A Night Out to Cherish: Is Live Music Really Preferred Over Sex?

Imagine having a night off. You're feeling rejuvenated, open to experience, and looking to shake up your typical schedule of evening scrolling. Life itself awaits your choice! Do you choose a) seeing live music or b) having sex? The answer, as typically the case with these sorts of questions, is obviously: “It varies.” Mature individuals may reasonably ask: what kind of the concert? Who is the partner? Will it be expected to be enjoyable?

Hardly anyone would choose a intense rock concert if the other option was a magical night with Jonathan Bailey. However tweak any part of the equation, and it grows less clearcut. In the case of the thousands surveyed posed this query by a gig organization, no additional context was given – and the response emerged clearly and heavily preferring gigs.

Survey Results Show Unexpected Trends

A worldwide survey, interviewing a large sample ranging from 18 and 54 in multiple countries, showed that concerts currently stand as the number one pastime, surpassing athletic events, movies and – absolutely – sex. Given the choice to a single form of activity forever, a significant portion chose concerts, compared to going to the cinema (17%) and sports events (14%). They were also significantly more as likely to choose attending their preferred performer live (70%) over sex (30%).

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

Context and Considerations

Of course it’s not surprising that a PR survey commissioned by a gig organizer should come out so overwhelmingly preferring live shows – and, in the freewheeling spirit of a would-you-rather, if your top performer is, say Paul McCartney, you can see why watching him might win out over a ordinary situation. However this two-option scenario between live music or sexual activity, obviously silly even if it seems, is interesting to reflect on given the odd juncture we face with both.

The Transformation of Gig Attendance

Over the past few years, gig-going has grown beyond a shared activity but a competitive sport. Major promoters duly point out that stadium attendance has “grown significantly annually”, and music festivals get booked up quicker than before. Just obtaining passes now needs extensive preparation, rapid-fire response times and deep finances (or a generous credit card limit). Even if you’re successful, it isn't sufficient to just show up and enjoy the show. Nowadays exists an anticipation, at least among pop fans, that you can boost your experience quality by attending more than once (potentially going abroad), swotting up on the set list in advance and knowing your marks to perform and fan traditions created by earlier audiences.

Several fans describe being shaken by their participation at popular events: what seemed like a choreographed performance of massive crowds, to which some individuals arrived unaware of the steps. The extended tour, producing huge revenue, was proof of the lengths to which people will go to feel part of a significant event and experience their top musician play, though the real performance seems increasingly less important than the production.

The Condition of Current Relationships

Intimacy, conversely – a relatively cheap and available enjoyment – faces difficult times. According to recent surveys, nearly one in four of people had sex in an regular period, while nearly 30% were not engaging. In another major country, current statistics indicated that a significant portion of adults said they had not sexual activity a single time in the previous year, increasing from fewer people in the past. In both territories, the change has been attributed to decreased encounters with younger generations. Contrast this with the industry expanding rapidly for stadium extravaganzas and the intense rivalry for admissions. Certainly it’s not as simple as a basic option between either option – “would you rather see a major tour repeatedly, or remain abstinent?” – but it's possibly an sign of how people see the more consistent enjoyment.

Interesting Comparisons

Sex and live music are closer aligned than you might think. Each symbolizes the commencement of a relationship, a real-world test of impressions or possibility that could have built only in your head. You show up with a general notion of the probable outcome, but anticipating happily shocked – and if it turns out enjoyable or disappointing rests largely on whether your energy and anticipations correspond with partners. Regularly you could wind up with someone else’s hair in your mouth, and later be lingering for a smoke and some quiet time by yourself. And, in both cases, stimulants and beverages can potentially heighten or reduce the event (but absolutely assist the most unpleasant experiences more bearable).

Achieving Equilibrium

The magic to concerts and intimacy depends on discovering that perfect combination between familiarity and novelty, similarity and difference, work and relaxation. Of course it happens only rarely – but it's the recollection of when it worked, the awareness that success is achievable, that motivates us to attempt once more: to {