Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
Are You Experienced?
Exploring Live Music
Meaningfulness
Dominic Chapman
Rochester Institute of Technology
Spring Semester 2014
Paper Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Bachelor of Science Degree in Communication
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
Table of Contents
Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3
The research questions: ............................................................................................................................ 3
Literature Review .......................................................................................................................................... 4
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 4
Live Performance ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Music Comprehension .............................................................................................................................. 6
Identification ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Subculture ................................................................................................................................................. 9
Levels of fandom ..................................................................................................................................... 10
Intense music experiences ...................................................................................................................... 12
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................... 14
Methodology............................................................................................................................................... 15
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 15
Sampling and data collection .................................................................................................................. 15
Analysis ................................................................................................................................................... 18
Results ..................................................................................................................................................... 20
Model of Concert Meaningfulness ......................................................................................................... 21
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 23
Implications ............................................................................................................................................. 23
Suggestions for further research ............................................................................................................ 24
Final thoughts ......................................................................................................................................... 24
References .................................................................................................................................................. 25
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
Abstract
This thesis examines how fans create meaningfulness from their live music experiences.
The contribution to knowledge in this work is the clarification of how individuals understand
their fandom of concert experiences through a comprehensive model. The model presents five
elements of concert meaningfulness: social interaction, spirituality, escape from everyday life,
exclusivity and identification. Academic research by Blau (2009) and Mackellar (2009) examine
one band or genre. This thesis adds a model of concert meaningfulness that is theoretical and
grounded in theory. This research provides a focused understanding of fandom and the
meaningfulness of live music experiences that aids to the understanding of music audiences for
use in communication and marketing.
Keywords: live music, fandom, audiences, music experiences
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
Introduction
The thesis provides unique insights into personal significance of concert experiences and
offers a conceptual model. This research extends existing knowledge on performance studies and
fandom by providing the voice of the fans by allowing them to express what their experiences
mean to them personally. Specifically, what do these concerts mean to them and how has it
influenced their lives? Importantly, the research goes beyond the sole focus of the concert itself
by looking at pre- and post-show activities and utilizes online fan communities to gain fan
insights globally.
The research questions:
1. How do fans interpret their live music experiences?
2. What are the most prevalent themes of live music experiences?
The thesis will first examine existing literature in music psychology and sociology, fandom,
subculture and crowd behavior. Second, an explanation of the methodology used to develop the
model is given. Third, an analysis of the data and subsequent model is presented. Fourth, the
research questions are addressed. Finally, possible implications of the thesis and future research
opportunities conclude the paper.
Music and its performance are acts of participatory and communicative ritual. A key
focus of this thesis is on fans that make up an audience. An audience is comprised of interacting
individuals to a particular musical event. Additionally music can be understood as shaping,
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defining, and otherwise interacting with culture itself (Blau, 2010). This research views music as
a culturally significant occasion that merits further study in terms of the effects it can have on the
audience. In this regard, Pelias and VanOosting’s (1987) characterization of performance lays
important groundwork regarding music as an interesting and/or important object of study. They
identify interrelated concepts of audience, performer and event.
Simon Frith (2000) surveys music and its many uses in everyday life. In his essay, he
notes that “people nowadays routinely use music to manipulate their moods and organize their
activities for themselves” (“Music” 43). Frith goes on to cite Tia DeNora, who sees music as a
“technology of self” that has the significant capacity to organize a fan’s memories, identity, and
sense of autonomy (DeNora, 2000).
The following section relates the research with current knowledge by reviewing current
studies and literature. Using DeNora and Frith’s theories on music as the starting point, the
research explores related concepts and theories that explain the connections between
performance and audience.
Literature Review
Introduction
Music as performance has been researched thoroughly in terms of the audience,
performer and event (Hutton, 2013). Several studies (Blau, Mackeller, Lobert, Novelli,)
contribute to the understanding of fandom, live performance, music and identity, subculture and
crowd behavior. These components are essential to understanding how and why individuals
become music fans and are motivated to attend concerts. There is lack of research regarding live
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
concert meaningfulness from fans of different bands. There are also few academic studies
focused on understanding what makes concert experiences meaningful to fans which partially
inspired the researcher to select this topic. Therefore, this study examines, first, the research and
second, adds to existing research by examining concert meaningfulness of fans from multiple
bands.
