Magazines are shutting down, newspapers are getting rid of their culture sections, and concert reviews aren’t found at the forefront of culture like they used to. In a lot of ways, it feels like concert reviews are dying, but I’m here to tell you that it’s more evolving than actually disappearing, much like the music itself.
And before you say anything about the big ones out there like Billboard, Rolling Stone, and the like, I’m talking more about personal concert reviews from people, most likely, just like you. You can definitely still find spots in magazines and newspapers that still put out the old school reviews, it’s just not where I see it headed.
Concert reviews in 2018
1. Social Media
In the 21st century this is the biggest home to concert reviews. How many people reading this right now don’t have some form of social media? Exactly. And of those, how many have seen pictures from a show that they either wished they were at or just “liked” the picture anyway? That’s right.
If you do a quick search for your favorite band (living or dead) on social media right now, you’ll most likely find a ton of your friends’ or stranger’s reviews of the band. Compared to everywhere else, this is the number one spot for new concert reviews.
Let’s break down exactly what you’ll find in a few of the big ones.
The world is your oyster on this platform. Photos, videos, text, events, and more, for any and every show you go to or ever wanted to go to. There’s so much room on this platform to experiment with and show people everything that you’ve seen at the show. Even if you just want to read up on or see pics from shows, you’ll find it here. No matter the size of the show, the venue, the band, you’ll find it here.
Up to 2,200 characters with video and photos? It’s a platform built for beauty and, if you’re doing it right, that’s what you leave a show with. This is the strongest platform if you’re looking for visually stimulating concert reviews. And although you’ve got a bunch of characters to play with, it’s not a platform built for long-form writing.
In under 280 characters and a picture, video, and more, you’ve got some freedom here, as well as the option of using a few nice #hashtags to grab a more views for your concert reviews. Also, if you’re going for reads, you can find anything here you want to read about, normally with links to the longer form pieces out on the internet.
Snapchat
Pictures, videos, stories, snaps, stickers, all of it can be a review if you want it to be. While this platform will most likely be the least text inclusive review, just allowing people to see that you were at the show, or a quick cut from the show, is a review these days. It’s also extremely simple to add fun drawing and simple text to your content.
Live
In most of the platforms above, you can release live video from the show itself. Now we’re cooking with fire. What could possibly be better than a review than showing people video live from the event itself. In many cases, it’s even saved for people to look at it later.
2. Blogs
That’s right, folks, blogs aren’t dead. With platforms like Medium and WordPress popping up and giving people a place for their words, you’ll find a lot of options here for your concert reviews. And if you’re looking for a spot to do it all, this is where it’s at. Photos, videos, and long-form writing that you can drop every nitty gritty detail in to about the show. It’s not for everyone, but if storytelling is your go-to, this is your… go-to.
3. Texts
So, you think that texts to your friends about the show you just saw wasn’t a review? Think again, my friend. In the world we live in, the attention span has gone down quite a bit. You might only have a text or a picture to get your point across. Sending a text to your friends might be the easiest, and most personal, of concert reviews you can give.
Where do I post mine?
Here’s the thing about concert reviews. With so many options, there’s not a “one review fits all.” If you love taking photos, pick one of those platforms that are photo-heavy. Love writing? Hit a blog. Want to just fire out something quick? Send a text or tweet.
Reviews are still important. Any little bit helps the music community grow and hopefully brings even more music to your area.
And if you need any help with your photos, we’ve got six pointers in stepping up your game.
Where will you post yours, or where do you already post? Tell us on Twitter.
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