Concert Talks! 🎤🎶

[Professor Samantha Jacobs]

Hello!!

I saw on the shouty chat not too long ago about concerts being spoken about! I thought it would be a cool idea to have a concert sort of thread where people can talk and post things about the recent concerts you have been to! I'm always curious to know about people's music tastes as well as what concerts people have been to!

You can always update this thread whenever you like with a concert you've been to! (This thread also doesn't have to apply to just singer concerts! Any sort of concert like a Broadway musical or anything else you think is a concert is all good too!)

What concerts and how many have you been to?
What recent one have you been to?
Do you have any pics you would like to share? (You don't have to if you don't want to!)
Do you have an upcoming concert anytime soon?
What was the concert like? You can talk about anything about the concert!

Spoiler: My Concerts!

I've put it in a spoiler because there is so much I wanna say haha! I love going to concerts! And I'm very lucky and privelleged that I'm able to go to them because I know a lot of people who aren't able to due to different reasons!

So far I've only been to five concerts!

• One Direction (2013)
• Shawn Mendes (2017)
• Harry Styles (x2) (2017 & 2023)
• Niall Horan (2018)

I've got an upcoming concert next year in April 2024, which is Niall Horan! (Can you tell I love One Direction, by like, a lot ) I'll definitely share some photos and add it to the thread! We managed to get VIP tickets this time around so we're going to see him very up close! We are very grateful!

The recent concert I've been to is Harry Styles, earlier this year, March 2023! It was the greatest experience of my life! My best friend and I managed to get front floor this time, which we were very excited about! But since it was a mosh pit it got a bit squishy! But it was okay because we were also with people who loved the same artist and we danced around like crazy! We dressed up to as it was a thing most of the fans do during Harry's concerts. We wore boas and just fun clothing!

Here are some pics from my Harry concert!

Spoiler: Harry Styles Concert - Maria (2023)

https://marias-hnz.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F720734577033887744

 

[Renata Stepanova]

Oh I love this thread idea, thank you for creating it!

I have been to...a lot of concerts. Not as many as I'd like (mostly attending solo is not that much fun plus now I live 3 and a half hours drive from my nearest capital city) but plenty in my time.

First real gig I went to was Powderfinger in 2003 with my parents (I was 12, that was 20 years ago now, I'm so old). Most recent was Ball Park Music two weeks ago - nicely bookended with Brisbane bands. Unfortunately didn't enjoy the latter as much as I'd like with anxiety and with being generally exhausted but oh well. My bucket list gigs were Radiohead and The Cure and I have now seen them both on the rare occasions they came to Australia. I actually travelled interstate for The Cure, was totally worth it. I saw Eels at one point, and I think that was after reading Mark Oliver Everett's autobiography so that was pretty special. I also saw a band nobody's heard of last year (and a couple of weeks ago as well) that I found on MySpace an eternity ago so that was quite nice, especially when they shouted me out on stage. (I'm trying to come to terms with my teenage cringe era).

The big ones that stick out in my head right now are the two big ones I went to last year. I saw Foo Fighters in Geelong when they had their one night trip to Australia. Considering what happened after, it was even more special in hindsight. It poured all night but we'd just been freed from long lockdowns, the fact that they were even here was so exciting that the rain didn't even matter in the grand scheme of things. It was just an incredible night and I'm glad I went. I also saw Gang of Youths later on in the year and I went in kind of liking their music but not being 100% sold and came out a complete convert with a massive crush on the lead singer. So much stage presence and charisma in both these gigs. I could even cope with being by myself for these because special experiences lol.

(I also went to the 18+ Wiggles gig but it wasn't as good as those two).

Next one I'm going to is actually an orchestra concert - my best friend and I have made a habit of going to see the Final Fantasy: A New World chamber orchestra concerts (Distant Worlds doesn't come here often and if it does it would always skip Brisbane). We're going to the Melbourne concert at the end of next month and I'm really looking forward to it. For one, I'll have company again!

