At what age did going to concerts start losing their appeal for you?

[pieceofme]

Mid 30s for me. Only go to a select few these days. Just have very little interest unless it is an artist i like i've never seen before. Even then, I can be on the fence.

I remember in my 20s I would travel a decent amount and even sometimes stay in hotels to see bands I liked.

Now I live in the middle of the city and sometimes can't be arsed even thought the venue might only be a 15 minute walk away.

[LAglamrocker]

Reading book lost its appeal around age 14
Walking in book store always waste of time

Watching tv lost its appeal around age 22- it’s basically boring- now I actually kind of hate it- going to movies seems like torture

Lesbian Goth clubs never lost the appeal

Traveling around to see your favorite things is the best
2 hour drive down PCH to see Green Jello in SD is awesome
Traveling to see Dee Snider sing Poison song.. that’s fun any decade
Traveling to LV so Lizzy Borden can put blood on my face> watching stupidass Sportscenter

[Ralph2]

Its not the concerts, but its IS bad product:

Lack of passion from band
Costs
Parking
Same Set
$20 beer
Phones
Fans, being lame

I was at an A-level show this week and it was like watching paint dry

Fans - Bored / Band - good, but nothing exciting

Yes, it was sold out

Its hard to have an experience when everyone is SO distracted/rushed/stressed/etc....................

[pieceofme]

Reading book lost its appeal around age 14
Walking in book store always waste of time

Watching tv lost its appeal around age 22- it’s basically boring- now I actually kind of hate it- going to movies seems like torture

Lesbian Goth clubs never lost the appeal

Traveling around to see your favorite things is the best
2 hour drive down PCH to see Green Jello in SD is awesome
Traveling to see Dee Snider sing Poison song.. that’s fun any decade
Traveling to LV so Lizzy Borden can put blood on my face> watching stupidass Sportscenter

Unless its cobra kai of course!

[tooth]

I still like them, but it has to be convenient & interest me on some level. I'm not into in sitting in traffic, going out on a work night or sitting in a sh!tty seat for a show.

[Sticky]

To me, the lack of interest now is that every band is running tracks in some form or another. I don't want to pay to see a band miming to pre-recorded audio.

[gtrjay]

Its not the concerts, but its IS bad product:

Lack of passion from band
Costs
Parking
Same Set
$20 beer
Phones
Fans, being lame

I was at an A-level show this week and it was like watching paint dry

Fans - Bored / Band - good, but nothing exciting

Yes, it was sold out

Its hard to have an experience when everyone is SO distracted/rushed/stressed/etc....................

This^^^^

A good show/performance still gets me really excited, and I will plan key things around a great show (i.e., weekend getaways, BBQs that can be pushed to another day), but as someone in my late 40s. I am starting to have less patience for certain things. Mainly price, parking, drink prices, and as you said, the bands phoning it in. I am finding smaller shows in theatres, smaller sheds, and even clubs are where it's at now vs large arenas, depending on the band of course.

I won't reschedule/move a family vacation around a concert tour from bands at this point. For example, my son is really into soccer/FIFA, and we have plans to hit a few cities next year for the World Cup. Even if we can't grab tickets, just going to Toronto, Dallas, etc., to see friends/family and hang out sounds great. Is it my first choice? No. But my son is into it, as I was into Sludge bands in the 80s and had parents that made it happen. So ,I won't plan a concert around this unless it is a true farewell show or something special. Another summer night of Styx or Tesla over a weekend in another city, no thanks.

I did share with my kids that I would like to take them to see Poison's 40th anniversary in 2026 (they think Bert is the actual singer and not Bret) and a Bon Jovi Farewell tour when/if one happens, as they watched the Hulu series last year with me.

Also, one question to ask all of you.

