In March 2022, I attended two concerts for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. I was excited to finally attend big events in person again, especially since the first concert was Tyler, the Creator, one of my favorite artists. He was on the 'Call Me If You Get Lost' tour and I was seeing him at Madison Square Garden. Although the seats I had were nosebleeds, it was an amazing experience. For his entrance, Tyler rose to the stage with a mint green 1930s Rolls Royce alongside him. The crowd went crazy, everyone screaming at the top of their lungs. His stage presence was unbeatable. From the first song to the last, he performed his music in an energetic and extravagant fashion. At one point, he surfed through the crowd on a boat, making it look like he was sailing through them. Tyler never stopped moving, whether it was jumping up and down or running to opposite sides of the stage. He kept your attention throughout and executed the night perfectly. Though concerts always have a chaotic feel to them, Tyler’s concert felt luxurious. Between his Phantom Rolls-Royce and the chateau behind him on stage, Tyler made it clear that he was living lavishly.
The second concert I went to in March was Mac Ayres, who I first discovered via Spotify. He gained popularity in 2017 when his song “Easy” hit the charts. This R&B / Soul musician caught the ears of both me and my family; soon enough we were listening to his songs repeatedly. When we found out he was playing in New York City, we knew we had to go. Though less popular, Mac Ayres did not disappoint in the slightest. We saw him at Terminal 5, a much smaller venue than Madison Square Garden. Instead of having seats, we had to shuffle our way to the front of the crowd. Considering this was my first ever general admission concert, I got a pretty good view. When Mac came out to play, I could see him very clearly, along with the rest of his band. Mac’s harmony with his band, along with his live vocals gave the perfect energy for a good concert. He knew what he was doing, he knew how to handle his crowd and he knew how to give people a good time. This concert definitely had more of a close-knit, intimate feel. You were shoulder to shoulder with other Mac Ayres fans and just there together enjoying his performance.
These two concerts provided me with unforgettable experiences, and I learned that concerts can be just as fun whether you are seeing a world famous pop star or a lesser-known R&B / soul musician from Long Island, New York.
Watch Tyler, the Creator perform "New Magic Wand"
Watch Mac Ayres perform "Get to You Again"
Cover image sourced from Festicket.
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