 

[Professor Killian Borisyuk]

I've never been to one, honestly. But this summer, on July 31st, I am driving several hours into another state to attend a concert with my dad, his wife, my cousin, his fiancé, and a family friend. We are going to go see my late uncle's favorite (or one of because he loved all metal) band: Disturbed. They also have Breaking Benjamin but I am mainly going for Disturbed.

I'll have pictures later, if I remember

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

I haven't been to a concert since before the pandemic began (though that might be changing soon!) but a few of my favorite experiences:

1. When I was in college, I was walking around and just happened to walk right into a Maroon 5 concert. This was early Maroon 5, and the concert did not make me a fan of the band; Adam Levine's voice was just not great, though I will say their concerts have greatly improved since then and I enjoy their music now
2. Seeing Lifehouse at this teeny tiny venue, maybe 30 people max. They're one of my favorite bands and skipping class to see them was well worth it.
3. Monsta X was the first full k-pop concert I attended (I've seen a few of them on morning shows so just a few songs) and it was just such amazing energy start to finish.
4. Teddy Geiger/Ryan Cabrera - they just put on really great shows. This was also the first concert I went to solo, and it was one of the best experiences to just hang with other folks who I'd never met before but had a love for their music in common. Totally recommend going to a concert on your own at least once if you've never done it. It's such a great thing to try.

 

[Archie Renner]

Yayyy love me some concert chat

I have been to a good few over the years, obviously not as many as I would have liked to but I am happy to get a chance to go to any concerts at all it's such a great experience!!!

Spoiler: My Concerts

• Way back when I was a kid we saw Avril Lavinge in 2005, give or take a year or so because I cannot remember the exact year.
• I have seen Panic! At The Disco in 2009, 2011, 2017 and 2018.
• I saw fall out boy in 2013 after they returned from their hiatus.
• I also saw All time Low at their first NZ show in 2013.
• I have seen Taylor Swift a bunch of times as well, in like 2012, 2013, and 2015 I think? My memory isn't as clear for these because my sister is the Taylor Swift fan but it was fun all the same and I enjoyed it!
• There was also a show here planned for 2020 or 2021 which was with fall out boy, weezer and green day but they had to cancel due to the pandemic and it was heartbreaking because I love green day so much!
• I also tried my best to get tickets to the upcoming Blink-182 tour because I loveee them but the tickets sold out way too fast on the presale

 

[Ainsley Lynch]

Ooooh this is such a good idea!!

I've been to a few concerts over the years but I tend more often to go to shows for small local artists, because big artists almost never come this far south and there are veeeery few people I'd consider travelling for.

I have extremely vague memories of going to a Spice Girls cover band concert when I was like 7, but the first concert I remember properly was a Te Marama Puoro O Aotearoa (music month) event when I was.... 11 or 12, which featured a whole bunch of mostly local hip hop acts - the hip hop scene here in the '00s was ABSURDLY good it was such a golden age i could go on about this for YEARS
After that the next show I went to was Hera Hjardóttir and Amanda Palmer when I was 18. Still a big fan of Hera, very much no longer a fan of Amanda.
I was supposed to be seeing them again a year later, but that wound up being the day of the big earthquake in Ōtautahi, which happened while I was on the way up there. (If it had been a couple of hours later I likely would have died, the concert venue was completely destroyed.) I did get to see Dresden Dolls the year after THAT though, when they came back to a different venue. (Again - am no longer a fan at all, but at the time this meant a lot to me.)
I didn't go to many concerts for a long time after that - when I get out to in person entertainment it tends to be dance stuff bc thats my job, but off the top of my head smaller local artists I've seen in the last few years include Repulsive Woman, Lucy Hunter, Calla, and Gravel... er.... Gravel.... body part I can't name on HNZ...
In 2017 I caught Anika Moa (Kahurangi's PB.) when she was down here, which was VERY fun (and a little bit surreal!)