This literature review is organized in a fashion that provides general overview of (1) live
performance, (2) music comprehension, (3) identification and (4) fan subculture. Starting with
this wide view of fan experience, the literature ultimately narrows in on specific research
regarding fanatics of popular bands—namely, The Grateful Dead, Phish, and Bruce Springsteen.
Devoted fans’ experiences during live shows are the primary interest of the present study. By
first understanding the congruence between an audience and live music, the literature is
organized to provide context for examining specific fan behavior as it relates to the current
research problem. The research examined in this section aids in understanding music fandom and
the creation of a live music meaningfulness model.
Live Performance
Live performance engages a mass gathering or audience through an event (Hutton, 2013).
These planned events are social and “inherent to society” and are a unique cultural experience.
Culture, in a mass-gathering context, can be more specifically defined as the shared values,
beliefs and experiences of a defined audience group (Hutton, 2013). The key determinant will be
that identifiable factors are shared by a group of audience members, not just an individual. For a
fan, a concert is more than just a regular event; it represents a meaningful meeting of various
ideas and people (Lobert, 2012). This cultural gathering provides the environment which creates
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fan subculture. As a whole, fandom represents for fans a refuge or escape from the commotion of
everyday life, a reality that exists above the ordinary and provides a steady and continual source
of values, identity and belonging to those who partake (Cavicchi 1998, p. 188). All events might
have cultural perspective or significance. The psychosocial aspects of crowd behavior at cultural
events, such as live music events or sporting events, may be different from other planned events,
as these events may involve a memorable transformative experience for those in attendance
(Hutton, 2013). According to Getz (2005), experience and meaningfulness is, to some extent,
dependent on the expectations, values and meanings that an individual audience member brings
to the event. During live performance, when involvement is strong, events retain a function of
reinforcing cohesion of fan subculture and community. An individual's sense of well being is
enhanced through attendance at the cultural event that provides a sense of belonging (Getz,
2005).
Music Comprehension
This research takes a conextualist approach to the comprehension of music. In this view,
the focus is on listeners (Roy and Dowd). In the textualist approach, listeners are overlooked and
music is seen as an object rather than an activity. Musicologist Christopher Small (1998, p. 2),
who coined the term “musicking,” makes the point, “Music is not a thing at all but an activity,
something that people do,” (p. 2).
Juslin and Vastfjall (2012) found that music works by evoking emotion through
mechanisms that can be triggered simultaneously. Mechanisms are developed through facial
expressions, vocalizations, and body movements (Juslin and Vastfjall, 2012). One of most
interesting examples of music evoking emotion is how a listener can get the “chills”. This
experience is caused by an intense moment or build in music induced by a since of awe known as
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
the “expectancy mechanism”. The “expectancy mechanism” processes music as communication
or information which in turn warrants an emotional response (Juslin and Vastfjall, 2012). Juslin
and Vastfjall (2012) add that the most common emotion evoked through musical performance is
a “happy-elated” feeling.
There appears to be the close relationship between social and musical enjoyment that is at
the heart of concert attendance. Pitts (2005) presents two main components in the social
experience of going to live performances: (1) the visual impact of performers and other listeners,
and, (2) the collective experience of being part of an audience (Pitts, 2005). These aspects might
seem to be outside of the music itself, but factors such as proximity to the stage and feeling “at
home” in the venue are important social factors that are dynamic to concert experience. A
concert venue can be seen as a conduit that allows regular attendees to recognize their peers and
friends. This recognition of like-minded individuals appears to foster a sense of belonging that
gives fans the feelings that they are “part of and involved with the music,” (Pitts, 2005). Thus, it
can be inferred that there is a correlation between the enjoyment of live music and social
enjoyment through a sense of belonging and involvement.
