Questionable Concert Reviews
We all love a good concert, right? For some of us it may be rock ‘n’ roll, for others a classical symphony, for some electronic dance music. Regardless of our taste, music seems to move us all in some way.
One interesting thing about a musical performance is the way in which it affects us, the viewer. Have you ever been to a concert with a friend, walked out and had a conversation that sounded something like this:
You: Wow! That was amazing. I loved it.
Friend: Really? I didn’t like it at all!
I’m sure that almost everyone has had a similar moment. It can be fascinating to think about how two people observe the same people playing the same melodies, but have entirely different experiences. What could be the cause of this? Is it different physiology – different ears, ear drums, brains? Or could it be that they simply have different taste? If it is a matter of taste, what is it that created this taste? Is it something we are born with, something we develop on our own, something we are taught?
What we can take from our concert going experience is the knowledge that we all perceive the world in a different way. We all can possess five senses that allow us to experience our universe. However, sampling having the same abilities does not mean that we have the same experience. First, we may not possess the same sensory ability. For some, they may have poor hearing, or be sensitive to loud noise, or unable to hear high pitch sounds. At the far end of the spectrum, some of us cannot hear at all! Second, our brains may not process sensory information similarly. That is, we may hear the sounds exactly the same, but have a different idea about whether that sound is pleasant or dissonant.
All this being said, two people can definitely perceive the same concert and have a different opinion as to whether it was “good” or “bad”. However, we should all realize that those ideas are personal, not universal. We should all understand that our perception isn’t necessarily that of others and we should respect their perception as equally valid to our own. If two reviewers disagree on a subject, neither can be said to be “right” or “wrong”, but instead they simply can be said to have had different experiences while experiencing the subject. You may have heard the saying, “a review says more about the reviewer than it does the subject.” How true!
So keep heading out to your favorite concerts – in fact, try something you might not know if you’ll like. Get out there and experience new sounds, new venues, new crowds. At the end of the day, those new experiences make us better. But remember, at the end of the performance, your review may not be the same as others. Be respectful. You would want others to be respectful of your review and you should offer your fellow concert-goers the same courtesy.
