Waves of new artists have converted the concert experience to film. The wave started with Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” that came out in October 2023, and then Beyonce’s “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” that came out in December of 2023. I saw Taylor’s, but after that the appeal to see another concert movie was low for me, so I never saw Beyonce’s film.
While I’m not a die-hard Swiftie, the overwhelming praise for her live performances prompted me to give it a shot. However, my enthusiasm waned just 30 minutes into the screening.
As I’m watching “The Eras Tour” unfold on the big screen, I found myself wondering: why spend hours in a movie theater when I could easily enjoy the artist’s music from the comfort of my home?
The excitement of watching this amazing live performance dwindled away, making me realize
that it means more to me to be at the concert. You are experiencing the music in real time and experiencing the raw emotion of the artist singing, something a movie just can’t show. It dawned on me that it’s not so much about the artist singing, but the excitement of being in the crowd and being able to connect with the artist on a different level.
Don’t get me wrong, the appeal is great because if you can’t afford to pay for a ticket to see Taylor Swift live, why not just go and watch it at your local theater for way less. But as I sat in my seat, the spontaneity dwindled away and left me with no excitement to see what will come next.
Thanks to social media, the element of surprise is gone, especially due to all of the spoilers people get nowadays. Spoilers never usually bother me when I go to a concert because there is the aspect of watching unfold right in front of your eyes and seeing everyones reactions in real time is priceless.
In essence, me watching a concert movie, like “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” is just me trying to vicariously experience someone else’s joy and excitement – a pale imitation of what you would experience at a concert. While the money appeal is nice, nothing beats going to the concert and experiencing the rawness of everything in real time.