Plantz and Kopiez (2012) found that it is important to think of concerts in a way that not
only focuses on the fans and music, but also, the visuals element included with performance.
Being able to visually perceive concerts enhances the appreciation of the experience (Platz and
Kopiez, 2012). The phrase, “seeing is believing,” rings true in the relationship between fans and
live performance. In music culture, the visual aspect is an important factor in the communication
of meaning by conveying a sense of authenticity (Plantz and Kopiez, 2012). Visuals include
seeing the musicians playing their instruments, the lighting effects from the stage and
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recognizing other fans. This imagery invokes social responses from the audience through verbal
and non-verbal language (Plantz and Kopiez, 2012).
Identification
It was found that there is a positive association between crowd identification, measures of
crowdedness and positive emotion (Novelli, 2013). Novelli (2013) found that enjoyment of
concert experiences was reinforced when a fan identified with a large crowd. The findings of
crowdedness mediating the effects of social identity are in line with the self-categorization
theory. Intergroup and social categorizations are important aspects of the psychology of group
membership. Intergroup identity is meaningful to the subject and often comes in the form of face
to face interactions (Stets & Burke, 2000). In relation to this study, the aforementioned group
membership is in the form of a fan of a musical group. In social psychological terms, “group” is
defined as an objective relationship between a number of people (Stets and Burke, 2000).
Therefore, social categorization is partly defined as “a process of bringing together social objects
or events in groups which are equivalent to with regard to an individual’s actions, intentions,
attitudes and systems of beliefs,” (Stets & Burke, 2000). It is used by a person to simplify and
order their environment. Linked to this concept is social identity.
Social identity rests on intergroup social comparisons that seek to confirm or establish
distinctiveness from other groups, motivated by the need for self-esteem (Hogg & Terry, 2000).
As explained by Tajfel and Turner (1985), social identity theory states that people often classify
themselves and others into multiple social categories, such as religious affiliation, age, gender
and organizational membership. This classification serves as a systematic way of organizing and
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
defining social environments. It is important to add that these assignments can be similar to
stereotypes and are not always reliable (Hamilton, 1981).
Fan Subculture
Individuals who identify themselves as part of an organized group, fan base or crowd
value their association with that group. In varying degrees, people derive parts of their personal
identity and sense of self from the organizations or workgroups to which they belong. For many
people their professional and/or organizational identity may be more universal and important
than ascribed identities based on gender, age, ethnicity, race, or nationality (Hogg and Terry,
2000).
Looking further into what it means to be part of a fan subculture, music fandom must be
examined as a phenomenon. The meaning of fandom is made of several factors that occur at and
during the concert experience. Bruce Springsteen fans can be made to support the phenomenon
of fan experience of a live concert (Cavicchi 1998, pp. 86–107). Cavicchi (1998) explains:
“For fans [. . .] a concert represents a powerful meeting of the various forces and
people and ideas involved in their participation in musical life. The excitement of
participation, the feeling of connection with Springsteen, the interaction of fans and other
audience members, the rituals, the energy, the empowerment, the communal feeling, the
evaluation and discussion: together they enact the meaning of fandom. They shape and
anchor fans’ sense of who they are and where they belong,” (p. 37).
Although Cavicchi’s focus is on Springsteen fans, the relation of the concert experience
meaningfulness can be made for fans of any artist. Also important in regards to the study of live
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music experiences and meaningfulness, Cavicchi separates the significance of such experiences
between fans and general audience members. He explains,
Fans see the role of audience members as very special and serious; they see the
process of becoming a member of the audience as an elaborate ritual with many
‘requirements’. Buying concert tickets or CDs involves lengthy road trips, camping on
sidewalks, standing in long lines, and much strategy. [. . .] Appropriately, during
concerts, fans are eager to engage in performance-specific, ‘in-frame’ behavior, like
swaying to the music, singing, and dancing.
