From BTS to Taylor Swift, concert movies are the future of fandom

Tickets for concerts are now more expensive than they have ever been. Inflation, Ticketmaster’s monopolistic practices, and increased demand after COVID-related touring delays have coincided to create a perfect storm of ticket-buying agony. Tours were never accessible to everyone: Geography, economics, health and safety concerns, and physical or mental ability make stadium and arena concerts — held only in major metropolitan areas, and only in certain countries — infeasible and/or unaffordable for large swaths of global pop music fandom. As fandom’s role as a source of identity and community becomes more precious, and more people than ever want to see certain concerts, the barriers to attending live shows are rising — so it’s no wonder that concert films are finding expansive new footing.

Take a look at the following: Taylor Swift – The Eras Tour, an almost three-hour filmed version of the pop star’s ongoing concert tour. It is the most successful concert movie of all-time. That isn’t just because of Taylor Swift’s expansive fandom — it’s a direct response to the difficulty of getting tickets to her shows. It’s a great opportunity for fans. The Eras TourThe show was up close and personal, which they would not have otherwise been able attend.

In July, Pitchfork reported that the average cost of a ticket for the North American leg of Swift’s Eras Tour was $3,801 — a 2,321% increase from her 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour, where the average resale price for North American shows was $157. Taylor Swift – The Eras Tour Tickets are only $19.89 per adult. And people buying those tickets don’t even have to wait in the Ticketmaster queue of terror.

AMC Theaters/YouTube

One of the most popular events in February is the Other than that, biggest musical artists in the world, K-pop septet BTS, released a filmed version of their “Yet to Come” concert, which had been a one-night-only performance for 50,000 lucky fans in Busan, South Korea. Even though it was streamed on the Korean platform Weverse to 49 million viewers, BTS’ concert film has made over $50 million in worldwide sales.

Seeing a concert film in a movie theater isn’t the same as attending a live concert, but it isn’t an inherently lesser experience, either. At least, it isn’t for me, The following are some examples of how to get started: I attended the Yet to Come concert both in person andIn cinemas

A concert film’s value goes beyond its recreation of an intersection of time, place and performance. It was my intention to go to the cinema to experience the live show again, but I also wanted to experience the unique fan experience that the film provided. While I don’t think I need to expound on the glories of in-person shows — concerts are awesome, and BTS is very good at them — some aspects of the filmed version gave me new insight into my own live experience.

I was able to revisit the concert without feeling any anxiety, which is often associated with stadium concerts. The logistics of getting 50,000 people into a 20-year-old stadium for the Yet to Come show weren’t simple. Most of us were in line in Busan waiting for BTS to take the stage. There was no water available, and there wasn’t much information on what the show would be about.

Trafalgar Released

Once the concert started, conditions in the 3,000-strong standing areas got intense, as fans pushed toward the stage, crowding people at the front and prompting BTS to alter plans to come down into the audience for their performance of their 2018 hit “IDOL.” This wasn’t my first chaotic, stressful in-person stadium concert experience, and I doubt it will be my last. I’m able and willing to make this trade for the chance to see my favorite musical group perform, but not everyone is, even if they could get tickets.

After watching the film version of Yet to Come I arrived at the theatre just 20 minutes prior to the show. We were all able go this time with my BTS fans friends. The film was screened in a theatre full of BTS fanatics, with BTS lights in their hands, and BT21 Tata on our heads. It gave us a similar sense of community as the live concert.

In person, I would have liked to be able to move around the large stage with its intricately designed sets, which evoke different times in BTS’s past. The concert film was a lot clearer and more focused on the details. At the film, I got a much closer view of the choreography and the BTS members’ interaction, with a close-up camera intimacy I hadn’t gotten in person. The film allowed me to share my fandom with other cinemagoers, as well as millions of fans watching the concert around the globe. There’s More to Come Amazon Prime Video, starting on November 9, will make it available to a larger number of viewers.

Fans usually assume the live experience is superior to the filmed version, but in a time when in-person community is harder to come by than ever and can sometimes mean pushing people’s financial and/or physical limits, a filmed concert can feel like a gift. BTS, Taylor Swift, and Beyoncé — whose concert film Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé hits theaters in December — all have massive fandoms. But we’re geographically scattered, and often stigmatized by a mainstream culture that belittles female-driven fan culture. BTS is my favorite boy band, and I love to go to their concerts to enjoy the show, as well as to hang out with other BTS enthusiasts who understand what I’m all about. The BTS fans exchange photo cards and freebies. They also help one another set up their lightsticks. No matter if it’s a movie at a local mall or in a Korean stadium, these are events I attend to get a sense of belonging.

Trafalgar Released

Sometimes, attending a live concert is used to establish a fan hierarchy. As if being at a live concert makes you more of a fan. It doesn’t. Fans who are able to attend the stadium and arena concerts for the biggest musical artists in the world aren’t necessarily more passionate. It’s just a matter of privilege and luck. The concert film is leveling out the playing field and lowering the barrier of cost, location, or accessibility. These films may not be for everyone but are increasingly becoming the preferred way to enjoy pop music. And that’s a good thing. The pop music community is an opportunity for all of us to connect and share in collective happiness. I’d like to see anyone interested in joining the fun.