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Imagine having a open night. You are refreshed, eager for new things, and looking to break from your usual routine of evening scrolling. The world offers possibilities! Do you choose a) attending a concert or b) being with a partner? The outcome, as typically the case with these sorts of questions, is plainly: “It depends.” Reasonable people might logically ask: what kind of the show? Who's the partner? Could it be likely to be enjoyable?

Few would pick a heavy metal lineup if the other option was a magical night with a favorite star. But adjust any part of the comparison, and it becomes more complicated. Regarding the participants posed this query by a gig organization, no further context was given – and the result came out clearly and strongly supporting gigs.

Survey Results Indicate Interesting Preferences

An international report, polling a large sample aged between 18 and 54 across 15 markets, revealed that live music are now the world’s top form of entertainment, surpassing athletic events, cinema and – absolutely – sexual intercourse. When limited to one type of entertainment permanently, 39% of respondents chose gigs, versus watching movies (17%) and games (14%). The group was significantly more as inclined to choose watching their top musician in concert (70%) over sexual activity (30%).

You show up anticipating delightfully amazed – and quite often you could wind up with a stranger's hair in your mouth

Factors and Reflections

Of course it’s not surprising that a marketing research commissioned by a live event company should come out so strongly in favour of gigs – and, in the freewheeling tone of a would-you-rather, if your top performer is, such as Paul McCartney, one can appreciate why watching him could prevail rather than a common or garden situation. However this two-option scenario between gigs or sexual activity, obviously silly as it is, is fascinating to consider given the odd juncture we experience with these two aspects.

The Change of Live Music Experience

In recent years, gig-going has become not just a shared activity but a intense competition. Live organizations rightly note that arena crowds has “tripled each year”, and music festivals get booked up faster than ever. Merely acquiring tickets now needs extensive preparation, quick decision-making and significant funds (or a substantial budget). Even if you manage, it isn't sufficient to simply turn up and experience the event. There’s now an anticipation, especially for pop fans, that you could increase your enjoyment value by seeing several shows (potentially going abroad), studying the song selection ahead of time and knowing your marks to perform and calls-and-responses developed through earlier audiences.

Several attendees admit to shaken by their participation at popular events: what felt like a choreographed performance of massive crowds, in which some individuals arrived not knowing the steps. The extended event, earning massive sums, was proof of the lengths to which attendees will push to feel part of a significant event and watch their preferred performer sing, although the live sound seems increasingly less important than the show.

The Situation of Modern Intimacy

Sexual activity, by contrast – an accessible and available enjoyment – faces challenging circumstances. Per contemporary studies, about a quarter of adults had sex in an average week, while nearly 30% were sexually inactive. In another major country, modern figures showed that a significant portion of adults reported not having sex a single time in the last twelve months, increasing from smaller percentages in previous decades. In these areas, the shift has been associated with reduced intimacy with younger generations. Contrast this with the market driving growth for large concerts and the intense rivalry for passes. Of course it’s not as simple as a basic option between either option – “would you rather experience a popular event often, or stay celibate?” – but it's possibly an signal of which is perceived as the more consistent pleasure.

Unexpected Similarities

Relationships and gigs are more similar than one may assume. Each symbolizes the activation of a relationship, a actual experience of expectations or promise that might have amassed just in your mind. You come with some idea of the probable outcome, but expecting to be pleasantly surprised – and how it ends up good or bad relies heavily on whether your energy and hopes correspond with partners. Frequently you could wind up with a stranger's hair in your mouth, and later be lingering for a smoke and a moment alone by yourself. And, in both cases, drugs and alcohol can potentially heighten or lessen the situation (but absolutely assist the most unpleasant situations easier to weather).

Seeking Harmony

The appeal to concerts and intimacy depends on discovering that hard-to-find balance between the known and the new, similarity and difference, effort and ease. Certainly it happens only rarely – but it's the remembrance of when they did, the awareness that it’s possible, that inspires us to give it another shot: to {