As we shall see, they regard those who get up to get food or talk as a nuisance and not
deserving of the audience role. And while ordinary audience members easily drop the
role of audience once the performance ends, fans tend to remain ‘in-frame’, making their
role of audience a part of their daily identity. They relive specific moments of concerts by
collecting and listening to concert tapes; they collect Springsteen memorabilia –
including buttons, posters, and newspaper clippings – to amplify and sustain the
excitement of a CD release or concert tour,” (Cavicchi, 1998, p. 91).
Levels of fandom
Mackellar (2009) utilized participant observation to observe fans who attended the 2007
Elvis Revival Festival in Australia. The levels of fandom differ in the way each individual
personally assigns meaning of, in this case, Elvis. Mackellar (2009) employed behavioral
segmentation to organize the different levels of Elvis fan behavior into four groups. The
literature on Elvis fans (Doss, 1999; Hinerman, 1992; Rodman, 1996) suggests that fans range
from having a passing interest to being passionate and devoted, and often fanatical.
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
“Social” fans are described as the lowest level of fandom. They are comprised of mainly
locals who have a passing interest, looking for a bit of fun and have limited knowledge about
Elvis. An example of a social fan is someone that enjoys Elvis music and would take a short visit
to the Elvis Revival Festival for something to do because they live close to the venue.
“Dabblers’”, the next level, interests in Elvis are only a small part of their lives and
they’re also looking for a bit of fun with limited participation. They have more knowledge of
Elvis than “social” fans and are more likely to attend Elvis events. A dabbler has slightly more
knowledge and interest in Elvis than a social fan but they’re more motivated to attend an event if
it is convenient in terms of time and location.
“Fans” are the third level of fandom. These types of fans are looking for an Elvis
experience and have a long-time dedication, group identify as Elvis family, have extensive
knowledge and strong opinions. They are likely to attend as many Elvis events as possible per
year. Fans schedule and look forward to the events with other fans.
“Fanatics” are the highest level of fandom. They show an intensity and passion for Elvis.
Their interest in Elvis is a central part of their life and identity. They group identify as Elvis
family by having a long time dedication and would pay for an ultimate experience (Mackellar,
2009). Fanatics are dedicated to Elvis and spend a large amount of their time and energy
interacting (listening, watching, talking, etc.) with Elvis music and other fans.
The use of the term fanatic is not well defined. Are fans really fanatical in the most literal
sense? Classical studies on fanaticism (Haynal, Molnar and de Puymege,1987; Rudin, 1969;
Taylor, 1991), suggest the term is subjective, and yet has two defining qualities: intensity and
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'value-attitude'. Intensity is shown in the passion and goal-driven behavior and 'the degree of
energy with which one lives, feels, thinks, works, and in general confronts the objective world'
(Rudin, 1969: 19). 'Value-attitude' describes the changed values of the fanatic that allow them
to make their pursuit central in their lives and reduce the value of other human needs, such as
food, money, housing, family and friends (Mackellar, 2009). Haynal et al. (1987) suggest this is
due to the reassurance given by the fanatical 'system' in which the fanatic invests so much faith.
Further, they argue that this reassurance 'implies a conversion that changes his value system and
gives him permission to unleash his instincts' (Haynal et al., 1987: 37).
The relationship between a group and music flows two ways: Music is identified by
people inside (and outside) the group as belonging to it, and membership in the group is marked
partly by embracing this music (Roy and Dowd, 2010). Music thus gets into individuals via a
deliberate meaning-making process. Performance, from this stand point, is a powerful form of
communication.
Intense music experiences
The act of listening, much more than for previous generations, has become a self-regulated,
expressive activity, used to deepen or escape personal moods, and to enhance knowledge of and
involvement in diverse aspects of contemporary music culture. Music is also something by which
to find one amid others, which is of particular interest to sociologists.
Music can affect a person long after they leave a music venue. It was found that those
who have had intense musical experiences (IME) have had their lives affected by making it more
fulfilling, spiritual and harmonious (Schafer, 2010). Schafer (2010) employed the grounded
method study of intense music experiences. He defined an intense music experience (IME) by
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
breaking it into four parts. First, IMEs are characterized by altered states of consciousness,
which leads to the experience of harmony and self-realization. Next, IMEs leave people with a
strong motivation to attain the same harmony in their daily lives; thirdly, people develop
manifold resources during an IME; Finally, IMEs cause long-term changes to occur in people’s
personal values, their perception of the meaning of life, social relationships, engagement,
activities, and personal development (Schafer, 2010).
