As I’ve mentioned roughly ten times this year, I went into 2020 with the intention of seeing some of my favorite artists and comedians live. Due to the various lockdowns of the pandemic, this did not happen.
As 2020 nears it’s close, and rumblings of a vaccine for COVID-19 becoming louder, I’ve started to reconsider this resolution! Naturally, it might not even be possible in a 2021 resolution. However, I thought it might be a nice idea to compile a more cohesive list of performances I want to see live in my lifetime. Granted, this list could grow and change over time, but for now, these top the list. Let’s dive into it!
- Taylor Swift. Taylor has been a favorite artist of mine for nearly the entirety of her career. This year, she planned on doing a series of two-day festivals across the world to promote her then-new album, Lover. These plans mostly fell through because of the pandemic, and she is slated to reschedule these dates for 2021. I don’t know if I’ll make it to those dates (I couldn’t make it to the Lover Fest tour because the venues were out-of-state/nation for me), but I would love to see her live at some point. Her live performances of “The Man” and “All Too Well” seem unreal levels of intense.
- Panic! at the Disco. I saw them live last year, and it was incredible! I would love to see them live again. I’m hoping that there’s been new music written during the lockdowns. Tours seem to happen when they have music to promote!
- Ariana Grande. Her voice is insane! I love her music and would love to hear her voice live.
- Adele. Again, what a voice. Ariana and Taylor can probably put together a S H O W, with dancers and costume changes and sparklers and confetti. That’s all fun and I would love every second, but all you need at an Adele concert is her voice, a spotlight, and a piano. The magic speaks for itself.
- Harry Styles. I don’t know when it happened, but at some point during this year I’ve found a new appreciation for Harry. He has a solid voice and seems to have fun on stage. I also feel like his first album was good and his second album was incredible. Maybe this time next year he’ll have album three that will be his magnum opus. Time will tell!
- Demi Lovato. My queen. A legend. Most powerful voice of my generation. I would love to be in an audience singing her songs with her. I saw her as part of a Jonas Brothers tour some ten years ago when I was a dweeby high schooler. Now, at the end of my life, I am ready to see her take center stage!
- Bon Iver. This feels like it would be the most calming concert. I would love to see Bon Iver perform at Red Rocks Amphitheatre or something.
- Lady Gaga. I remember when she performed “Edge of Glory” on Saturday Night Live and feeling thunderstruck that the woman in the psychotic clothes and bizarre music videos had THAT voice. She’s since established herself as a defining pop artist of the 21st century, and she can give a wild performance as well as belt it out with the best of them.
- Paul McCartney. I just want to hear him sing “Hey Jude” live. I want to “na na na nananana nananana Hey Jude” with an audience for seven minutes straight. This is what I want.
- Fall Out Boy. Saw them live for the first time five years ago! I wanna see them live again! Maybe they should do another tour with Panic! at the Disco or something! Wow, I want that so much!
- Billie Eilish. She is the only musician I could have potentially, REALISTICALLY seen this year, prior to the pandemic. No one else was touring yet this year, and she was coming to Orlando! I want to make this tour date happen sooner rather than later.
- Coldplay. IDK. I like all their music and I think it’d be really something to hear them live. I feel like it’d be really colorful, too!
- Ed Sheeran. I have seen him twice now, and I’ll see him eighty billion more times. All this guy needs is a guitar, and he fills Super Bowl stadiums. The raw talent!
I have a whole second list of comedians, Broadway shows, and music festivals I’d like to experience as well, but I think I’ll elaborate on that list when we get closer to an end to the pandemic! There’s something to be said for live entertainment. It’s in the moment, and there’s a community to it. It’s beautiful, really. I miss it! Let’s be normal again soon!