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Imagine having a open night. You are refreshed, open to experience, and looking to change your usual routine of post-work slumping. The world is your oyster! Would you choose a) attending a concert or b) engaging in intimacy? The outcome, as frequently seen with such kinds of hypotheticals, is obviously: “That depends.” Mature individuals may reasonably wonder: what kind of the gig? Who is the partner? Could it be expected to be satisfying?

Hardly anyone would choose a heavy metal lineup if the other option was a dream date with a favorite star. However tweak any part of the comparison, and it turns less obvious. For the participants presented with this choice by a gig organization, no such details was provided – and the response came out clearly and heavily supporting live music events.

Research Findings Indicate Unexpected Preferences

A worldwide survey, polling 40,000 people aged between 18 and 54 across multiple countries, found that concerts are now the world’s top form of entertainment, ranking above athletic events, cinema and – indeed – sexual intercourse. When limited to only one option of entertainment permanently, 39% of respondents selected gigs, against film attendance (17%) and athletic competitions (14%). The group was significantly more as likely to choose seeing their favourite artist on stage (70%) over sex (30%).

You show up hopeful of being delightfully amazed – and frequently you’ll end up with a stranger's hair in your mouth

Context and Considerations

Naturally it’s not surprising that a promotional study commissioned by a gig organizer should come out so strongly supporting concerts – and, with the speculative mood of a hypothetical choice, if your preferred musician is, say an iconic star, one can appreciate why watching him could prevail over a common or garden encounter. However this two-option scenario between live music or intimacy, clearly absurd as it is, is noteworthy to consider given the odd juncture we’re at with both.

The Evolution of Live Music Experience

Lately, live music participation has become not just a shared activity but a serious endeavor. Major promoters appropriately highlight that large venue turnout has “tripled year-over-year”, and festivals are fully reserved more rapidly than previously. Just obtaining admissions now requires military-level planning, quick decision-making and deep finances (or a high spending capacity). Though you’re successful, that alone won't do to simply turn up and experience the event. Currently there is an anticipation, especially for concertgoers, that you might enhance your experience quality by seeing several shows (potentially going abroad), swotting up on the performance lineup beforehand and knowing your marks to perform and audience interactions created by previous crowds.

Many attendees describe being affected by their experience at large concerts: appearing as a choreographed performance of massive crowds, in which certain attendees came unfamiliar with the routine. That 18-month concert series, producing huge revenue, demonstrated of the degree to which attendees will push to participate in a cultural moment and see their favourite artist play, although the real performance appears more and more less important than the show.

The State of Modern Intimacy

Sex, on the other hand – an affordable and available enjoyment – is in dire straits. Based on modern research, approximately 25% of adults had sex in an average week, while nearly 30% were sexually inactive. Elsewhere, recent data revealed that over a quarter of individuals said they had not sex at all in the past year, rising from smaller percentages in previous decades. In both territories, the trend has been associated with decreased encounters with younger generations. Juxtapose this with the market expanding rapidly for major events and the cutthroat competition for passes. Of course it isn't straightforward as a basic option between both alternatives – “do you prefer attend a huge concert repeatedly, or avoid intimacy?” – but it’s perhaps an indication of which is perceived as the more consistent satisfaction.

Unexpected Similarities

Intimacy and concerts are closer aligned than people often believe. Both represent the commencement of a connection, a real-world test of ideas or promise that could have built just in your mind. You come with some idea of what might happen, but expecting to be delightfully amazed – and if it turns out satisfying or frustrating rests largely on whether your energy and anticipations correspond with partners. Regularly you might find with someone else’s hair in your mouth, and later be waiting around for a smoke and personal space by yourself. Likewise with either, drugs and alcohol can sometimes improve or lessen the event (but definitely make the most dire situations easier to weather).

Seeking Harmony

The appeal to live events and relationships relies on discovering that elusive sweet spot between the known and the new, sameness and variation, challenge and comfort. Naturally it occurs infrequently – but it's the remembrance of successful moments, the understanding that it’s possible, that inspires us to give it another shot: to {