Arts/Cultural Response: Wiz Khalifa Concert

In the beginning of the year when deciding what arts/cultural event to attend, I never would’ve guessed that it would be a Wiz Khalifa Concert. I went to the concert with my two friends, also fans of Wiz, and we were all extremely anxious to see what songs he was going to play. The energy level, the loudness, and the amount of people at the Bryce Jordan Center was incredible. Before Wiz came on stage there were four other performers that opened for him. The first two artists to appear were Berner and Tuki Carter, two artists I had never heard of. Both however performed pretty well, and managed to generate a decent energy from the crowd. The next two artists to perform, Chevy Woods and Juicy J, I was familiar with. Last but not least, Wiz came on stage and the hinges came off the roof. For every guy that yelled in the stadium, three girls were screaming at the top of their lungs. 
Before attending this event I had never been to a live concert, and wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I figured it would be very loud, not the greatest quality of music, and a lot of screaming. I’ve been told if I were to go see an artist live not to expect them to sound anything like they do on their recorded tracks. This was quite the contrary for Wiz. He sounded fantastic, much like how he does in the songs you can buy on itunes. He played a wide variety of songs in his repertoire, which was very exciting because I had always wanted to see him perform songs from earlier in his career. 
The only negative part of the experience was that being on the ground in the standing section, people were constantly bumping and pushing you, trying to get closer to the stage when there was already no room to spare. I figured that it would be very crowded, especially where I chose to stand, but I had no idea of the constant barrage of bodies. Being so squished in a confined space also generated a tremendous amount of heat causing everyone to sweat. 
My favorite part of the concert was when Wiz played the song Young, Wild, and Free. When he started the song the entire crowd seemed to morph as one. looking around, everyone was singing along to this youthful anthem, there were girls got on top of the shoulders of guys, and there was an aura of such intense, yet carefree energy it gave me chills. It seemed like the stadium was transported back to the sixties, everyone singing and swaying together, all having a good time, not having a care in the world. It was such a strange yet enlightening feeling, something I never could’ve imagined, and something that is impossible to portray on paper. It is something that everyone needs to experience and it changed my outlook on life. It made me realize that not everything in life is such a big deal and so serious.
My friends and I thought the concert was extremely fun, and each one of us would go to another one again. It was a completely new experience for me and was unlike anything I have ever attended. I always wondered why anyone would go to a crowded arena full of obnoxious fans screaming over the sound of the performer, but I understand fully now. Something special happens when thousands of people who love the music being played get together. Something that only happens at concerts, and it’s what makes them so special.