Spoiler: omg hi girl hiiiii can u grade my runes homework real quick

In 2020 literally a couple of weeks before lockdown hit I was so lucky to get to see Queen + Adam Lambert when they were down here!! I went with my mum and my sister and it was a DREAM show, seriously next level. There was a motorcycle on stage, there was Brian May playing a 10 minute solo floating through the air surrounded by hologrammatic planets, the sound was INCREDIBLE, it was such a joy start to finish and I'm SO GLAD things timed out the way they did because it was pretty much the last thing we did before lockdown.
Year before last I got to see my FAVOURITE artist from Ōtepoti for the second time - Kylie Price! She's not particularly well known but she has a voice thats beyond describing, every single time I've heard her live I've almost cried. I've been a fan since I saw her in a musical (Norma Tanega in Dusty) when we were both teenagers, and I've bought everything she's released since then but I hadn't made it to one of her shows until last year. (Did have the fun awkward small town thing though - she worked at the dairy round the corner from me for YEARS so every time I went in to buy anything I had to be like. Hi i am being SO NORMAL right now you would never know your voice has made me cry I am just Normal Man buying Normal Groceries )

This year was The Big One, which I don't think will EVER leave me - I've been a GIGANTIC fan of My Chemical Romance since like. 2006, and I thought my chance to see them had gone forever when they broke up. Then they announced their reunion tour.... which got postponed THREE TIMES because of covid. My sister and I were just sitting on our tickets for four years like. lol. anyway. this isnt happening. this wont ever happening. this isnt real. AND THEN THIS YEAR IT HAPPENED
I like. DO NOT have words to talk about it I DON'T. They're an absolute powerhouse live the energy was UNBELIEVABLE I have never ever ever felt anything like that and don't think I will again. (Bonus fun; @Freya Song and @Lazarus Leitner came over from Aus for the show, so I got to meet up with them too!)
The whole trip was scary as hell - I don't travel much and I had to organise getting us to and from Tāmaki Makaurau (the other end of the entire country) and navigating an unfamiliar MASSIVE city which was INCREDIBLY intimidating but we managed so I'm calling it a win.
But the show... oh my god the show.... oh my god.... I filmed pretty much the whole thing because my memory is pretty shoddy and I wanted a record of it, and since we were right up near the front I knew it'd be better quality than anyone filming from further back. (It was standing GA only so there were no raised seats to get a better view from)
Like... there's so much to say I don't really know what to say it was.. everything it was EVERYTHING I'll be thinking about this moment until I die (warning for HNZ unfriendly language) I was emotionally impacted strongly enough that I went out and got a tattoo of one of my favourite of their lyrics like. a month later bc it hit me that hard. seventeen years of waiting and it was everything I hoped for aouaohauhoa hohouhohoahoahaaoao
(their openers were really good too - goodnight nurse came out of a 15 year hiatus and released a new song so they could play their entire snake queen trilogy at the mcr show it was AMAZING but definitely dampened a little by the main event)

 

[Poppy Perkins]

Oh boy, I have been to a lot of concerts. If anyone follows me on instagram they know lol. I actually went digging for a word document I was using to track all the concerts I had been to and I stopped counting in February of 2019 at....63.

The first concert I went to was The Fray in 2007 when I was 13 and I've been hooked on live music ever since. I was also very lucky to grow up in a part of the country a lot of tours would stop in which was nice, and that my dad and other friend's parents were willing to take us when we couldn't drive yet lol.

Spoiler: My face is cut in half but on our way to see Paramore in 2008 feat. my very patient father lol

Even when I lived in a place that most bands didn't come to I would drive 6 hours to go sleep on Kris' couch and see shows haha. I even ended up dong my masters thesis on performance spaces. When I was in Europe for my study aboard program I still managed to go to a couple shows: Julien Baker on my birthday in Amsterdam, and Paramore where we were staying in Paris.

I mostly listen and see smaller bands, not to sound like a total hipster lol, but it does mean tickets are fairly cheap. And I never know if I should count smaller local bands I end up seeing?? I have tickets to 2 more shows this year but I know I'll probably end up at a few more.

