College has long been the breeding ground for music, whether it’s students’ tastes or artists’ exposure. College rock was once a genre defined by the treble-heavy jangle pop of R.E.M. and precursors to the grunge era like the Pixies.

While the spirit of college radio is lost on ASU (seriously, guys… AM radio?), it is not always lost on the students.

Perhaps no single generation has had more to do with the restructuring of an industry than we have had with the modern music industry.

We grew up on peer-to-peer applications like Napster and Limewire, and according to “The Future of Music: Manifesto For the Digital Music Revolution” (written by a couple professors at the Berklee College of Music), we don’t buy as much recorded music, but we are going to more concerts.

Anyone who has seen a great concert understands why.

Live music is an experience. An intangible expansion of music appreciation exists in the live venue. Many times, we simply listen to an album or song and take it at face value but never really, truly appreciate the performances that go into it.

At nearly every show I go to, I have a “Eureka!” moment where the talent of the performers becomes overwhelmingly apparent.

Last Tuesday at the Marquee Theatre, when the singer of Sigur Rós let out his first few cries, I thought — in an admittedly juvenile fashion — “Holy crap, he actually sings like that!”

The Monday before that, seeing Beck’s drummer perform the chorus of “Chemtrails,” I was floored.

Attending a show also puts money directly into the pocket of the artist. If you’re feeling guilty about not paying for the music you listen to — which you aren’t — buying a ticket to the show or merchandise helps support the musicians.

The real pleasure, though, comes in simply sharing the moment with your favorite performers. Looking at the performers on stage, you think to yourself, “Oh, man, is that really him?”

Seeing a live performance gives extra life to a recording, and repeated listens after a show will bring back memories of your experience.

Simply put, concerts are awesome.

That being said, the state of Arizona is in the middle of a musical wave that is as welcome as any desert thunderstorm. Between now and Thanksgiving, performers as diverse and talented as Weezer, Metallica, The Roots, Minus The Bear, Paul van Dyk and Alanis Morissette are all performing in the Valley.

If you consider yourself a fan of music, you should attend at least one show.

You can even take a break from listening to Timbaland in the clubs and visit him at the Marquee next month to get a visual lesson in why he is one of the most sought-after producers in the music industry today.

Your assignment, dear reader, is to attend one show in the next month in an effort to further your appreciation for a particular act. Finding an event you will like shouldn’t be difficult.

Who knows? You may even become a concert addict.

If you remember Pass The Hatchet and want to offer them a record
contract, contact Ryan at ryan.oneal@asu.edu.