Maslow believed that intense musical experiences or peak experiences deserved a place
within his hierarchy of needs. At the base were physiological needs, which were followed in
ascending order by safety, social needs, desire for self-esteem and self-respect, and selfactualization at the top. It wasn’t until later when he added the desire for self-transcendence
(Maslow, 1964).
People in a state of self-actualization frequently report having deep emotional
experiences, moments of great astonishment and truth, satisfied longings and a dissociation from
time and space (Maslow, 1962, 1971). These experiences are often described as spiritual or
religious. Because of the high similarity of peak experiences and the cognitions and sensations of
a self-actualized individual, Maslow suggested a relationship between peak experiences and selfactualization (Maslow, 1954). He believed that those who engaged in a peak experience are in a
state of self-actualization, meaning that they are healthy and self-fulfilled (Schafer, 2013).
Numerous studies (e.g., Epstein and Sardiello 1990; Ritzer 2000; Whitman 2005) have
documented the distinctive subculture among the Grateful Dead followers (‘‘Deadheads’’) and
more recently among members of the related jam band subculture. These studies qualitatively
show that well-integrated members value kindness, generosity, tolerance, and acceptance.
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The Grateful Dead and Phish are popular examples of interconnection between band and
audience that can foster intense musical experiences. From a fan’s perspective, their
performances become much more than just the music. Pearson (1987) collected data during a 16
month period in which he immersed himself in “Deadhad” culture as a participant observer.
Through interaction between the band, the audience and the deadheads themselves, Pearson
conducted an ethnomethodology to understand how the grateful dead community constructs and
maintains their personal realities.
A prevailing theme in performance studies is the idea that the “doing” of performance
accomplishes more than just the immediate features of the performance itself. Music and
performance, on their own, are not as important to how that music performance is understood by
the fans.
Blau’s (2010) research revolves around the band Phish through direct observation and
critical cultural analysis. Through a performer centered approach, Blau explores live music
performance effects through five interrelated performative commitments. It is argued that the
doing of performance accomplishes more than “just” the immediate featured of performance
itself (Blau, 2010).
Through the examination of the Phish phenomenon, Blau provides insight on the
intersection of performance, communication, music, and critical cultural studies. The thesis aims
to do the same through researching meaningfulness of live concert experiences from a fan
perspective.
Conclusion
This literature review has explored themes that help explain the psychology and
sociology of fans and live music. Based on the work presented here, it appears that there are
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several elements of fandom and live performance that interrelate to craft an experience. This is
backed up Lindberg (1995) who viewed music as an expressive form that does various things for
an audience. A lack of a comprehensive model that assembles is presented in this thesis. The
model presented by the researcher may represent an original contribution to the studies of both
fandom and live music.
Methodology
Introduction
This section explains the research focus, methods, strategy and techniques. The primary
aim of the research was to develop a comprehensive model for performance studies that explains
what causes fans to appreciate their experiences at music concerts. The second aim was to
highlight how fandom and fan experience can be a positive. The model created in this research
may provide a guide to understanding fan experience related to live concerts that would benefit
communicators and market researchers in understanding these types of consumers.
The research explores meaningfulness of live music experiences by examining fan
behavior and motivation. The thesis is primarily qualitative in nature via grounded theory but
also quantitative in the process used to select a sample. By combining two different methods
through triangulation, the researcher hoped to overcome weakness and intrinsic bias that comes
from a single method. This section will inform readers how subjects were selected and also how
data was collected and analyzed.
Sampling and data collection
Instead of taking a broad approach to researching performance, the researcher chose to
examine a specific audience of dedicated music fans. The decision to focus only on these types
of fans was because the researcher was interested in learning about why people continually
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follow a music group in a dedicated fashion. To identify music fans, the researcher aimed at
finding individuals who classify themselves as fans of bands that frequently play live concerts
with well-known fan culture. Potential subjects were contacted through online music forums.
