Varieties of Concerts

The one thing all concerts have in common is being a live performance in front of an audience. Generally the term concert is used to refer to a musical event. Concerts typically showcase a genre of music, anything from contemporary to classical to jazz. It could be any of several possible musical styles. There could be an entire orchestra, a band, or possibly just one musician. Other words used instead of concert are "show" or more commonly "gig", especially when the performance is of rock, jazz or hip-hop music rather than classical. A wide range of venues can stage a concert or gig, ranging from smaller pubs or clubs up to venues such as the Big Egg in Tokyo or The Ice Stadium in Stockholm. Venues for concerts can include barns, theaters and outdoor locations.

Although some concerts are free, most require that you purchase a ticket to attend. Many bands will schedule world tours made up of a series of concerts in a string of cities and countries. Concerts allow the performers to build a rapport with their fans because of the interactive nature of live performances. Concerts have an important role to play in promoting the artist by increasing the musician's exposure to his or her fans. Fans are more likely to want to attend more concerts by a band if they have a great experience at one of their gigs. A tour will often have the same name as the most recent album, and is designed to help promote sales of the album. Some bands rarely perform live, while others love touring and schedule many live events.

If a band can attract a large audience, they can make use of a huge range of special effects, such as pyrotechnics and smoke, lasers, lights, film, props and inflatables. All of this heightens the excitement and adds to the spectacle. The Rolling Stones, who have become famous for their live shows, made great use of inflatable props on their Voodoo Lounge Tour. Some years ago, progressive rock band Pink Floyd produced some amazing props for their performance of The Wall, even going so far as to construct on stage an entire wall. Some artists, Iggy Pop for example, get involved with crowd surfing and encourage the spectators to dance, sing along, or participate in the mosh pit. One of the typical highlights of a rock concert is a drum solo.

Some events are festivals, which are not just comprised of one band but are larger events featuring multiple artists. Famous music festivals like Reading or Glastonbury are held outdoors, and you can listen to a wide range of music in different tents, such as indie, hip-hop and rock. Many festivals include a dance tent with a guest DJ who is tops in his field, where festival goers dance for hours to the latest tunes.

Therefore, there are all kinds of concerts for you to choose from. Choose the one that's just right for you, and you are guaranteed a great time.