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Envision being gifted with a night off. You feel rejuvenated, ready for adventure, and looking to shake up your regular habits of post-work slumping. Life itself is your oyster! Could you prefer a) attending a concert or b) having sex? The response, as frequently seen with these sorts of questions, is plainly: “That depends.” Mature individuals could understandably inquire: what's the gig? Who is the partner? Will it be going to be satisfying?

Few would pick a Limp Bizkit/Slipknot/Korn triple bill if the choice was a dream date with a favorite star. Yet change either end of the comparison, and it becomes more complicated. Regarding the thousands surveyed posed this query through a live event company, no such clarification was offered – and the result was revealed clearly and overwhelmingly in favour of gigs.

Survey Results Reveal Surprising Choices

An international report, questioning 40,000 people aged between 18 and 54 in 15 markets, found that concerts have become the world’s top pastime, ranking above athletic events, cinema and – yes – intimacy. When limited to only one option of enjoyment for the rest of their lives, nearly four in ten selected gigs, against film attendance (17%) and sports events (14%). They were also over two times as likely to choose attending their preferred performer on stage (70%) rather than sexual activity (30%).

You show up hopeful of being pleasantly surprised – and frequently you’ll end up with another person's locks in your mouth

Perspectives and Analysis

Naturally it’s not surprising that a PR survey conducted for a live event company would result so heavily in favour of concerts – and, with the speculative mood of a hypothetical choice, if your preferred musician is, say Paul McCartney, you can see why watching him may be chosen instead of a common or garden experience. But this binary choice between live music or sex, obviously silly as it is, is noteworthy to think about amid the peculiar point we experience with these two aspects.

The Evolution of Concert Culture

Lately, concert attendance has grown beyond a communal experience but a intense competition. Event companies duly point out that arena crowds has “tripled annually”, and live events sell out faster than ever. Simply getting admissions now demands detailed strategy, instant reactions and deep finances (or a high spending capacity). Though you manage, it isn't sufficient to merely attend and enjoy the show. Currently there is an assumption, especially for music enthusiasts, that you can boost your return on investment by attending more than once (even travelling internationally), swotting up on the performance lineup beforehand and understanding the rituals to perform and fan traditions established by previous crowds.

Numerous fans admit to shaken by their experience at major tours: what felt like a choreographed performance of thousands of people, to which certain attendees turned up not knowing the routine. Those lengthy concert series, producing huge revenue, demonstrated of the degree to which attendees will push to participate in a significant event and watch their preferred performer sing, although the real performance grows somewhat overshadowed by the production.

The Condition of Modern Intimacy

Intimacy, on the other hand – a relatively cheap and accessible pleasure – experiences dire straits. Based on recent surveys, approximately 25% of adults had sex in an typical week, while nearly 30% were sexually inactive. In another major country, modern figures revealed that over a quarter of adults reported not having intimacy even once in the last twelve months, increasing from smaller percentages in previous decades. In both territories, the shift has been linked to less sexual activity in youth demographics. Juxtapose this with the sector booming for stadium extravaganzas and the cutthroat competition for passes. Of course it isn't straightforward as a simple decision between one or the other – “do you prefer see a major tour multiple times, or remain abstinent?” – but it's possibly an indication of what is viewed as the more consistent enjoyment.

Surprising Parallels

Sex and live music are more similar than you might think. Each symbolizes the commencement of a connection, a actual experience of ideas or possibility that may have developed only in your head. You show up with some idea of what might happen, but hopeful of being pleasantly surprised – and whether it proves satisfying or frustrating relies heavily on how your vibe and hopes match theirs. Quite often you’ll end up with someone else’s hair in your mouth, and following be waiting around for a smoke and some quiet time alone. And, in both cases, stimulants and beverages can sometimes improve or detract from the experience (but definitely make the most dire experiences easier to weather).

Achieving Equilibrium

The appeal to both gigs and sex hinges on discovering that perfect combination between comfort and excitement, similarity and difference, challenge and comfort. Of course it's uncommon – but it's the remembrance of successful moments, the awareness that success is achievable, that motivates us to try again: to {