Forums provide fans with a digital community to gather and communicate with other fans
through message boards. The survey was administered to four forums of two genres of music:
jam bands and popular rock and roll bands. Participants were asked to answer a survey which
contains both likert scale and open-ended survey questions. After being asked to identify their
favorite band to see live, likert scale questions were used to quantify respondents’ experience
with live concerts by asking how many shows they’ve attended and how long they’ve been a fan.
This information, along with open-ended responses was used to separate fans and fanatics from
social and dabbler fans. Open-ended questions allowed participants to reflect and explain, in
their own words, what their live concert experiences meant to them, thus, providing qualitative
data that represents the voice of the fans. Two of the bands selected are categorized as being of
the “jam band” music genre; the other two bands are defined by the researcher as popular rock
and roll bands.
The jam band subculture is a contemporary version of the subculture of the band the
Grateful Dead (Budnick 2003). Similar to the Grateful Dead subculture, jam band subculture
members follow bands across the country on tour and share a temporary community outside the
venues at which bands perform (Budnick 2003). Generally, four characteristics tie the jam band
and Grateful Dead scenes together. In both scenes, fans follow bands on tour and share a
temporary community in venue parking lots. The bands perform live improvisational jamming
techniques, and the bands enforce taper-friendly policies (Hunt, 2010). Rock and roll is a broad
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
genre that includes many subgenres. The researcher looked for rock and roll bands that differed
in musical style and perception from the jam band genre.
The four bands chosen were selected based on the following criteria: (1) the band has
toured for at least ten years and (2) the band can be defined by their live performances rather
than radio and album success and (3) a fan subculture exists on and offline. Phish, Dave
Matthews Band, U2 and The Rolling Stones were the bands that the researcher chose to examine.
Phish and Dave Matthews Band were selected to represent the jam band genre while U2 and The
Rolling Stones were selected for the rock and roll genre.
This thesis analyzed responses from two different genres to create a more comprehensive
model that provides insight from more than one band or genre. In contrast to jam bands, the rock
and roll genre is, at least for the two bands used in the research, more mainstream in terms of
worldwide popularity and ticket sales. Jam band fans, as mentioned above, behave differently
and represent a different type of subculture that originated from the Grateful Dead (Hunt, 2010).
The Rolling Stone magazine ranked The Rolling Stones, an English rock band, third on their list
of best live bands. U2, and Irish rock band, was ranked 11th. Phish and Dave Matthews band,
were selected because of the researcher’s knowledge of the fan base’s tour culture and unique
musical styles.
Through a grounded theory method, open ended survey responses from the different
bands’ fans were analyzed to better understand how they make meaningfulness of concert
experiences. Participants were asked to answer open ended questions about their relationship,
perception and feelings on their personal fandom and experiences during live concerts.
Qualitative researchers have recommended sample sizes ranging from as few as six to as many
as thirty for grounded theory studies (Cresswell, 1998). Thirty-four responses were selected from
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the total survey sample for selective and theoretical coding. Ten participant responses were
selected for each jam band and seven were used for each rock and roll band. Fourteen was the
total number of credible responses from U2 and Rolling Stones fans due to a lesser response rate
than the jam band fans. A further elaboration of survey numbers is provided below.
The goal of the grounded theory approach is to generate theories, hypothesis or models
that emerge from data (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). The classic grounded theory methodology has
its basis in the original work of Glaser and Strauss (1965, 1967). Using substantive or open
coding, the researcher works with the data directly, fracturing and analyzing, initially through
open coding, for the emergence of core categories and related concepts. Afterward, through
theoretical sampling and selective coding, data is further examined and compared to itself to
reach a final point called theoretical saturation. This final step reveals the final core concepts or
elements from the data set (Glaser and Strauss, 1967).
