Students attend indoor and outdoor concerts

Haley Hewitson
Anna Geherin

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Rhode Island Philharmonic plays in an outdoor concert on July 4, 2012. About one quarter of students survey prefer outdoor concerts.

When it comes to concerts, people across the country are constantly looking to purchase tickets for the latest and greatest artists in town. Whether it’s a local artist from Minnesota or an artist from the top 50 charts, there is always a concert to attend.

Despite the cost and expense of going to a concert often being too high, many people spend lots of time and money finding the perfect concert to go to. Whether it’s on Ticketmaster or other local ticket sites, searching for new and upcoming artists in town can be a hard task. People look at different venues, locations, dates, and the prices of the event. According to Billboard, 32 million people go to at least one music festival in the US every year. People travel on average 903 miles to reach their concert destination. Most concerts are around two hours and vary in price. Billboard also said that concert tickets on the East and West coast are more expensive than events in the Midwest.

I love going to concerts and usually go to about 10 a year. Even though the majority of the concerts I go to are inside, I prefer outdoor concerts better because I feel more free and open, and the music flows through the crowd more

— Jacinda Smith

With all these concerts to attend, People often find themselves debating whether or not they think indoor or outdoor concerts are better. Some people prefer a more close-knit feel with better sound and more visual effects, while other people prefer the festival type with more people outside. No matter which venue you prefer there are pros and cons to both.

In an online poll sent to all BSM students, 77 students responded and 37% of those students enjoy indoor concerts more than ones held outdoors. Indoor concerts a lot more personal. Since it is more closed in, the sound stays loud and clear in the venue. “The effects and sound at an indoor concert are just overall better quality, although it can be very crowded. I like indoor concerts way more,” junior Alex Bronkala said.

Even though indoor concerts are much more common, outdoor concerts are very popular during the warm seasons, and 26.1% of BSM students enjoy outdoor concerts more and believe that the concerts are more open and free. Outdoor concerts are much larger and in some cases are often multiple days in a row. A new transfer student from Texas added her input. “I love outdoor concerts better because they are less crowded and it is a better energy; I went to the ACL concert in texas and really enjoyed it,” sophomore Audrey Weber said.

BSM students experience many different feelings while at concerts. Some students go to concerts rarely and some go to every concert they can get their hands on. The survey found that around 31 students or more go to at least one concert a year. “I love going to concerts and usually go to about 10 a year. Even though the majority of the concerts I go to are inside, I prefer outdoor concerts better because I feel more free and open, and the music flows through the crowd more,” senior Jacinda Smith said.