It’s almost as if you can hear it: the roaring fans, the continuous thudding of drums and the screams of joy as the crowd shifts in time with the music. Concerts can be described as an event that brings people together who enjoy the same genre of music. LHS is home to many students who can say their concert experiences are ones they’ll never forget.

“It’s usually very loud and crazy,” freshman Beau Sarver said. “Not only are you surrounded by a bunch of people but you can start to feel the music and just let it shake you sometimes.”

Sarver has been to a handful of concerts and says he has a unique experience each time. He sees concerts as an opportunity to feel the music alongside people who share the same interests. These festive musical gatherings make it easy for not only the fans to have a good time but the musicians as well.

Small town performer and student sophomore Emily Black can attest to the claims of concert fun.

“Suddenly I’m not the shy little kid they think that I am,” Black said. “ Getting to see their reactions when I perform is priceless. I just hope that I can make their day with the music that I play.”

Black has grown up with a musical background and has attended  numerous concerts. For her, each opportunity to see a band or musician she loves is always special. Her undeniable love of music stems from her ability to play the guitar, piano and sing. Her career as a musician continues to thrive due to her performances involving a range of songs at J&S Pizza every Tuesday night. Because of this, encourages everyone who likes music to go to concerts because of the surreal atmosphere.

“When you get to see them live, you get to see who they are when they’re feeling confident and truly putting themselves on display,” Black said. “It’s different from only hearing them on the radio or seeing them in an interview on TV.”

Another musical talent, who likes to be called a “rock n’ roll extraordinaire” is a well-known long-term substitute here at LHS. Daniel Loomis is a teacher by day but a guitar player for the heavy metal band Gourmand by night.

“When you look out either from the front of the crowd or from the stage you can really see if the audience is feeling the music,” Loomis said. “Everyone seems to be moving together and have the same energy.”

Loomis has been through it all by going to around three hundred concerts ranging from many different varieties of music, as well as performing at many of his own. Since he has been so this many concerts it was surprising to find out that swim coach and math teacher Chris Murphy has been to almost double the amount.

“I’ve been to over 500 concerts in my life. I try to go to at least a concert a month,” Murphy said. “Most bands I have wanted to see I have seen. I have seen many of them multiple times. ”

Both Murphy and Loomis agree that concerts tailor to anyone and everyone alike. Whether it’s on the stage or in the crowd, the overall good vibes of the experience are shared wholeheartedly. Much like Black, their musical influences have broadened their interpretations of music beyond the most popular standards.

“From my own genre of music, people don’t understand how I sit there and listen to death metal,” Loomis said. “When you actually see it live, the energy and the motion, I think it makes a lot more sense to people.”

Performers, quite obviously, have a very different experience playing at a venue in front of a crowd rather than being in one. However, the appeal of the music still remains and clearly never fades for both the musicians and the fans.

“I’d compare it to a wave,” Loomis said. “When you look out either from the front of the crowd or from the stage you can really see if the audience is feeling the music. Everyone seems to be moving together and have the same energy.”

From an audience perspective, Sarver agrees that concerts are important to the people attending and the ones providing the entertainment.

“At first I thought it was kind of boring but later on it was pretty exciting,” Sarver said. “If you’re into the music and the culture then you should definitely try and experience something different.”

Whether it’s Taylor Swift or Guns N’ Roses, it is pretty clear that everybody enjoys some musical entertainment once in a while.

There are also a lot of unique experiences that can come with going to concerts. Junior Jillian McDaniel has had a lot of distinct experiences and had a hard time choosing one.

“I really liked seeing Borns because I was very close to them and they were also performing with AJR which was cool to see. I got an inch away from Borns at one point,” McDaniel said.

Another person who has been involved in many concerts and had many experiences to share was Senior Maddie Hellwig. She has had a lot of chances to go see her favorite bands in concert and while this may not be her best memory, it’s something she will enjoy telling others for the rest of her life.

“I passed out at one of the last One Direction concerts that was here I got dehydrated,” Hellwig said, “It wasn’t my favorite, but it was definitely the most memorable.” Like many others, Hellwig sees concerts as an exciting adventure.

“There is always something happening,” Hellwig said. “Spending time with the people and seeing our favorite artist is one of my favorite things. If you really like the artist, concerts are 100% worth it.”

In the upcoming year there will be many more chances to make memories. There are a lot of concerts that will be in the area this year.

March 7- Phillip Phillips and The Ballroom Thieves at The Truman

April 11- Led Zeppelin Cover Band at Starlight Theatre

May 4- MisterWives at The Truman

June 26- Macklemore at Sprint Center

July 25- Journey and Def Leppard at Sprint Center

August 9- Charlie Puth and Hailee Steinfeld at Starlight Theatre

September 8- Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium

October 13- Ed Sheeran at Arrowhead Stadium

December 10- Justin Timberlake at Sprint Center