Analysis
A total of 88 responses were collected from the online survey. Seven responses were
excluded from open coding because the participants identified as fans of bands (Led Zeppelin,
The Decembrists and UFO) outside of the four selected for the research. 46 of the 81 remaining
responses or 56.8 percent were Dave Matthews Band fans, 22 of 81 or 27.2 percent were Phish
fans, 11 of 81 or 13.6 percent were Rolling Stones fans and 7 of 81 or 8.6 percent were U2 fans.
Possible reasons for jam band fans responding at a greater rate could be that they are more active
on online forums than the rock and roll fans selected.
In the first stage of coding, all responses were examined as data. The researcher used
open coding to quickly examine 81 responses to inductively generate broad ideas from the data.
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To organize thoughts and ideas throughout the coding process, memo-writing was utilized.
Memo-writing was simply writing down all events, cases, categories, or relationships between
survey responses. Memos are used to stimulate and record the researcher’s thinking as well as
aid in reviewing responses to make comparisons between data. This process was also useful for
separating incomplete or brief survey responses from those that were answered appropriately.
Reoccurring themes immediately began to emerge.
During the next phase of coding, the researcher narrowed the responses for examination
to 34 of the 81 responses. The most appropriate responses were selected based on the following
criteria: (1) responses were for one of the four bands chosen for the research, (2) all survey
questions were fully completed without skipping any questions, (3) questions were answered
thoroughly with thought out responses with specific examples (4) those who identified their level
of involvement compared to others as either “more involved” (59.26 percent of respondents) or
“much more involved” (32.10 percent of respondents).
The process continued by re-evaluating responses via selective coding and constant
comparative method. This step was used to refine and combine terms and words into core themes
that are central to the entire data set. This required decisions about which initial codes are most
prevalent and important, and which contribute most to the analysis. This stage began capturing
the ways in which fans explained what their experiences meant to them. It was essential to
analyze and determine which initial codes could be united in order to fully narrow the data into
core themes. The researcher did this through memo writing common words and phrases and
grouping them together. A theoretical sample is informed by coding, comparison and memowriting (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). This creates the final categories to be used by the researcher
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for the model. The goal is to reach theoretical saturation, better exemplified as when nothing new
emerges from the data and the construction of knowledge.
Results
In developing a comprehensive model, the exploratory nature of the qualitative method
enabled the researcher to examine the many aspects of concert experiences that have presented
themselves in the surveys. The qualitative approach to gathering data such as open-ended survey
questions has provided the freedom to explore emerging concepts in detail and have helped to
understand the underlying themes.
The researcher defines meaningfulness of concert experiences through a model that
breaks concert meaningfulness into five elements. Through the coding process and theoretical
saturation, the researcher determined that five elements supported what made a music fan’s
concert experiences meaningful to them. Firstly, the theory is dependent on the condition that a
fan is at a concert of their favorite musician that they consider themselves an “involved fan”. The
five elements are: (1) Human interaction, (2) spirituality, (3) identification, (4) escape from
everyday life and (5) exclusivity.
The first element of concert experience meaningfulness is connected with Lobert’s
(2012) claim that concerts are more than just regular events for fans, rather, these experiences
represent meaningful interaction with people. Social interaction with fan community includes
responses that explained interaction with friends, family or other fans. Interaction with fan
community is a core theme of the research. This includes social interaction before, during and
after concerts. Interaction mainly included fans meeting new friends or talking spending time
with friends they see concerts with. It was the most prevalent code, appearing in 82.35 percent,
or 28 of the 34 selected responses. A specific example of social interaction was one fan’s
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
description of meeting “five minute friends- people you wait in line or walk into the show with.
You connect for a few minutes and then they’re gone.”
Model of Concert Meaningfulness
The second element of concert experience meaningfulness is spirituality. It is connected
to Schafer’s (2010) intense musical experiences (IME) that their fans’ lives were affected by
making it more fulfilling, spiritual and harmonious. Sixteen respondents, 47.1 percent, described
their concert experiences as “spiritual” or religious. The core theme of spirituality was related to
the musical influence, feelings of happiness, energy and inspiration. Many respondents explained
that their experiences were indescribable.
