Clearly, lots of people enjoy live music. This is proven by just under 34 million people in the UK attending gigs/concerts and festivals in 2019. However there is some divide to which type of live music is superior…

 

Some prefer experiencing music at gigs, whereas others prefer the atmosphere of festivals. Lets try to settle the debate now.

 

At gigs you will be surrounded by more dedicated fans that have spent their money to see only one artist, so it feels like a more intimate experience. Therefore it would be an artist they love and they will most likely know more songs than crowds at festivals. In addition to this, there’s merchandise available that’s specific to the artist and once a purchase has been made it’s a great memory of the gig. Normally, the artist will play a wider variety of songs - including less well known ones - which for true fans is a treat and wouldn’t happen as often at a festival. Lastly, most gigs are indoor so you don’t have to worry about weather ruining the fun. Many prefer gigs because it feels like a more intimate experience because you are a surrounded by true fans who love the artist just as much as you do. If you are up for a gig on your doorstep, The Horn pub is a great venue. In addition to this, it’s a quick train ride to London which is packed with famous gig venues like the Kentish Town forum and Brixton academy.

 

However, festivals are more of an all round experience and over a third of the UK has attended a festival since 2016, so it’s a popular activity. Additionally, 6% of people purchase a ticket even before the line up is released which shows that the festival experience is not only the music, it’s the food, the market stalls and the sleeping over. Festivals occur over a couple of days which means that you get to catch lots bands that you like and even discover some new favourites. Instead of artist specific merchandise, there’s a variety of stalls that sell clothes, hats, sunglasses, jewlerry and it’s really fun to have a browse. As well as this, it’s much more cost effective to go to a festival than multiple gigs (if you see lots of artists at the festival that you love). Many may prefer festivals because there’s an opportunity to find new artists and you can see a large variety of genres in one place. For example, we have Standon Calling festival very near to us which hosts a variety of great artists. This years includes Years and Years, Self Esteem, Rick Astley and KT Tunstall.

 

So what do you think? Gigs or festivals?