 

[June Davenport]

Wooooh! Good idea. I love music so much, and curious to see which kind of music everyone loves.

What concerts and how many have you been to?

• Adele

This was awesome. Adele is such a good singer and it was the tour after she came back with Hello. I love her songs which are touching as well and the way she is. It was the first concert I can remember from a big artist.

• Ramin Djawadi (Game Of Thrones Live concert experiance)

If this would come to the Netherlands again I'm so gonna go. I am a big fan of film music and Game of Thrones is my favorite serie, also because of the music. This man creates such masterpieces and together with his crew he played some of the soundtracks with a big screen the scene it was played at. It was magical and I'm so hoping he will do another tour or also with the House of the Dragon music. I loved it!

Not my video but one of the soundtracks

If some would not be cancelled because of covid and all I would have seen Lana del Rey live (I'm really hoping that will happen one day still.

What recent one have you been to?
I've seen Beyonce last weekend in Amsterdam. To her latest tour the Renaissance world tour. It was amazing and that woman is just a queen. Sings so good live and puts on a amazing show. And she is sooo pretty. It was just incredible, all the dancers as well.

( a impression )

Do you have an upcoming concert anytime soon?
I'm seeing The Weeknd (soon Abel Tesfaye) in Amsterdam this weekend and I can't wait. I love his music so much and am ready to sing and dance along. I really wanted to see him live, and two times it has been cancelled by covid and because he wanted to do bigger tours. But now it's finally there, so he better show up. Just every song on his newest albums I like, so I think I have no voice anymore after his concert. SO EXCITEDDDD!

I also gonna see Loreen in November. Who don't know her she is a two time winner of the eurovision songcontest. And I just love her voice and music. So can't wait to see her perform live!

 

[Harper Alston]

Concerts used to be one of my favorite things pre-pandemic, and I was lucky to live in a city where most artists toured. I spent a lot of college snagging cheap tickets day-of and heading to random concerts. I'm now in a city that most artists don't go to, which is frustrating, but at least there are a lot of outdoor venues which has been nice.

I think New Politics might have been the best concert I've ever been to. Their lead singer's energy was just electrifying, and the openers (especially The Wrecks) were also great. Stromae and AJR were also really fun concerts.

The last concert I went to was Taylor Swift lol. It was the first time I'd been to a concert of that size, and it was an Experience.

I'm seeing Harbour next month, which I'm very excited about. I'm lowkey tempted to travel to see Maisie Peters so maybe that will also happen. I also want to go to a music festival at some point since I've never been to one, but I doubt that will happen anytime soon.

 

[June Davenport]

Ok update to my own. I've been to the Weeknd and it was the best concert I've ever been to. I've never been such a fangirl, but I felt like a teenage girl again. And I screamed and sang the songs along. And enjoyed every moment. That voice of that man is insane. I now have a mission when he comes back one day to stand closer.

I already had him in my mind as a faceclaim for my unsorted for next year (but when he gets older since the man doesn't look much like an eleven year old.) But now I can't wait for my unsorted next year to grow up.

 

[Professor Samantha Jacobs]

Adding to the list of upcoming concerts, I got tickets to see Post Malone at the end of November of this year!! Super excited!! Will share some pics!!

 

[Marigold Pippett]

Ok this is fun!

I saw Taylor Swift with Abby in May at the Eras Tour which was AMAZING! I'm hoping to get tickets to see her in Amsterdam actually because I want to revisit my Dutchie friends and this will be the perfect excuse. Tickets go on sale soon so... fingers crossed!

In September I am going to see Hozier with my roommate who was kind enough to share a ticket with me he was gifted because he knows I love that silly little forest nymph.

Last year I went to Osheaga which is a music festival in Montreal. I consumed a little too much substances so I had a rough first night but I got to see some really exceptional performers. Mitski, Dua Lipa, The Arkells, girl in red, and Ashe were some of my favourites.

