There’s something about a concert that stays with you—the lights, the crowd, the way a song can feel entirely different when you’re hearing it with thousands of strangers.
For many SHU students, those moments have become milestones in their college experience. Their favorite artists, most surprising performances, and unexpected connections reveal just how powerful live music can be.
SHU is close to the Prudential Center, and a relatively quick train ride via the NJ Transit into New York City. Students visit venues such as Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center. They don’t have to worry about the hassle of planning a whole trip.
Abigail Talt, a senior marketing major, said SHU’s location makes it easy to get to concert venues.
“It’s so easy to get an Uber to Prudential, to get on the train, to go to MSG, or Barclays,” Talt said. “It makes it really cheap because you don’t have to get a hotel, you don’t have to figure out a ride situation more times than not.”
From the South Orange train station, the NJ Transit will take you to Penn Station in New York in about 40 minutes.
Talt has seen artists from many different genres live. She said she is willing to try going to a concert of any genre of music, but she especially loves “sad, slow, emotional music.”
“I like stuff that makes you feel something,” she said.
Talt saw Billie Eilish perform in 2022 at the Prudential Center during her Happier Than Ever Tour, loving the vibe of the concert.
“The room changes with every song, that’s what I look for,” Talt said.
Going to a live concert can be a completely different experience than just simply listening to the music in your earbuds.
“I prefer to hear someone like Hozier live than listening to it in my car,” Talt said. “But there are people that I would never spend money on to go see live.”
After seeing Hozier perform live, she recommends that other SHU students should, too, as well as Billie Eilish.
“I personally love seeing Hozier live because he’s an artist that does segments between songs and talks about why he made the song,” Talt said.
Although Talt does not typically listen to country music, she went to see Thomas Rhett and was surprised by the experience.
“I actually had the time of my life,” Talt said. “It was an outdoor concert, the vibe was there, but I genuinely enjoyed the music a lot more than I thought I would.”
Talt also reflected on the Lumineers concert over the summer at Citi Field. She noted how she loves it when artists do something special for specific shows.
“I saw the Lumineers this summer and… they changed like half of their setlist to dedicate to New York performers and songs about New York,” Talt said.
Doja Cat | Photo via Anthony Azuike
Anthony Azuike, a senior communications major, has a love for alternative rap and R&B, including artists such as Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, Rico Nasty, Summer Walker, Flo Milli, and SZA.
He also reflected on some of his favorite shows, stating that his favorite concert in terms of performance was Doja Cat on The Scarlet Tour.
“All her dancers were so good, she changed the production live, and I love the choreography,” Azuike said.
The artist Azuike was most surprised by live was Rico Nasty, who he says is known for being loud and crazy.
“Not that I ever doubted my girl, but I was afraid, like, can she really do a whole two-hour set screaming, all the energy, but she clearly knows what she’s doing,” Azuike said.
He also mentioned how there is always the possibility of being disappointed when going to a show to see an artist you’ve loved for the first time.
“Once you’ve been a fan of someone for so long and you haven’t seen them live ever, you have all these grandiose expectations,” Azuike said.
Daniela Collazos, a sophomore international relations and diplomacy major, had a disappointing experience when attending a Girl in Red show.
“It was overhyped,” Collazos said. “You couldn’t really hear her that well. It just wasn’t my favorite.”
Luckily for Collazos, she has amazing concert memories that make up for this, including Tyler the Creator.
Tyler the Creator's Chromakopia Tour | Photo via Daniela Collazos
“He’s been number one in my heart since middle school,” Collazos said.
Collazos said that out of every artist she has seen live, Malcom Todd is her favorite live performer.
“If you see [his songs] live, it changes how you see his music,” Collazos said.
Samantha Davilma, a freshman computer science major, also saw Malcom Todd live; she recommends him to students.
“His concert was really fun because it was so interactive,” Davilma said.
Students seem to really value how artists interact with their audience, making it feel personal.
Peirce the Veil | Photo via Sabrina Rowan
Sabrina Roman is a freshman marketing major who loves Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and Pierce the Veil. She recommends students see Fall Out Boy live, noting their interactions with the audience.
“Their stage set is crazy, and they do interactive things with the audience,” Roman said. “My mom doesn’t like them, but she’s seen them with me and likes seeing them with me even though she doesn’t listen to them.”
Students also admire the community surrounding them at live shows. When attending a Tomorrow X Together show at Prudential Center, Roman was pleasantly surprised.
“It was my first K-pop concert, and it was just different than any concert I’ve ever been to,” Roman said. “Everyone was really sweet, and all of the fans were giving out free stuff.”
Davilma had a surprising experience herself when attending a festival. She was shocked to see that during Cardi B’s set, she was pregnant.
“She was dancing and she had heels on, and it was kind of raining,” Davilma said.
She also said that Tyler the Creator and Laufey were her favorite concerts overall. She wants to see Bruno Mars and Adele live, but they have not been touring traditionally for a while.
“They have a residency in Las Vegas so I’m waiting until I’m 21 to go,” Davilma said.
Collazos is looking forward to seeing Kali Uchis, one of her favorite musicians, in Colombia in February.
“I’m Colombian and she’s from Colombia, so it only seemed right,” Collazos said.
From alternative artists to pop stars, SHU students are in a prime location to see both the world’s biggest names and up-and-coming artists.
Morgan Dence is an assistant editor for The Setonian’s Social Media. She can be reached at morgan.dence@student.shu.edu.