Is the concert touring industry in trouble?
I mean, look at all the legacy acts retiring or sadly passing away.
Sure, there will always be a hot new thing to play an arena for 1-2 cycles. But how many bands/artists can play in stadiums? Taylor Swift aside.
Add in higher ticket prices and people will pull back for sure. Or are they younger in their 20's and still living at home and can afford $300+ for tickets?
Even bands that play every year for the most part that are past their "mega success" but still perform each year that helps fill seats, sell drinks, merch, parking. How many more years do bands have? this includes strong working bands like Goo Goo Dolls, Matchbox 20, Tesla, Collective Soul, Chevelle, Styx, Reo Cokewagon, Night Ranger, and so many more.

It will be interesting to see how this shakes out over the next 3-5-10 years.

[SterileEyes1]

I’ve got so many gripes about concerts in the past 10-15 years, many mentioned here already - tracks, autotune, seas of bright phone screens, zombified crowds, prices - but still love going.

Maybe a decade ago I was going less because of these reasons. At some point I guess I just decided to take the world as I find it and focus on the enjoyment I get out of things rather than the things that piss me off about it that I can’t change.

The vast majority of the shows I go to contain little to no tracks or autotune. Dream Theater at Radio City last weekend, let’s just say, definitely did not have autotune

[rockker]

I turned 47 this week and enjoy going to shows just as much as I ever have.

Perhaps the reason is I never had the opportunity to be burnt out on going to shows. The most shows I’ve ever saw in one year is like a dozen or something. There were a lot of years where I only saw one show

[pieceofme]

I turned 47 this week and enjoy going to shows just as much as I ever have.

Perhaps the reason is I never had the opportunity to be burnt out on going to shows. The most shows I’ve ever saw in one year is like a dozen or something. There were a lot of years where I only saw one show

Sounds like an average weekend of concerts for ijwthstd

[Hatchets Molly]

Mid-40s. Hassle, price, idiots, weather, standing for hours, cell phones. 58 now.

I've gone to a handful in recent years where I've scored fantastic seats, someone gave me VIP tix, or it's some cool, small venue.

An early 40s friend keeps trying to get me to go to The Sonic Festival in Columbus. Metallica is his favorite band, and he still battles the crowd and the pit. That was a big FUCK NO from me. I will not do a festival. I will not stand in one spot all day in the heat and sun (or Ohio thunderstorms).

[DonJuanDeMarco]

1999 Poison "reunion" tour when it all became nostalgia. I was barely 20 years old!

I love my 80's rock bands but especially now in 2025 you look at the list of bands playing M3 and for the most part it's 1 or 2 original members and all the bands are playing songs that are 30-40 years old! I miss those few years when the songs were NEW. Like I saw Mr. Big in the summer of 1992. "To Be With You" had been #1 just a few months earlier. It was a great feeling. Now, it's like "OK, we'll play it one more time for the old timers"....

I get it. It happens to every band but most 80's bands only had 1-3 hit albums. You look at the Stones and they had 20+ years of hit singles before it became a Greatest Hits show.

[Sleek]

I still like the concerts and haven't aged out, but I am not willing to put up with all of the costs and how shitty the overall concert experience is now.

If it was still a manageable cost with reasonably priced merch, parking and concessions, I would still go.

As it is, when something meets my criteria like with Pulp last year, I will go to multiple shows.

[Anthrax442]

Mid 30s for me. Only go to a select few these days. Just have very little interest unless it is an artist i like i've never seen before. Even then, I can be on the fence.

I remember in my 20s I would travel a decent amount and even sometimes stay in hotels to see bands I liked.

Now I live in the middle of the city and sometimes can't be arsed even thought the venue might only be a 15 minute walk away.

THIS. I've gotten to the point where I still enjoy going, but damn if I'm going to stand on concrete for 5 hours, and I've got to be real careful not to let my tinnitus get worse.

[VinnieVincentsVag]

I still go to an occasional ritual

[CanadianMetal]

I am 55 & still love going to concerts, and enjoy traveling to special or cool ones .

Drove down to Seattle with my friend 2 days ago to see Danzig and still felt the excitement when I entered the venue , like I did as a teen, lol . And could not help myself so just power walked right to the front against the barriers when the doors opened .


