There’s something really powerful about live music.

As a fan of heavy metal and all its sub-genres, I’m a big believer that this type of music is best enjoyed live, loud and with other passionate fans and like-minded folks. Whether it’s in a huge stadium or an intimate venue or dive bar, watching my favourite bands in a live environment creates an emotional intensity and a powerful sense of shared experience that can’t be replicated anywhere else.

For as long as I can remember, music has always been an important part of my life. My Dad was a fan of rock n roll and I grew up listening to a lot of 80s Aussie rock, which influenced my heavier tastes that developed in my teens and early 20s. One of my early musical memories was attending a blue light disco at the age of around 6 and getting super excited when ‘Rocket’ by Def Leppard started playing, jumping up and down and singing the chorus at the top of my lungs! I was a shy and introverted kid and music helped to bring me out of my shell and express myself with a freedom that I only ever felt when the music was playing.

Even back then, music allowed me to tap into something powerful within myself. In my teens, I discovered the alternative and metal genres through the grunge and nu-metal scenes. I remember the first time I heard the band Korn, I was completely blown away by the energy and sheer intensity of the music. At that time in my life, I was struggling to find my sense of identity, and I felt like a complete outcast and misfit at school. Discovering heavy and alternative music gave me the sense of belonging that I was craving, and it helped me to find the strength inside myself to deal with the challenges I faced as a teenager, finding my place in the world.

My first live music experience was at the age of 15 at a Red Hot Chilli Peppers concert in Brisbane. My friends and I had seats near the back of the stadium, but that didn’t hinder our excitement – we were so happy to be out by ourselves (with our Dads drinking coffee at the bar!), singing, dancing, and completely letting loose. I remember feeling so free – this was a safe space for me to be myself and it made me feel something that I couldn’t explain, I only knew that I liked it and wanted more!

Since then, I have attended countless live shows all over the world, and my passion for live music has only grown stronger.

During the pandemic when there were basically no live shows for two years, I realised just how important the live music experience is for me and how much I missed it. Live music events have been a great way for people to reconnect with the outside world after the long period of social isolation, and for introverts like me who work from home, that sense of connection with others is often hard to find in day-to-day life.

I recently attended a thrash metal gig in Brisbane, headlined by the American band Sacred Reich. The vocalist was speaking about connection and how live music is a powerful force that brings people together and that really resonated with me. Ultimately, we are all connected and the live music scene allows us to feel a part of something bigger. Even without knowing another soul in the venue, I feel a sense of belonging and camaraderie in a metal crowd, surrounded by like-minded people who are all passionate about the music we’re there to see.

For me, the live music experience is a mindful, almost spiritual one, that engages all my senses and grounds me in the moment. The high-energy environment allows me to let off steam and forget about any worries about the past or anxieties about the future. It’s an outlet to express myself freely and authentically. The shared emotional experience can feel so powerful in the moment and provides a safe space for people who may not have an outlet to express their emotions in their daily lives. There is no judgement in a metal crowd – we are all there for the music and there’s a mutual respect for our fellow fans, connected by our passion and shared love of heavy metal.

When watching live music, I can truly be myself. I feel a sense of release as I move, dance, bang my head, sing, clap and cheer. I often lose myself in the music, suspended in space and time, where all that matters is the next note, the next riff, the next lyric. Sometimes I close my eyes and just let the sounds wash over me and vibrate through my body, feeling the energy and pure emotion of a song I love, being played in its purest form. It sounds different with my eyes closed, louder and more intense, and I can feel the emotion of the song and connect with the music and lyrics on a deeper level. Sometimes there are even tears, when there is a particularly meaningful song that takes me back to a certain time or memory that had a deep impact on my life. The emotional intensity of live heavy metal can be incredibly cathartic – music is my therapy!

These days I still feel like a misfit and an outcast, but I have now come to fully embrace it. The metal and alternative music scenes have always welcomed outsiders, and many people who may feel like they don’t fit in with mainstream culture or who struggle to find a sense of identity in their lives find a sense of community and acceptance at concerts that is unlike anything they’ve experienced elsewhere.

Post-pandemic, this sense of connection and belonging is more important than ever, and in a world that is becoming increasingly digital, the opportunity to connect with others in a live setting and the shared experience of being in the same physical space with other fans is incredibly powerful.

I believe that live music connects us through the emotions the music evokes. This emotional impact can be transformative, offering people a space for healing, self-expression, and a sense of emotional well-being. Immersing myself in the live music experience excites me, energises me, and makes me feel alive. It’s truly a beautiful thing to be a part of.