Music and growing older...

Why is going to shows, discovering new bands, and being involved in a music community seen as juvenile to most? I understand that most people have less time as an adult than as a teenager/college student but I still see myself involved when I’m older. For reference I’m 25.


Do you think with this generation it will start to be more of a norm to see older people at shows?

 

probably, i plan on going to shows as long as i can. though i'm already getting tired of standing at them all the time, haha.

 

Haha I definitely don't get all up in the pit like I used to! I'm totally fine with standing on the edge though my back does hurt after standing at shows all night

I had seated tickets for the Circa Survive "Juturna" tour and it was so nice being able to sit during the openers and then go downstairs and stand while Circa played

 

This pretty much sums up how I am at shows hahaha.

 

I can only really speak from experience with local scenes, but I find I'm usually one of if not the youngest people watching the artist. Most people who play/promote or listen to local music are in their 30s, it seems like a very "adult" thing around here to start paying attention to your local musicians

It's surprising, all of the metal/heavier shows are filled with people 30+ with the energy of 15 year olds haha

 

Shows without seating anymore wreck me. I hate standing through acts I don't care about. Thankfully, when the act I'm there for gets on stage, I get hype enough to forget about being tired.

 

i'll be 30 next month and i still go to as many shows as i can work my schedule around/afford. i don't really go to local shows anymore that i'm not actually playing at. i mostly just see touring shows of bands i like. when it's a punk rock or hardcore show, i like to be close but i'm not into moshing and getting kicked in the head by crowd surfers anymore. so i usually stand at the front, but far right or left of the stage. it keeps me close and out of the action that's happening mostly in the center. but there are some occasions where i let loose and get into it, but that's pretty rare now. it also depends on if i'm drinking and/or at the show alone or not. i tend to be craziest when i go to a show alone, haha. weird.

 

I'm 29 and most of my friends no longer go to shows, apart from my bandmates.

Same here, love a solo show!

 

Great thread idea.

When I was younger I actually didn't go to much shows due to money, travel, and the fact that I just didn't have any friends with similar music taste. I'm kinda trying to make up for it by going to shows now as a 25 year old adult with a decent job. Still don't have much friends with similar taste, so the last few shows I went alone. It's lonely, especially on the bus alone, but whatever. It's a nice treat to myself.

ALso, these 10 year reunion and anniversary shows are making up for never seeing many bands in the "scene" when I was younger.

 

you guys should really see a doctor if standing for 2 hours is a chore

 

something about standing at a show puts stress on my legs and lower back than standing for any other purpose.

 

I'm kind of the same way. When I was younger I only went to either my own shows or the bands I was absolutely in love with at the time (paramore, blink, ava, good charlotte, etc). It was always an event going to a show because of school nights, my dad having to take me, sports practice, etc. I wasn't really in charge of whether I got to attend or not where as now I am.

I tend to put all my weight on one leg and that probably messes with me. Plus I'm already tired from the day/working out in the morning

 

I didn't see Paramore until last year! Lol. I love the band and loved finally seeing them, but I can't help but feel regret never seeing them during the Riot tours with the older lineups. SHould of been here a few days ago when everybody was talking about their Warped Tour experiences. Kept feeling like I missed out.

Also I agree about the weight leg thing. Probably what happens to me too.

 

I still actively seek out new music to listen to, but I've definitely cut back on the amount of shows I go to. Granted I'm only in my early 20s, but I've definitely noticed that change in me.

I think it might have to do with that fact that I "got it out of my system." When I was in high school any disposable cash I had went to concert tickets. Now I prioritize and usually don't go unless it's someone I really enjoy. Going off that, I've seen so many bands/artists that I listen to when I was younger that I don't see the need to spend more money on seeing them again for the 5th time.

 

29 here and I'm going to 5 shows in the next few months. Still actively try to discover new music as well. A lot of my friends who are married and have kids are the complete opposite though. I practically have to drag them to shows or force them to listen to new stuff.

 

I never liked standing at shows , I have a huge personal bubble plus my feet hurt
I don't see myself ever not going to shows

 

Venues without 21 and over balconies are not my friend.

 

a lot of times it's weighing in how much energy, time, and money i want to spend on seeing the artists i like. i still look for new music, but see them live is also a question of how badly i want to see them.

 

I've come to realize that I really don't care for 90% of the opening bands of shows I go to now that I'm older. It's harder for me to get into them when I'm waiting. Still can't show up late for a show though, that'd be even weirder.

 

Well I think the younger generation won't be participating in music period. All the bands I know of here in Winnipeg are old dads and there's no more bands in high school like it was in 2004

 

I'm 28 and while I still listen to a lot of stuff I was into when I was younger, I can't do pop punk at all.

 

I just recently gained the confidence to go to shows by myself so I can't see myself stopping any time soon.

 

I'm 23 and I still go to shows, but I don't spend nearly as much time up close to the stage.

 

I was thinking about this last night coming back from a Norma Jean show. I noticed in the past 3-4 years that I was going to less shows because bands I was interested in just weren't coming around to my area anymore, whether because many of the scene favorites were breaking up or taking fewer/shorter tours or longer time between tours. I've definitely had to travel more around the northeast to see bands I really want to and am going alone to almost every one. It hasnt really been a matter of me losing interest.

 

Life and bills prevent me from attending many shows.