My friend was surprised that I still have the energy at my age to love being at the front of the stage , I enjoyed all the acts a the bill . ( Down , Abbath , Cro-Mags) . And Danzig was fantastic \m/

I am a bit more selective nowadays but still go to concerts every month .

Will be driving , on my own today , to Seattle for another concert tonight .

Getting back home in the wee hours does not faze me , as I never go to bed before midnight anyways . I am one of the lucky ones that can still wake up for work the next day no problem , even if only a few hours of sleep . Weekday or weekend makes no difference to me , but many of my friend will not go out on weekdays anymore .


When I was in my teens and early 20’s , money was what prevented me from going to more concerts . Perhaps I am making up for it , as starting on my 30’s money for concerts is not a problem .


If I can enjoy myself and stand for 5 hours , it means I am
Healthy enough to live another year .

[Velvis]

Its not the concerts, but its IS bad product:

Lack of passion from band
Costs
Parking
Same Set
$20 beer
Phones
Fans, being lame

I was at an A-level show this week and it was like watching paint dry

Fans - Bored / Band - good, but nothing exciting

Yes, it was sold out

Its hard to have an experience when everyone is SO distracted/rushed/stressed/etc....................

Sure, there will always be a hot new thing to play an arena for 1-2 cycles. But how many bands/artists can play in stadiums? Taylor Swift aside.

I feel like more artists are playing stadiums recently. Some country guy whos name I never even heard before played 3 nights at Fenway Park. I was blown away.

I feel like in the past the only bands that played stadiums were U2 and The Rolling Stones.

[ijwthstd]

I enjoy it but slowing down tho that can be a variety of reasons.

If anything I am being driven by severe FOMOCD. My dedication is pretty shallow and a lot more I just don't feel like it but not sure if I would feel the same way if I still had both steady income and a roommate who never left the house. He finally walked outside almost 2 years ago, for good. I did let his cat keep his room and he is an excellent companion. Staying home suddenly has appeal.

Been deeply immersed in tape trading culture since age 14. Archiving and not experiencing was almost always the point. That has also lost a lot of it's appeal with the staggering amount of content at my fingertips. Even I would often now rather listen to a podcast or watch a history video on YouTube. No one aside from a few obsessive compulsives likely living in hazardous conditions cares about a recording of a Rolling Stones show from 2024 and there isn't much left to be mined from the past.

Have a pretty extensive calendar but nothing is really exciting. Just a re-re-rehash of years past. Few bands left to reunite and or setlist gems to be resurrected. Since the world is ending soon I find it pointless to discover and cultivate new talent.

Also, even though it sucks most of my disposable income I am pretty much a freeloader. I am still taking the bus, paying the lowest possible price to get in from secondary sources and not spending any money inside unless I can find a cup of coffee so it's not like my absence would be missed by anyone expecting to get paid.

Shudder To Think a few weeks ago, announced 2 days in advance for $5 was almost exciting just on the rarity and novelty and I couldn't remember a single song and possibly had them confused with Season To Risk in my dollar rack cluttered CD collection. Almost everything else is out of habit.

[Velvis]

My issues are:
1) I want a good seat. If it's not in the first 10-15 rows on the floor or on the side of the stage I am not interested. I have zero interest in sitting in the back of an arena. I also hate the giant gap between the stage and the barrier. I understand its there for safety (the ability to get a stretcher in) but it sucks how far back it moves the audience.
2) I want it at a reasonable price. I understand touring is a tough way for most of bands to make money, so I don't begrudge an expensive ticket but personally what a lot of bands ask for isn't worth it for me personally. I'd rather spend that money on something else than a concert at this point.

[Spongie]

I still like going to shows though I’m far more selective than I was in the 80s and 90s. And I don’t really think it’s a function of my age, but rather of the product itself.

Hard to pin down, but somewhere along the way shows morphed from a legit party into more of a business transaction. There’s very little magic left anymore. I think the internet has had a lot to do with it.

[Love_Industry]

I still like going to concerts just not all concerts. Many bands I like are now too obviously old or filled with anonymous scabs.