In 2019 my roommate and I went to a different festival where we saw The Killers! It was amazing and so much fun even if I did get a little bit of heat stroke.

I've seen Matt Anderson perform a few times and boy-oh-boy does he have a set of pipes on him.

I also saw Jason Mraz in 2010 I think. It was a really fun time.

Once I saw Nickelback perform in Toronto I think it was early 2000s in Yonge-Dundas Square.. I was not a fan personally. I was a kid so I'm not really sure when it was but it wasn't for me.

Outside of these, I've been to an insane amount of musicals and been to quite a lot of Operatic concerts which I'm not going to bore you with but I've been extraordinarily lucky to see the Opera many times with my grandfather when I was young.

 

[Marigold Pippett]

Update: I got a ticket to Eras Tour in Amsterdam! Ahhhh I'm excited! Plus I get to see some of my friends from when I lived in Amsterdam like... 10 years ago? Most have moved away but a few of them live there still so I'm freaking excited.

 

[Professor Landon Carter]

I've been to a few concerts!

• Nina Nesbitt, May 2019
• Lewis Capaldi, January 2020 just before pandemic
• Clinton Kane, December 2022
• Bruno Mars, March 2023 (i worked at this event lol, so i'm saying this counts)

Fun fact is that I'm absolutely OBSESSED with Clinton Kane and when I met him I instantly balled my eyes out and it was the best day of my life.

Spoiler: Click to see me crying whilst we meet

Also I've been to many operas and seen many orchestras play so if they count I've been to lots and lots more than listed above.

 

[Aine Thompson]

Went to see Final Fantasy: A New World! I think my friend and I have been to every one in Australia over the past decade. It was good, though I was a little sad to see they didn't have the piano soloist this time. Still had a great time (and had some excellent Mexican food beforehand). I mean heck, the conductor did a slide whistle solo for the chocobo theme (and they also used a squeaky toy)

 

[Professor Killian Borisyuk]

I got back from my concert trip yesterday. I had to drive 6-7 hours (I stopped for breaks) away for it, and it was worth it. I got to see the opening act named Jinjer, so new band to check out. Breaking Benjamin was amazing. I thought I only new a couple of songs, but I know all of them except two in the hour they played. I felt bad for them though because the sun was setting, and the stage received full blast of the sun. Whoever designed that was terrible (but it was North Carolina so...).

Disturbed live was bloody epic! The effects blew my mind, the singer cried on stage because he sung about sensitive topics (see Chester from Linkin Park). He played the Sound of Silence that had dad and I sitting down because that song was at my dad's brother's funeral. Dad has a necklace with his ashes and wore it that night (I forgot mine). Disturbed played all of my favorite songs, and some from their new albums. Since it was hot out, I felt bad for those up front because the effects were all fire and no thanks

First concert experience was unforgettable for several reasons. First ever concert of course. Doubt any will top that! Another one was the fact that I got to actually have time dad alone, which I've not had since I was a kid. That was great, obviously. If I go to any more concerts, I will never go to Charlotte NC again. Gonna stick to at most a 5 hour distance.

 

[Professor Samantha Jacobs]

Another concert has been added to the list for me sjkhfs I got concert tickets for the weeknd in early december of this year!! I'm super excited! I got floor (very close to the stage!)

This is my brother's first concert and i wanted his first concert to be one of the best experiences! It's also a bday gift for him, from me hehe!

However, my current concert line up is very exciting!!

• post malone (nov, 2023)
• the weeknd (dec, 2023)
• niall horan (apr, 2024)

I am very excited!!

 

[Poppy Perkins]

Went to a concert last night to see the band First Aid Kit, it was a great show and their vocals are insane to hear live. But it did rain a considerable amount and it was an outdoor show lol.

I was absolutely drenched by the time they came on. I would have been more prepared but the forecast when I left the house said rain was over for the day only for it to change as I was standing there waiting for the show to start

Either way a great show and always grateful for rain!

