Alyssa Elmore, Campus Carrier photo editor
Live music has a way of showing just how powerful musicians and their art can be. This past year, I went to seven concerts that filled my year with excitement and strengthened my love for music. Some stood out more than others, so here is a brief ranking of my 2024 concerts.
My lower tier of concerts starts with Cigarettes After Sex at the State Farm Arena. I’m not a very loyal fan of this band, so I was so going more for the experience (and the $20 tickets). Don’t get me wrong, hearing some of my favorite Cigarettes After Sex songs live was incredible and serene. My problem was that this band was not giving anything on stage. I know this band isn’t known for its energetic music, but I’m not going to lie, I was a little bored after hearing my few top songs.
My next three concerts are ones that I loved, but didn’t connect to as much as the others. I went to Two Door Cinema Club at the Coca-Cola Roxy venue. To be honest, I went for their opener, Flipturn. Flipturn was amazing, but after their 30 minutes was up, I only knew a handful of songs from the main act.
In a similar vein, the Death Cab for Cutie/Postal Service concert at the Ameris Bank Amphitheatre was amazing, but I mainly went for the opener, Slow Pulp. This time I knew a lot more songs from the main acts, so I still had a fun time. Also at Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, I saw Maggie Rogers. I loved this concert; her voice was incredible, and I knew and loved most of the songs. She is not top-tier only because I hadn’t known her for that long before the concert, so it didn’t mean quite as much to me as my next few.
And finally, my top three concerts of 2024. Adrianne Lenker at the Eastern was a dream. I cried during multiple songs. She takes the cake for songwriting; watching her and her crew perform these songs that clearly meant a lot to them was so powerful. I saw Cage the Elephant at the Ameris Bank Amphitheatre. I’ve loved this band for a long time, so seeing them live for the first time was an incredible experience. Yes, I was at the show where Matt Shultz broke his foot in the first 30 minutes and still finished the concert. Along with the great openers Girl Tones, Young the Giant and Bakar, this five-hour experience was packed full of phenomenal live music. Last but certainly not least, I saw Wallows at Cadence Bank Amphitheatre. This was the second time I had seen this band, my last time being in 2022. I knew every song, every word, every chord. Their energy, the relationship they had with the crowd, and the surprises they had in store for us are what made this concert so memorable, earning its place at number one.
I can’t wait to see what my 2025 will bring for live music. Music is the best way to connect, feel and enjoy life—and nothing beats experiencing it live. Here’s to another year of unforgettable shows!