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Imagine having a night off. You're feeling refreshed, open to experience, and wanting to change your usual routine of post-work slumping. Life itself is your oyster! Could you opt for a) attending a concert or b) being with a partner? The answer, as frequently seen with these types of questions, is obviously: “That depends.” Thinking adults could understandably inquire: what is the show? Who is the partner? Will it be expected to be satisfying?

Not many would choose a heavy metal lineup if the alternative was a magical night with a beloved celebrity. Yet change one side of the equation, and it grows more complicated. For the 40,000 people presented with this choice from a live event company, no additional details was provided – and the result emerged unambiguously and strongly in favour of gigs.

Research Findings Indicate Interesting Preferences

A global survey, questioning a large sample aged between 18 and 54 across 15 markets, found that live music are now the number one form of entertainment, surpassing athletic events, movies and – yes – sex. If restricted to a single form of entertainment forever, nearly four in ten chose live music, versus film attendance (17%) and games (14%). The group was more than twice as prone to select watching their top musician in concert (70%) instead of sexual activity (30%).

You arrive anticipating happily shocked – and regularly you’ll end up with a stranger's hair in your mouth

Perspectives and Analysis

Of course it makes sense that a PR survey commissioned by a gig organizer might conclude so strongly in favour of live shows – and, amid the playful mood of a hypothetical choice, if your top performer is, such as an iconic star, one can appreciate why seeing him may be chosen over a common or garden experience. But this binary choice between live music or sexual activity, clearly absurd even if it seems, is fascinating to reflect on given the odd juncture we’re at with both.

The Evolution of Gig Attendance

Over the past few years, concert attendance has become not just a shared activity but a competitive sport. Live organizations duly point out that arena crowds has “grown significantly each year”, and music festivals are fully reserved more rapidly than previously. Merely acquiring admissions now requires detailed strategy, instant reactions and significant funds (or a high spending capacity). Although you’re successful, it isn't sufficient to simply turn up and watch the performance. Nowadays exists an expectation, especially for concertgoers, that you can boost your return on investment by seeing several shows (even travelling internationally), swotting up on the performance lineup in advance and memorizing the cues to follow and calls-and-responses developed through past attendees.

Numerous attendees describe being scarred by their participation at popular events: what seemed like a choreographed performance of thousands of people, where some individuals came not knowing the steps. The extended event, producing huge revenue, was proof of the lengths to which people will go to experience a historic occasion and see their favourite artist sing, though the actual music grows somewhat overshadowed by the production.

The Condition of Modern Intimacy

Intimacy, conversely – an affordable and common experience – is in difficult times. Based on modern research, about a quarter of adults had sex in an typical week, while nearly 30% were not engaging. In another major country, recent data showed that more than 25% of adults said they had not sexual activity even once in the past year, up from fewer people in earlier years. In these areas, the change has been linked to decreased encounters among younger people. Compare this with the industry expanding rapidly for stadium extravaganzas and the cutthroat competition for passes. Naturally it isn't straightforward as a straightforward choice between one or the other – “could you choose see a major tour multiple times, or avoid intimacy?” – but it’s perhaps an signal of which is perceived as the more dependable pleasure.

Unexpected Similarities

Sex and live music are more comparable than you might think. Each symbolizes the commencement of a connection, a actual experience of ideas or potential that could have built only in your head. You come with some idea of what might happen, but expecting to be delightfully amazed – and how it ends up satisfying or frustrating relies heavily on if your enthusiasm and expectations correspond with partners. Frequently you’ll end up with another person's locks in your mouth, and afterwards be hanging out for a cigarette and personal space alone. Similarly for each, substances and drinks can sometimes improve or detract from the experience (but definitely make the most unpleasant situations more bearable).

Finding the Balance

The magic to both gigs and sex relies on finding that hard-to-find balance between familiarity and novelty, similarity and difference, work and relaxation. Naturally it's uncommon – but it's the recollection of when it worked, the awareness that it’s possible, that inspires us to try again: to {