 

[Wyatt Finch]

Update for my post earlier as well: I saw David Kushner and Kaleo and they were both fantastic. Hozier, as expected, was god-tier and basically ruined my life because I love him so much.

I got tickets to Noah Kahan in 2024 and Taylor Swift in Toronto... Good thing girl math says that if you buy concert tickets enough in advance that they're free because it's was a little expensive.

 

[Professor Killian Borisyuk]

First concert experience was unforgettable for several reasons. First ever concert of course. Doubt any will top that!

I am going to another concert on February 19th, within 1.5 hours away. It is Disturbed (same tour), playing with Falling in Reverse and Plush, but this time, Mom gifted me with the VIP package, so I get to meet the band, get photos with them, merchandise that is exclusive to the VIP experience, including an autographed vinyl. It is so surreal and I am taking my uncle's ashes with me so it will be like he is meeting them too.

The only downside is that I will be seated alone (near the front stage but not the pit because I can't stand for long). Upside is I get to rub it in my dad's face So, I think this concert experience will top my first one.

 

[Elliot Briar]

Yaay live music It's so cool to see the shows people have been to or are excited to go to. I'm up there with Kadi in that.. I've (now) seen a lot of shows, too many to track. Growing up in Aotearoa it legitimately did not occur to me that going to see bands you liked was like A Thing you could do? I also barely listened to music cause I was a feral child growing up and when I was older I moved to the middle of nowhere rural NZ and there was no radio reception (and online streaming wasn't A Thing yet oof).

BUT once I moved to America I realized a) I could go see bands I liked! and b) I really liked doing that!!! And then I did that. A lot. Now I work in live music event ticketing and get some free tickets to things on the regular so I'm very spoilt.

I feel like I'd need an entire other post for memorable concert moments so I might stick to just some recent shows since I've only just started going back to shows post-pandemic. The other week I saw The Beths (kiwi band!!!! check em out!) open for Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service which was a great show and then last weekend Kadi and I hit up Austin City Limits Music Festival and got to see Noah Kahan, Hozier, Odeza, Rina Sawayama, Declan Mckenna (paging Charlie, we saw your boy), Mumford and Sons, and the Foo Fighters to name a few which was a great, if exhausting and dusty time

 

[Professor Adorah Zumwalt]

I have not really been to a lot of concerts (but, OH the amount of musicals), but I bought tickets to see Chappell Roan in April. I've only been to like 3 other concerts before (Starkid Apocalyptour, The Chicks, and No Doubt (mainly to see Paramore)).

 

[Professor Samantha Jacobs]

Hellloooo!!! I've got a wee update with my concerts!! A couple of weeks ago, I got to see Post Malone in concert! Post Malone isn't someone who I would normally listen to, but I do enjoy listening to his songs, but I had a good time nevertheless!!

A few days ago I managed to get tickets to see Coldplay, who are gonna come here to Auckland next year in November! Which is pretty exciting!!! I'm going to the concert with my dad, as my dad enjoys Coldplay too! Next week I was gonna see The Weeknd in concert, but it has unfortunately been postponed to another day that we aren't sure of, which is really devastating!

But I'm really excited for my upcoming concert lineup!

• Niall Horan (April, 2024)
• Coldplay (November, 2024)
• The Weeknd (tbc)

Here are some photos/videos from my Post Malone concert!!

Spoiler: Post Malone Concert - Auckland 21/11/23

I wish i could share some videos!! but im tumblr wont allow me to post videos for some reason!! will edit this post if i manage to get videos!!!

 

[Amber Chou Wilson]

Reviving this topic because I went to the Eras your last Friday and it's been all I can think about. It was SO COOL. I've never experienced anything like it.

 

[Professor Killian Borisyuk]

I am going to another concert on Labor Day Weekend to see Falling in Reverse, Black Veil Brides, and 2 other bands. I got the VIP package again so I'll have a picture with Ronnie Radke - which is so weird cause I used to use him as a face for a character about a decade ago!