There’s nothing like live music. The energy, the anticipation, and just seeing your favorite singer or band, the way a song can make a crowd of strangers have something in common for a night, but not all concert experiences are the same. Smaller venues offer more authentic experiences than massive stadium shows.

Intimacy

At a stadium concert, you’re often watching the performer on a giant screen rather than the actual stage. You’re separated by rows of seats, security barriers, and have to go through more security, even a bag check, along with only being able to bring a clear see-through bag, which sucks. My experience with stadium concerts are always a miss with me. In 2022 I went to see The 1975 in Los Angeles at the Kia Forum and the parking was horrible. It took me almost two hours to get out there, and the line to get in was long. My seats were pretty bad for the price I paid, but the worst part was the sound. Because of how huge the stadium was, the music echoed so badly that it was hard to actually hear the artist clearly. From where I was sitting, I ended up watching most of the performance on the giant screen rather than actually seeing the stage, which made it feel like I paid a lot of money just to watch a blurry livestream.

But in a small venue, you can actually see the artist’s expression, hear their voice without distortion, and feel like you’re part of the performance, rather than being so far away from the actual performer themselves. Going to a small concert venue felt completely different from a stadium show in the best way. The first thing I noticed was how easy everything was. Parking was close by, and getting through the doors was quick and stress-free.

Connection

Smaller shows create a sense of community. The crowd is often close together, so ten out of ten times, you’re coming home with someone’s social media and a new friend. Normally, at all the smaller concerts I go to I always end up coming home with a new Instagram follower. I have met some of my closest friends at concerts, and even just mutuals that I still follow from concerts I’ve been to since I was sixteen. At these smaller concerts, you’re gonna get more of the artist talking to you and more interactions from the artists, and you’re able to feel more energy overall.

Sound Quality

Some arenas and stadiums can have issues with sound quality. There’s more of an echo in stadiums and arenas and instead of hearing the singer’s voice itself you’re hearing bass so it’s not really worth it.  More stadiums have more of a louder volume, so it can be hard on your hearing. It could be the same with smaller concert venues, but at least you’re fully able to hear the artist.

Cost

The cost of smaller concerts can be between $25 to $100 a ticket compared to a stadium you’re looking at $250 to $1000 per ticket. For example, I went to see the Jonas Brothers when they came to Fresno on Nov. 2, 2023, and the price I paid was under $75 a ticket each, and this year they’ll be doing a stadium tour, and these prices are averaging about $145 and $427. Big jump in prices, I’d say.  

I believe that stadium concerts are not cool to go to. There’s a lot of hassle dealing with stadium events. However, if you want a genuine connection, superior sound, a personal memory, and a more affordable experience, then a smaller venue is the way to go.