Julia Kane ‘27
Staff Writer
Throughout the years, I have consistently asked for concert tickets as Christmas gifts as opposed to a tangible item. As someone who absolutely adores going to concerts, I find it difficult to choose a favorite from the 44 concerts I have attended. However, there is a distinct factor that often applies to my top shows: if they are a small artist performing at a hole-in-the-wall venue. Although many people may argue that grandiose concerts with the most popular artists would likely be the most enjoyable, I often find myself feeling the opposite.
Don’t get me wrong, being one of 60,000 concert-goers at a highly-sought after show at Gillette Stadium is an incredible experience. Especially at concerts like Taylor Swift and the Weekend where light-up bracelets are distributed to the audience: it is fully immersive and typically very theatrical. Fireworks, pyrotechnics, and confetti are all well and good, but why do we pay upwards of $50 for parking at these types of concerts? Let’s not forget the hours of traffic that fans will have to endure afterward: nightmarish driving conditions following the mass exodus of thousands of people. According to Live Music Trade Publication Pollstar, in 2024, ticket prices are 34.3% higher than they were in 2019. I enjoy seeing popular artists with thousands of other fans, but these drawbacks usually leave me with a bittersweet memory of the concert. These problems can easily be avoided by instead attending a concert at a smaller venue, which I much prefer.
In Boston, venues like the Paradise Rock Club and Royale have capacities of around 1,000, allowing for a close-knit concert setting. If one wants to be at the front or against the barricade, you do not have to queue outside for as long as you might in a larger venue. For a concert like Wilderado, I arrived at the Paradise Rock Club 30 minutes prior to the doors opening and I was still able to secure a spot close to the band, against the barricade. This saves time, adds convenience, and makes it a smoother process for avid concert-goers to get a prime vantage point, as many smaller venues are standing-room only. Parking is more accessible and often free, saving fans additional unwanted costs. For college students such as myself and those not wanting to spend absurd amounts of money on concert tickets, it is far more cost-effective to go to smaller-scale concerts. I typically pay between $20-$40 for small concerts, whereas stadium tour tickets can range from several hundred dollars to the thousands.
I always encourage my friends and family to find new bands and singers that are not yet super popular. You feel at one with the artist and their music, surrounded by other fans who are in on your little secret. It is far easier to get a setlist or even a picture with a lesser-known artist, and who knows, maybe they’ll blow up in the future. If they do, you can say the coveted phrase that you were there since even their smallest performances.
Featured image courtesy of Grab Street
Web Edited by Zexuan Qu ’28
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