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Imagine having a free evening. You are energized, open to experience, and hoping to change your typical schedule of post-work slumping. Life itself is your oyster! Would you opt for a) going to a gig or b) having sex? The response, as is often seen with such kinds of hypotheticals, is clearly: “It depends.” Reasonable people may reasonably inquire: what's the show? Who is the other person? Could it be expected to be satisfying?

Few would select a Limp Bizkit/Slipknot/Korn triple bill if the other option was one enchanted evening with Jonathan Bailey. Yet change one side of the comparison, and it turns more complicated. Regarding the participants posed this query from a gig organization, no additional details was provided – and the result was revealed unambiguously and overwhelmingly preferring gigs.

Research Findings Indicate Surprising Preferences

An international study, interviewing thousands of participants from 18 and 54 across different nations, found that live music have become the world’s top leisure activity, surpassing sports, cinema and – absolutely – sexual intercourse. When limited to only one option of enjoyment for the rest of their lives, nearly four in ten chose gigs, compared to film attendance (17%) and athletic competitions (14%). They were also more than twice as inclined to choose attending their preferred performer on stage (70%) over sex (30%).

You arrive anticipating happily shocked – and frequently you might find with a stranger's hair in your mouth

Perspectives and Analysis

Naturally it's expected that a marketing research conducted for a concert promoter might conclude so strongly preferring live shows – and, in the freewheeling tone of a either-or question, if your favourite artist is, say a legendary singer, you can see why attending his concert could prevail over a common or garden encounter. However this two-option scenario between live music or sex, obviously silly as it is, is interesting to consider given the odd moment we’re at with both.

The Transformation of Concert Culture

In recent years, gig-going has evolved into more than a group event but a serious endeavor. Event companies appropriately highlight that large venue turnout has “grown significantly each year”, and music festivals are fully reserved faster than ever. Merely acquiring passes now needs military-level planning, quick decision-making and deep finances (or a substantial budget). Even if you’re successful, it’s not enough to merely attend and watch the performance. Currently there is an assumption, particularly with pop fans, that you could increase your experience quality by going multiple times (including overseas trips), studying the set list ahead of time and knowing your marks to hit and calls-and-responses created by past attendees.

Several concertgoers report feeling affected by their experience at popular events: what felt like a choreographed performance of thousands of people, where certain attendees came unfamiliar with the steps. That 18-month concert series, producing huge revenue, demonstrated of the degree to which attendees will push to participate in a significant event and experience their top musician sing, though the real performance seems increasingly overshadowed by the spectacle.

The Situation of Contemporary Sexuality

Sex, by contrast – a relatively cheap and common experience – faces difficult times. According to modern research, about a quarter of individuals had sex in an regular period, while about three in ten were abstaining. In another major country, modern figures revealed that a significant portion of adults said they had not sexual activity a single time in the previous year, increasing from fewer people in previous decades. Across these regions, the shift has been linked to decreased encounters among younger people. Compare this with the sector driving growth for large concerts and the fierce battle for tickets. Of course it isn't straightforward as a basic option between both alternatives – “do you prefer attend a huge concert repeatedly, or avoid intimacy?” – but it's possibly an indication of how people see the more consistent enjoyment.

Unexpected Similarities

Sex and live music are closer aligned than people often believe. They both embody the activation of a bond, a real-world test of impressions or potential that could have built solely in your imagination. You come with a basic expectation of the probable outcome, but anticipating pleasantly surprised – and whether it proves satisfying or frustrating relies heavily on whether your energy and hopes correspond with partners. Frequently you’ll end up with another person's locks in your mouth, and afterwards be waiting around for a smoke and some quiet time alone. Likewise with either, stimulants and beverages can sometimes improve or detract from the event (but absolutely assist the most unpleasant situations easier to weather).

Seeking Harmony

The wonder to live events and relationships depends on discovering that hard-to-find balance between familiarity and novelty, sameness and variation, challenge and comfort. Naturally it happens only rarely – but it's the recollection of when they did, the awareness that success is achievable, that inspires us to attempt once more: to {