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Picture being gifted with a night off. You are energized, ready for adventure, and wanting to break from your usual routine of evening scrolling. Life itself offers possibilities! Would you choose a) going to a gig or b) having sex? The outcome, as is often the case with these sorts of queries, is plainly: “It varies.” Mature individuals could understandably wonder: what's the gig? Who is the companion? Will it be likely to be enjoyable?

Hardly anyone would pick a heavy metal lineup if the other option was one enchanted evening with a beloved celebrity. But adjust either end of the comparison, and it turns less obvious. For the thousands surveyed posed this query through a gig organization, no further context was provided – and the result emerged unambiguously and overwhelmingly supporting live music events.

Study Data Show Interesting Trends

An international report, questioning a large sample ranging from 18 and 54 across multiple countries, found that concerts have become the most popular form of entertainment, beating out athletic events, cinema and – indeed – intimacy. Given the choice to one type of activity for the rest of their lives, 39% of respondents selected concerts, versus watching movies (17%) and sports events (14%). Participants were over two times as likely to select attending their preferred performer on stage (70%) instead of sexual activity (30%).

You show up anticipating pleasantly surprised – and frequently you might find with someone else’s hair in your mouth

Factors and Reflections

Certainly it makes sense that a promotional study commissioned by a live event company might conclude so strongly supporting live shows – and, amid the playful tone of a hypothetical choice, if your top performer is, say an iconic star, one can appreciate why watching him may be chosen rather than a routine encounter. However this binary choice between concerts or sexual activity, obviously silly though it may be, is interesting to think about amid the peculiar moment we’re at with each.

The Transformation of Live Music Experience

Over the past few years, gig-going has evolved into more than a group event but a serious endeavor. Major promoters duly point out that large venue turnout has “increased threefold year-over-year”, and live events sell out quicker than before. Just obtaining passes now requires detailed strategy, instant reactions and significant funds (or a generous credit card limit). Even if you manage, that alone won't do to just show up and watch the performance. Nowadays exists an anticipation, especially for concertgoers, that you can boost your experience quality by going multiple times (including overseas trips), studying the set list ahead of time and memorizing the cues to follow and fan traditions developed through previous crowds.

Numerous attendees report feeling affected by their attendance at major tours: what seemed like a choreographed performance of huge audiences, in which particular fans arrived unaware of the routine. That 18-month concert series, earning massive sums, showed of the lengths to which attendees will push to participate in a significant event and experience their top musician perform, though the actual music appears more and more overshadowed by the production.

The Condition of Contemporary Sexuality

Sexual activity, by contrast – an accessible and available enjoyment – faces dire straits. Based on modern research, about a quarter of adults were intimate in an regular period, while just under a third were sexually inactive. In another major country, current statistics showed that over a quarter of people reported not having sex even once in the last twelve months, rising from fewer people in previous decades. In these areas, the shift has been linked to less sexual activity in youth demographics. Contrast this with the sector booming for major events and the fierce battle for passes. Certainly it isn't straightforward as a basic option between both alternatives – “would you rather see a major tour often, or remain abstinent?” – but it’s perhaps an sign of how people see the more consistent enjoyment.

Unexpected Similarities

Intimacy and concerts are more similar than people often believe. Each symbolizes the commencement of a bond, a practical trial of expectations or potential that might have amassed solely in your imagination. You show up with some idea of how it’s likely to go, but expecting to be delightfully amazed – and if it turns out good or bad depends very much on if your enthusiasm and hopes correspond with partners. Quite often you could wind up with another person's locks in your mouth, and later be waiting around for a smoke and some quiet time by yourself. Likewise with either, substances and drinks can either enhance or detract from the situation (but certainly help the most dire experiences easier to weather).

Finding the Balance

The appeal to live events and relationships hinges on discovering that hard-to-find balance between the known and the new, similarity and difference, challenge and comfort. Certainly it happens only rarely – but it's the recollection of when it worked, the awareness that it’s possible, that inspires us to give it another shot: to {