2024: a new tour starts across the world, and you hear the comments, read the excitement, see the preparations. The first pictures of the venue, then the merch stand. Some try to live stream, others film. You first get pictures of the stage, then short clips, excerpts. You see who the live band is, how they’re positioned, their gear. You start to get an idea of the setlist. Half a song live streamed, later a full song uploaded. The setlist is published live as the concert happens, and when it ends, you know exactly what was played. A few hours later you have not one but several videos of the show online, many partials bit even a few “full concert” videos, filmed from different people and perspectives, different sound quality and crowd noise or movements.
In 2024, “following a band” specially a “big” one, is an… astonishingly different experience than it was 10 years, 20 years or 30 years ago.
A new tour started yesterday, and I’m not sure how I feel about all this immediacy. But I am guilty of consuming it, that is certain. After all some things haven’t change, and most tours won’t include Portugal in their maps.