I never liked club/bar shows so I can skip for that reason too. Unfortunately some bands I like will never get past that level so it does happen that I go to a club show.

But a good arena (8 - 50 k) show with a band that still has some energy like Metallica or Depeche Mode and I'm there. Or a bucket list band like BÖC in a smaller place.

Outdoor festivals are not my thing either. Crawling in the Donington mud in 1988 and getting burned by the scorching Sweden Rock sun in 99 was enough.

[MetalSludgeCEO]

In my 20's for sure... early 20's!

I guess I am, or I was, less of a fan than some others.

I can recall even in the heyday of Tuff on Sunset Strip, we would go to shows, but wouldn't go in... however we would be sure to be ready outside with a few thousand flyers just as the concert was letting out.

We would flyer all of the cars, and hand out to all of the fans leaving pushing a Tuff flyer in their face on the way out!

$tEvil

[skinni]

I continue to attend many shows, often journeying across continents to see specific bands. It's hard to conceive of concerts ever losing their allure for me.

[HueyRamone]

i used to say it was due to high prices for shitty seats.... but now I dont even wanna go if it's reasonable prices and a venue where you can just be wherever.
Not only am i meh on music, i also dont give a shit about TV or movies either.

[greengoblinrulz]

Still love going to concerts, but have stopped seeing tribute type bands totally
Love seeing em in all venues but have started to opt out last minute to things that dont excite me at that moment (usually the bigger bands)
Got shows this weekend (Lita w/Dee & Firehouse Fri & Dorothy Sat). Does Lita excite me---no, but its a close drive & its a get together with friends
I have skipped more shows in the past 2-3 years than normally tho

[FreddyFender]

Concerts have never stopped appealing to me - I go to at least couple a month in addition to the gigs I play. Rock and roll has been my life - go to bed thinking about it, wake up thinking about it.

but I would rather be shot dead than go to a LARGE CONCERT. Arena? Stadium? Digital tickets, parking, band a million miles away? Get the fuck out of here. If there's more than a couple thousand people, I ain't going.

Casino ballroom gigs? Cover bands? Bar bands? Country? Smaller metal acts? Blues night? Hell yeah. I mean, I took Mrs. Fender to see a Christmas concert feat Dolly and Reb tribute acts - it was great.

Last big concert I ever went to was Not In This Lifetime. I spent a bunch of money to sit in a seat miles away from the band for three and a half hours, bored out of my mind.... just praying for the show to end. Saw Vince bullshit his way through 90 minutes at the Casino around this time as well and had a blast - made up my mind then. NEVER again.

[Charles Bukaki]

I love live music as much as I ever did but arena shows are rare and usually a date night with My Special Lady friend, and stadium shows are off the table. Mostly clubs and theaters where tickets are less than $50, some legacy acts, some newer bands (been around less than 20 years) and some smaller road dog type band (Clutch, The Atomic Bitchwax) Anywhere between 1-5 shows a month. I've got great earplugs (eargasm) and sure my feet and lower back may ache a bit after the show but that's been happening since I was in my 20's. Clutch is my favorite band and over the last decade I've discovered a lot of bands in the stoner/sludge/desert scene through fellow fans, so that's kind of been my focus, but I'll still catch Jerry Cantreall or Alice Cooper any time they come through town.

[pieceofme]

i used to say it was due to high prices for shitty seats.... but now I dont even wanna go if it's reasonable prices and a venue where you can just be wherever.
Not only am i meh on music, i also dont give a shit about TV or movies either.

What are you into apart from sludging and rock climbing?

[Hellsinkey]

I still like the concerts and haven't aged out, but I am not willing to put up with all of the costs and how shitty the overall concert experience is now.

If it was still a manageable cost with reasonably priced merch, parking and concessions, I would still go.

As it is, when something meets my criteria like with Pulp last year, I will go to multiple shows.

I rarely go to festivals, but Pulp was on one, so it was a must. I still go to concerts, even more than as a kid, because now I have more money.

[jens]

Concerts in the US sound like a bad time honestly. Driving, the expenses of tickets-parking-drinks, dull crowds,...