Does anyone else feel flat when attending live events, and waiting for something good to happen?

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I’m just curious as I’ve been to two live events in the last month, Robbie Williams and just seen a top UK comedian.

I honestly sit there, or stand and join in with the drinks, have a laugh but then I’m kind of waiting for the main event all through the set. Then it ends and I think “oh” just flat no emotion at all.

Now either I’ve just been to two shit events or I just can’t seem to get any level of enjoyment out of live on stage events.

Thinking back I’ve been similar historically, like the build up and looking forward is fun and then the main event leaves me feeling flat and a bit short changed tbh.

Im wondering if anyone else is like this, starting to question if I maybe a bit depressed? I can get joy from walking, reading, sitting in the sun, so maybe it’s just not my thing?

I do enjoy the cinema and can get really involved and feel something. Just curious if anyone has the same?

It's been a long time since I really 'lost myself' at a gig or the theatre. I'm now much more aware of my surroundings, people near me, whether I need to go to the loo or not, what time it will finish etc. I think it's to do with getting older and needing to be comfortable.

I don’t feel like this if the gig is good, I’d rather poke my own eyes out than see Robbie Williams though so maybe that’s the issue!

Depends on the gig! I saw Pulp a couple of weeks ago and honestly didn't want the evening to ever end!
Robbie Willims on the other hand would bore my pants off!

I rarely get that engrossed in anything these days, I can't be doing with things where there are loads of people who are hell bent on having an interactive experience when it isn't one.

I'm probably being an old grump though.

Opposite here. Love a live event and always get immersed.

Opposite here as well
Take the teens who are becoming excellent hecklers and we are lucky if they don’t end up on stage!
We are definitely a glass half full family and love a lot of different live entertainment
Better than staying in again.

I love live events but I think it’s a numbers game, you have to accept a fair few won’t be that good. I go to the theatre or to see comedians or live music a few times a month and still end up leaving at the interval from time to time. When it’s good it’s really really good though. I’m often amazed how talented some people are. Some performance stay with you for ages.

Which comedian did you see? Comedians can be really hit or miss.

Sometimes, depends on the event. Not a huge Nick Cave fan but saw him last year and loved every second - he was incredible.

For me it's the venue - stadiums and arenas are to big, too cold. I need a big pack of people in a smaller venue.

I love live events. Sometimes if the person/people I’m with aren’t feeling it, that takes the edge off for me. I feel responsible for their enjoyment.

I think we've got used to seeing stuff through the mediation of the Internet. And tv before that. The only cure is to see more live music and plays . Do you find yourself getting nervous on behalf of the performers?

Do you think you build it up too much in advance? If you don’t do live events often, book ages in advance, get excited that this will be the most amazing experience because you love that artist’s music so live will be so much better than listening to a recording or you love that comedian on the tv so live will be so much more funny etc, then you are setting an unreal expectation for the difference between live and recorded, so there’s no way live can be good enough.

like @notprincehamlet- not being a Nick Cave fan so went into the show with low expectations and was blown away by the performance, do you think OP you could try more gigs and perhaps not performers you are a massive fan of/have a high expectation level for. Perhaps theatre/musical etc where you don’t know the storyline /all the songs. If you have a comedy venue near you, go see smaller shows where you’ve not seen the comedians work before. See if that helps.

I really enjoy live events, but not those massive stadium type affairs. It’s impossible to feel really involved and swept along when you aren’t up close to what is happening. You only really get to see what’s happening on a screen so you might as well be at home watching it on the tv. I’ve never been to one where I feel the atmosphere was any good. But I still go to small gigs and really enjoy those evenings.

So it might just be the type of event you are going, rather than live events per se.

I felt the same way when I saw Michael mcyntyre 11yrs ago. But we'd seen Dara O'briain the week before so MM was never going to compare.

I do get fully engrossed at the theatre too.

BUT

I always hope something will come up so I don't have to go out, I'm generally permanently exhausted and in bed by 9pm, so the idea of the late train back from the West End is overwhelming!