My first concert was at 14 years old. I saw Shawn Mendes, and it was the best night of my very young life.
I went with some family friends on a surprise trip and my parents told me the good news after weeks of begging. Getting to belt out my favorite songs in an arena full of flashing lights and fans was the highlight of my eighth grade summer.
I learned a key lesson that day: the value of live music, and the way it can save the soul and make people come together.
I attended a couple more concerts in high school, but I didn't really start going to shows until college — mainly because I now have a job to pay for them, but also because I work at a concert venue.
It's the coolest gig. I've got great coworkers, it pays well and, most importantly, I have access to free shows. I can't count on my hands the number of concerts I've seen this past year. I've witnessed artists I would never have paid to see and artists I didn't even like until I heard their soundcheck while working.
It's pretty sweet, and oddly gratifying. I love watching people get excited over seeing their favorite artist. There's something so endearing about strangers coming together to celebrate music, cramming themselves into one room, swaying side by side, each experiencing a shared love.
Recently, Gen Z has gotten a pretty bad rap for being terrible concert goers, and I can't deny it entirely. I've gone to a few shows where someone just has to scream at the artist, someone just has to push and shove in the crowd. It can get a little exhausting, and yeah, it can ruin the night.
READ MORE: Poor concert etiquette takes center stage, Gen Z discusses
I've also worked a decent number of shows with teenage and young adult crowds. Attitudes vary depending on artist, genre and attendees. A few genres with nicer fans are EDM and folk — country can also be good, depending on the demographic. They usually always say thank you and are much more understanding of each other and venue staff.
Pop is its own realm; sometimes fans are sweet and I can really sense community among concert attendees. This is especially present in acts with female fan bases. The time Role Model played at my work, everyone was overjoyed to be there with their well-thought out outfits, complementing each other and chatting happily in line.
Yes, there have definitely been shows I've worked where Gen Z fans get irritated at each other over spots in line or views and cause a scene, to the point where security and staff have to get involved. But rudeness knows no generation. I've seen full-grown adults who lack common decency and have to ruin experiences for other fans.
Social media can only exacerbate the issue for young fans. One bad experience at a specific show can spark controversy, and it brings up the whole Gen Z concert etiquette conversation again.
Every major tour of the past year, from Taylor Swift to Billie Eilish and Beyoncé , has had some kind of fan fail moment where one person or multiple people taint the atmosphere.
It's disheartening, not only as someone who loves concerts and works in the industry, but as a Gen Zer. It is embarrassing, having people online discuss your peers' lack of emotional and spatial awareness.
In my head, the rules of a concert are pretty simple: be nice, have a good time and be open. Other fans in the crowd aren't your enemy. Don't be standoffish, interact with people. There's even a possibility of making a friend or two.
READ MORE: Insight: Lessons from a concert enthusiast
One of the most wholesome shows I attended was for indie royalty Rilo Kiley in May. I was working and only really knew a couple songs, but I liked them well enough to stay. Their most recent tour has been a reunion, and I saw fans traveling from out of state to witness a band they've loved since high school get back together.
That was the only show I've ever been to where phones were hardly present. Obviously, people were getting footage and recording certain songs, but for the most part, fans just watched.
I caught glimpses of friends at the concert singing to each other and hugging — basking in the experience.
Everyone in that room was happy to be there soaking up the sound, and that's what live music does: it's a connector. I pray humanity doesn't lose sight of that.
Editor's note: The opinions presented in this column are the author's and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
Edited by Kasturi Tale, Senna James and Pippa Fung.
Reach the reporter at jagon128@asu.edu.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on X.
Jazlyn Gonzales is junior studying Journalism and Mass Communication. This is her third semester with the State Press. She has also interned at KJZZ.
