Sophomore Abby Jo Budiwarman is in the front row at 5 Seconds of Summer’s concert at FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine on June 18. She said she enjoyed being able to see their stage effects up close and make out their faces. Photo courtesy of Abby Jo Budiwarman
With summer coming to a close, students reflect on breathtaking experiences they had at concerts during the warm and sunny break.
Students say their shows had captivating visuals, cohesive set lists and engaged audiences. While they said their venues had less COVID-19 restrictions than before, some students said they still practiced caution.
“[Coming back] didn’t feel different because the process was the same before COVID, but [my sister and I] felt different because we were more conscious of the crowd,” Budiwarman said.
Budiwarman went to see pop band 5 Seconds of Summer at FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine on June 18. The show was a part of the band’s Take My Hand World Tour which had been delayed two years due to COVID.
Budiwarman said she first saw them perform live in 2014 when they opened up for former boy band One Direction. She said she loved watching how much they’ve grown and changed as artists since then.
“[5 Seconds of Summer] really stepped up their performance game,” sophomore Abby Jo Budiwarman said. “They have more of a stage presence than previously when I saw them a while ago.”
Budiwarman also noticed the band did a mashup with a large portion of their setlist, which she’s never seen an artist do. She said she appreciated the transitions because they were able to fit more songs into their set.
Some students also went to music festivals this summer and witnessed multiple acts in one event. Sophomore Ava Campbell went to Wildflower! Arts and Music Festival in her hometown of Richardson, Texas and saw rock band headliner Neon Trees perform May 21. She said this festival is one of the special things about living in this suburb of Dallas because it brings the whole town together.
Campbell listened to Neon Trees’ music regularly growing up because her mom was a huge fan of them. During their set, she enjoyed hearing the lead singer Tyler Glenn’s unique story about him writing his songs while in a dark place, coming out of that and then growing as a person.
Campbell said coming back to concerts made it more powerful for her because now she realizes the value they hold. She said seeing her favorite songs performed live makes the music more special when she listens to it afterward.
“There’s something so special about concerts where all your senses are engaged,” Campbell said. “You feel so lit up and excited to be there.”
Senior Tara Carrillo went to Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny’s show at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for his World’s Hottest Tour Aug. 12. Although she is from the Bay Area, Carrillo said she decided to go to the Miami show instead because she loves the reggaeton culture there.
Carrillo noticed Bunny’s aesthetic visuals on the screen, confetti and diverse backup dancers during his set. She said for Bunny to have guys and girls of different shapes and sizes on stage shows how much he advocates for diversity.
“Not only were there great visuals and DJs, but he really interacts with his fans,” Carrillo said. “I could really see how much he cares about his fans, and how he is so passionate about what he does.”
Other students said they learned to enjoy a concert even from farther back in the venue. Sophomore Isabella Tassone went to rapper and singer Machine Gun Kelly’s Mainstream Sellout Tour at The Honda Center in Anaheim on July 16. She said she chose to get the cheapest tickets because she wanted to have a fun experience while not “breaking the bank.”
MGK’s setlist did a great job encompassing the different albums he has and balancing both his rap and punk sound, Tassone said. She loved his attention-grabbing stage presence and connection to the audience.
“[MGK] pops up onto the ladder of this flying hot pink helicopter and dangles over the audience,” Tassone said. “Even if you have the cheapest seats like we did, all the way back at the Honda Center, we still felt like he was super close to us.”
Tassone and Budiwarman said they will both study abroad in London this upcoming academic year. They said they’re looking forward to seeing musicians who might tour in the UK as well as local artists, to get a taste of different music all over the world.
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