Start supporting smaller artists
Photo courtesy of RDNE Stock Project/Pexels
The inspiration behind this article comes from a very sad day, where I lost the Ticketmaster war for Noah Kahan tickets on his North American 2026 tour, The Great Divide. It was a terrible moment for me and my friends when the only tickets left for us were 400 dollars, a ridiculous amount to spend on a concert ticket for a college student. I was reminiscing on when I saw Noah Kahan a few years ago for just 40 dollars, and I began to think about all of the amazing smaller artists I have seen for the same amount or even lower. I am an avid concert lover and have seen a wide variety of artists over the years with various friends, artists ranging from Taylor Swift to bands so small they do not even have a social media account yet.
Seeing these larger mainstream artists in massive stadiums has its own set of unique perks, but so does seeing a much smaller artist in some random local venue! One of the best concerts I have seen to date was a Flipturn concert inside a random bar in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for just 25 dollars! We got there less than an hour before the concert started and managed to be in the front row on the side of the stage, an insanely great view that I have never enjoyed before.
We were able to interact with the artists on stage, make friends with the people around us, take fantastic photos on our low quality iPhones, and gain memories that we still talk about to this day, all for just 25 dollars. In my personal opinion, they are not even a small artist—they have opened for well-known bands and been a part of massive music festivals. But they are certainly not as famous as some of the artists that are selling tickets for hundreds of dollars.
In the recent age of music being shared daily on social media, there may be an artist playing nearby that you know, and you may not even realize it. Following local venues and making new friends with other live music fans is a great way to find local shows that are incredibly cheap. Utilizing social media is also a fantastic way to find local artists as they may be trying to use the platform to gain an audience and encourage people to go to their shows.
Supporting a true small local band is an even better way to experience live music. I have seen many small shows in the surrounding Geneseo area, and often they will not even charge admission! A free live music show on a weekend night so close by you do not need to worry about booking a hotel or driving hours back home. How much better can it get? Geneseo is also home to a handful of student bands who have a true passion for performing, as they manage to juggle being a student and band member at the same time. And would it not be cool to go see a live music show and see someone from your classes up on stage playing the guitar?
This is also important to keep in mind as Springfest slowly creeps around the corner. With an admission price of just five dollars, Geneseo students have the opportunity to walk just a few minutes onto campus and see a wide variety of bands and musicians. This opportunity only happens once a year, so be sure to take advantage while you still can!