The third element, identification, asserts that fans feel a sense of belonging and
familiarity when they recognize that they are in a personally defined setting. The study by Stets
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
and Burke (2000) supports that intergroup identity is meaningful to the subject and brings people
together in groups that are equivalent to an individual’s actions, intentions, attitudes and systems
of beliefs. Fifteen respondents, 44.1 percent, described feelings of identification with community
and a “sense of belonging.” Identification represents greater awareness and belonging of being
around like minded fans instead of specific interaction with a person or group as seen in the first
element. Pitts (2005) adds that the enjoyment of music is enhanced by a sense of belonging that
occurs when attendees recognize their peers and friends in the venue.
The fourth element is escape from everyday life. Cavicchi (1998) explains that fandom
represents a refuge or escape from the commotion of everyday life, a reality that exists above the
ordinary and provides a steady and continual source of values, identity and belonging to those
who partake. Fans often used the phrase “get away from everyday life.” Fifteen respondents,
44.1 percent, related their experiences as a means to escape everyday life. Common codes
included stories about camping out, road tripping and exploring new cities.
The fifth element is mutual exclusivity or the value of performance as unique moments
that can’t be repeated. Unlike tangible items, experiences cannot be held leaving consumers to
live in the moment. Many respondents described detailed accounts or unforgettable memories
which were most often related to hearing rare songs. A common phrase in the data was, “it’s a
different experience every time.” Exclusive moments were primarily associated with hearing rare
songs and unique conditions such as great seating, weather or special venues made-up of specific
and unforgettable memories. Exclusivity appeared in seventeen, 50 percent, of fan responses.
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
Conclusion
In this section, the research questions are discussed and then the implications this
research may have, and suggestions for further research. Again, the three research questions are:
1. How do fans interpret their live music experiences?
2. What are the most prevalent themes of live music experiences?
The aim of the research was to create a model that clarifies how concert experiences are
meaningful to fans. Participants were asked to describe specific experiences, what they mean and
why they enjoy coming to concerts. Five elements of concert meaningfulness were found by the
researcher and were used to create a comprehensive model. These elements represent the most
important features of their experiences. They look forward to these elements and reflect upon
them as seen with the survey responses.
What are the most prevalent themes of live music experiences? Through grounded
analysis and coding, the core categories summarized how fans interpret and value their concert
experiences as unique. They include: human interaction, spirituality, identification, escape from
everyday life and exclusivity. The model asserts that these five elements interrelate to create a
meaningful concert experience.
Implications
Through this thesis, a new contribution to the field of performance studies has been made
in the examination of fans and concert meaningfulness. The model presented in this thesis builds
upon previous research by ethnographers and participant observers such as Blau (2010) and Pitts
(2005). The model developed in this study is specific to more dedicated fans of Phish, Dave
Matthews Band, U2 and The Rolling Stones. This may help future researchers understand
fandom in general or the specific fans of one band or genre.
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
Suggestions for further research
An area for future research relating to fandom is a further examination of the parking lot
scene before and after shows. This can be examined from multiple angles including what
activities fan participate in (games, drinking, playing music, walking around, etc.), what time
they arrive to the lot and what they wear.
A second area of potential research is a case study looking at fandom and consumer
goods. The collection of material objects such as t-shirts, ticket stubs, bootlegs CD’s must say
something about the person who collects them. Deep collections of band related items could be
compared to level of fandom.
A final area of future research that I find valuable and interesting involves the cultural
politics of real fandom and superficial fandom. For example, people who claim membership with
music circle without real experience or knowledge of the band. This could occur for several
reasons in order to “be a part” of the subculture. As a devoted fan, I have noticed people
claiming to be fans of Dave Matthews band without genuine appreciation or knowledge.
Final thoughts
The thesis presents a comprehensive model that helps understand what makes concert
experiences meaningful to fans. Through the grounded theory, five primary elements of
meaningful experience emerged from the data. The data was collected from online surveys
administered through four bands’ online forums. This research may contribute to a better
understanding of the connection between live performance and fandom. Further testing of the
model would be necessary to validate its significance.
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Are You Experienced? Exploring Live Music Meaningfulness
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