When you experience something (music, comedy, theater, etc.), is it better to attend a live event, or view a recorded one? Recorded events allow for editing a flashy, finished product, while live events provide a certain spontaneity. Which do you prefer?
Share why if you wish.
Live Or Recorded?
I like both, but I think I’ll go with ‘recorded’. Certainly I consume much more recorded material than I attend live events. And I think more is possible — more heightened emotion, more removal of distractions, more development of mood — in a recording, because you can devote more overall time to it.
But I will admit that there is an immediacy that is present in a live performance that is — or can be — engaging. The idea that something can be great or awful, and no one knows which one, is thrilling.
Live. Definitely, live. I spend many a Sunday evening watching YouTube videos of live, in-studio performances of artists I follow as well as the new ones I’m checking out. Also, I’m a huge U2 fan, and I love watching concert footage. Bono knows how to give each performance a little something different.