Column: Try going to more live shows

One of my goals when I arrived at UNC two years ago was to attend as many concerts as possible as an undergraduate. Of course, like so many of my wide-eyed first-year hopes, I’ve fallen short of my goal to become immersed in Chapel Hill’s music scene.

Blame it on the lack of endless funds to spend on tickets or the almost non-existence of free evenings during the week — either way, I regret letting two years of good shows get away from me.

In my two years of residence in Chapel Hill, I’ve let my concert fanatic high-school self down. I could probably count on two hands the number of shows I’ve been to. It would take several sets of hands to count off the local shows I regret not going to: Daughter in April, Death Cab for Cutie last September, Iron & Wine just a few weeks ago — the list goes on.

For most shows I’ve missed, I can remember my excuses for not going. Most of them concerned losing a few precious hours that could be spent doing homework and assigned reading.

But few feelings are as great as when a lead singer of one of your favorite bands saunters onto the stage; it’s almost nirvana to hear your favorite song performed live. I don’t always love being in big crowds, but there’s comfort in standing next to a stranger and hearing them sing along, too.

One rogue Tuesday evening in the fall of my first year, I went to a show at Cat’s Cradle on a whim. I convinced a friend to go, who didn’t know the band at all, and the crowd was small. That night turned out to be one of my favorite memories of that semester. I want to find that enthusiasm for concerts again.

More often than not, it’s better to forget to take caution and to just follow the pulsing music.

As a junior, my time is no more free than it was when I started college, but that shouldn’t mean I can’t enjoy more of the shows Chapel Hill and the surrounding cities have to offer.

After all, Hopscotch music festival is only two weekends away. With local star band Sylvan Esso, and a few other personal favorites (Wolf Parade! Beach House! Andrew Bird!), it’s hard to think about passing up such a great, and unique to the Triangle, experience.

Of course, affordability of shows and time constraints can be daunting and won’t change for me while I’m an undergraduate. Even with this mid-college career resolution, I can’t say I’ll be going to a show every week. Nonetheless, I’m determined to at least experience Hopscotch and a show at Haw River Ballroom.

I want to spend these last two years taking advantage of shows both at big venues like Red Hat Amphitheater in Raleigh and smaller venues like Local 506 here on Franklin Street.

To me, concerts have always been learning experiences — getting lost in a show’s pit is not so different from being swallowed in the crowd of people that occupies the heart of our campus.