My hi-fi setup has ruined live concerts for me and I don’t regret it one bit.
I’ve always loved music. I mean, really loved it. But over the years, I’ve found myself quietly staying away from live concerts.
That might sound blasphemous to some, but hear me out. Live shows are overrated, and if I’m being honest, I think a lot of people would agree — though only a few will admit it.
These days, I’d much rather stay at home and enjoy my hi-fi system and music collection, than pay hundreds for a show that will likely leave me feeling underwhelmed. Or, sometimes, even a little cheated.
Concert Prices Have Become Insane
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: ticket prices.
I don’t mind paying for a good time. I think my audio gear collection is enough proof of that.
But when tickets for artists like Taylor Swift are running upwards of thousands of dollars, we’re talking more than just a casual splurge. It’s highway robbery. So much so that fans may even contemplate going into debt (!) to afford the pleasure of seeing her live.
And it’s not just the face value of tickets that’s the problem. Ticketing giants like Ticketmaster have added features like Verified Fan and Dynamic Pricing, which supposedly help “real fans” get tickets.
But in reality, these often backfire, leaving tickets in the hands of scalpers and bots who resell them at even higher prices.
And for what? A nosebleed view where you’re squinting at a screen, trying to convince yourself you’re having fun because, hey, it’s Taylor Swift! Or Ed Sheeran. Or Blink-182.
Except, deep down, I often find myself at concerts thinking about the small fortune I’ve just spent for the chance to hear a few classic songs drowned out by poor acoustics and fan shouts.
You might say that you’re paying more for the “concert atmosphere” or the chance to see your favorite artist live.
But, for that price, I could just be upgrading my hi-fi setup. I could relax while sinking into my favorite chair, and listening to every note the way it was meant to be heard.
No crowds, no overpriced drinks, no disappointment. And, it definitely won’t just last three hours tops.
The Sound Is Often Lacking
Then there’s the actual concert experience. Above all, the sound.
I don’t care what anyone says: live sound is NOT superior. The sound at concerts is rarely, if ever, as good as what you can get with a quality home setup. (Except maybe for live classical music)
In a large venue, you’re at the mercy of acoustics that can make the music sound flat or distorted. And if you’re at a metal show or anything loud, you’re either going deaf or wearing earplugs, which just defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?
I get it. In these places, sound engineers often care more about making the music heard by thousands of people in a very wide area. And that often results in a sound that’s loud but lacking in detail.
In the studio, artists and producers have days, sometimes weeks, to perfect every part of a track. Live, they’re working with what they’ve got in the moment.
Case in point: I once attended a Foo Fighters concert, expecting to be blown away by Dave Grohl’s raw energy and the band’s tight sound.
Instead, I found myself wincing at the muddy mix that made it nearly impossible to tell the instruments apart.
The girl next to me was screaming, “This is amazing!” and I couldn’t help but wonder if we were hearing the same thing. Perhaps her overpriced beer was doing a better job at improving the sound than the venue’s speakers.
Why invest so much in subpar listening conditions when I can stay home and adjust every detail to my liking? My speakers and headphones almost never disappoint, and they certainly never charge extra every time I want a “premium” experience.
Plus, at home, I have complete control over the setlist
Picture this: you show up, ready to enjoy the night, only to be hit with unknown B-sides and self-indulgent jams.
Sure, I get it, the band or singer wants to show off their range, especially if they’re more of an indie act. But come on — where’s the stuff that made me a fan in the first place?
At home, I can make the perfect playlist. I can relive the classics and skip the filler. There’s no chance of hearing a sloppy, three-hour jam session that only the most die-hard fans pretend to enjoy.
Fans No Longer Have Decorum
Finally, speaking of fans, what’s worse is that going to concerts isn’t even about the music anymore. The crowd is half the problem.
Phones everywhere, people filming every second of the show rather than living in it, or worse, screeching at the top of their lungs as if they’re the star.
And it’s not just about filming the performance anymore.
There’s a new trend where fans film their own reactions instead of the artist, as if their personal experience is more important than the performance they paid to see.
It’s narcissism set to a soundtrack.
I understand that the recent pandemic has made some of us think of ‘making up for the lost years’. Now that live events have returned, there’s a clear desperation to squeeze every ounce of value from that ticket, often at the expense of concert etiquette or of other attendees.
This shows up in pushy behavior to reach the front, overcrowding in the pit, and even instances of fans fainting, forcing artists to pause their sets.
It’s as if people have forgotten how to behave in public spaces.
This brings the “You go to the concert for the experience or the atmosphere argument” moot.
What experience? What atmosphere? It’s maddening.
At home, the only person I have to listen to is myself.
No phones. No drunken fans screaming off-key (except for me). Just me and my music.
In the end, maybe it’s not just about the money or the sound. Maybe it’s about the fact that live music has become more of a social performance than a genuine experience. There’s this unspoken pressure to go to these shows, to be part of the moment, to “chase the atmosphere.”
But why? I can love music just as much without standing shoulder to shoulder in a sea of people, trying to convince myself I’m having the time of my life. I can sink into the music the way I want to, without distractions and disappointment.
And that, for me, is everything.
I definitely agree, as long as we’re talking about pop music concerts. Even luckier that almost the absolute majority of what you wrote doesn’t apply to jazz and classical music concerts. Maybe you just need to choose the right genres to make the concert an experience and not a punishment.