The thrill of a live performance is invigorating. Feeling music in your bones, in your soul, is unbeatable.

Live music has a bad rep — “it’s expensive,” “they don’t sound as good live,” or “concerts can be dangerous.” Concerts can cost anywhere from $10 to $100 or even more, depending on the popularity of the bands, which may seem hefty to some, but often the more expensive concerts have nicer venues and more acts to listen to giving you more bang for your buck. Costs can be a roadblock to seeing your musical idol live, but bands need the support of concert-goers to truly make their money, seeing as many people download music for free.

Sometimes bands are enhanced on studio tracks. While this may make live performances seem disappointing, concert-goers have the pleasure of knowing the band’s true, raw sound. However, bands who give live performances need to be cut some slack — just as your voice gets shaky when you present in English class singers get nervous when displaying their talent to hundreds or thousands of people. Not to mention, acoustics don’t always mesh with the band’s sound. Fans also cause noise quality issues, screaming gets in the way of truly hearing the band — but that is not the band’s fault. Plus you are probably contributing quite a bit.

Yes, some bands promote mosh pits and walls and other unsafe concert activities during their performance, but there are always safe locations in the crowd to avoid any harm.

Many believe that studio tracks are the medium in which to hear electronic music. This however, is utterly false. Many bands utilize previously recorded tracks or loopers to allow one artist to create multiple layers of sounds. Other electronic devices can also be set up on stage for an electronic sound to be produced, which is very important for electronic bands.

Concerts are a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and all concerts are unique. They should not be overshadowed by the ever-growing recording businesses.