Austin City Limits in Zilker Park, with the infamous Sixth Street, museums, outdoor venues, and many other kinds of artistic venues other than gigs to attend.
If you consider the idea of getting out of town for the night to support a new band with a few friends, then it could be easy to think gigs are worth the money, especially if you can find them for £20, or less.
Difficult decisions
With skyrocketing tuition fees, though, in between work and studying it can be hard to pick between having a nice time and paying for that new textbook you may or may not actually look at twice.
If you are curious as to the reason why gigs have become so expensive, there are many ideas about why they are so high. The music venues aren’t cheap, no matter how sticky the floors may be. Nowadays, a lot of bands, with the introduction of online streaming, make their money from concerts, and with the additional fees that go with touring, the ticket fees end up going up. The Guardian, in an interview with a ticket insider, said, “there’s a lot of psychology in [ticket pricing]…you don’t want to devalue a show with a price that’s too low.”
To catch shows in town, Google can always help, but if you're on your phone a lot, there’s bandsintown, which you can set to the location you want using the inbuilt GPS system in the app. Buying from the venue itself can always help save on fees as well. There is also the idea of finding the band or artist you want to see, finding out the fees, then saving up and marking it down on the calendar weeks in advance to go when the time is near.
Do your research
However, if the idea of paying more than £30 is too much, and you cannot find tickets any cheaper anywhere else, know your personal limits. If the person you want to see is worth it to you, check out online reviews and see if anyone else thought they were a good live band or if they were better on the album instead, and that should help you decide if it will be money well-spent.
Whether you are in the mood to listen to music or just want to get away from your own noise, there is always going to be someone to listen to wherever you are in the world. You just have to look for it.
