🔗 Share this article

Picture having a open night. You feel refreshed, eager for new things, and wanting to change your typical schedule of relaxing at home. The world offers possibilities! Could you prefer a) attending a concert or b) being with a partner? The outcome, as is often true with these types of queries, is clearly: “It varies.” Reasonable people may reasonably ask: what kind of the show? Who's the companion? Could it be expected to be good?

Few would choose a Limp Bizkit/Slipknot/Korn triple bill if the other option was one enchanted evening with a beloved celebrity. But adjust any part of the scenario, and it turns more complicated. Regarding the 40,000 people posed this query by a gig organization, no further clarification was given – and the response emerged unambiguously and strongly supporting live music events.

Study Data Show Surprising Trends

A global report, interviewing a large sample ranging from 18 and 54 from different nations, found that concerts are now the most popular leisure activity, beating out games, cinema and – absolutely – sexual intercourse. Given the choice to one type of activity forever, a significant portion selected live music, compared to watching movies (17%) and athletic competitions (14%). Participants were over two times as prone to prefer watching their top musician on stage (70%) over sexual activity (30%).

You appear expecting to be happily shocked – and quite often you could wind up with a stranger's hair in your mouth

Context and Considerations

Of course it’s not surprising that a PR survey carried out for a live event company would result so heavily supporting concerts – and, with the speculative tone of a either-or question, if your favourite artist is, for example Paul McCartney, you can see why attending his concert may be chosen rather than a ordinary experience. But this either-or decision between live music or sex, plainly ridiculous though it may be, is fascinating to consider given the odd juncture we face with each.

The Change of Gig Attendance

In recent years, gig-going has become not just a group event but a serious endeavor. Major promoters appropriately highlight that stadium attendance has “grown significantly annually”, and music festivals get booked up more rapidly than previously. Simply getting admissions now demands detailed strategy, quick decision-making and deep finances (or a generous credit card limit). Even if you manage, that alone won't do to merely attend and watch the performance. There’s now an anticipation, particularly with music enthusiasts, that you could increase your experience quality by going multiple times (including overseas trips), learning the set list in advance and knowing your marks to hit and fan traditions developed through earlier audiences.

Many attendees describe being scarred by their attendance at major tours: appearing as a choreographed performance of thousands of people, to which certain attendees arrived unaware of the routine. That 18-month tour, earning massive sums, was proof of the degree to which attendees will push to participate in a historic occasion and watch their preferred performer sing, even if the live sound grows somewhat less important than the spectacle.

The State of Modern Intimacy

Intimacy, on the other hand – a relatively cheap and accessible pleasure – experiences challenging circumstances. According to recent surveys, approximately 25% of adults had sex in an regular period, while nearly 30% were sexually inactive. Elsewhere, recent data showed that over a quarter of people reported not having sex at all in the last twelve months, up from fewer people in previous decades. In both territories, the shift has been linked to reduced intimacy with younger generations. Contrast this with the industry booming for major events and the fierce battle for admissions. Certainly it's more complicated as a basic option between one or the other – “would you rather experience a popular event multiple times, or avoid intimacy?” – but it’s perhaps an sign of which is perceived as the more consistent enjoyment.

Unexpected Similarities

Relationships and gigs are more similar than people often believe. Both represent the initiation of a connection, a practical trial of expectations or promise that may have developed only in your head. You show up with a basic expectation of what might happen, but expecting to be delightfully amazed – and if it turns out satisfying or frustrating relies heavily on how your vibe and hopes align with others. Regularly you might find with a stranger's hair in your mouth, and later be waiting around for a smoke and a moment alone on your own. Likewise with either, stimulants and beverages can potentially heighten or reduce the event (but certainly help the worst experiences easier to weather).

Finding the Balance

The appeal to live events and relationships depends on locating that hard-to-find balance between the known and the new, similarity and difference, work and relaxation. Of course it occurs infrequently – but it's the recollection of when they did, the knowledge that it’s possible, that motivates us to attempt once more: to {