As a major festival fan, I am all about an outdoor concert for many different reasons. Being able to be at touch with nature whilst watching an artist rock out on stage is a feeling that is indescribable, and it feels freeing knowing that you are not trapped inside a giant concert hall. However, when comparing outdoor concerts to small intimate indoor concerts, it becomes an even wider debate into which is truly better. Sometimes being able to feel the sweat of everyone in the room is endearing and makes the whole room feel much closer, whilst being inside a giant concert hall just feels like a major anxiety attack ready to happen.
The experience between an outdoor concert and indoor concert varies as they both give off different euphoric feelings. There is more freedom with an outdoor show, as instead of being inside the pit or squashed between fans, you can sit on the floor with your mates watching your favourite band and just chilling instead of going wild. This is a different way to attend a show and is sometimes so much nicer being able to tan in the sun with a drink in hand knowing it won’t be splattered all over you because of the crowd. I have done this at many outdoor shows such as at Taylor Swift’s Reputation Tour and You Me At Six at Community Festival 2018. This was music we grew up listening to and being able to sit and chill whilst enjoying the lovely weather made for a beautiful memory I will never forget. However, British weather is incredibly unpredictable and sadly rain is a common occurrence at outdoor concerts. The rain and mud can make a show even wilder, but if you are not drunk enough to not care about personal hygiene then outdoor concerts are definitely not the one. This can be said for Reading Festival 2018, which was so dirty and muddy it ruined the vibe of the summer festival.
Indoor concerts will always protect you from the rain, except maybe if someone threw a drink in the crowd. The benefits of an indoor show are that you feel much more in touch with the artist performing on stage, however this depends on the size of the venue and whether you are close to the stage or not. When seeing Paramore at The O2 I was right by the barrier and was able to scream Hard Times as Hayley Williams danced around the stage, however when further away at concert halls as big as The O2 you can feel quite out of touch with the artist. Indoor concerts are also usually sweat boxes with barely any escape which can be quite intimidating for those who suffer with social anxiety. This can vary between the size of the show; however, one thing is guaranteed at an indoor show, you will sweat through your shirt.
Nothing can truly beat the euphoric feeling of an outdoor show, as no matter how close or far away from the artist you are, you feel even more connected. It’s almost as if the artist sings into the universe which makes you feel apart of something even bigger than you. However, at indoor concerts there is usually a disconnect between the fan and artist depending on how far away they are from the stage.
