Brockhampton: the impact of the internet on community
This past weekend I attended my first Brockhampton concert in Chicago. When it comes to concerts, I usually go through the same cycle. I become obsessed with a certain artist, I find out they are playing near me, I buy a ticket, I go to the show, and I leave the show with the thought that it was the best experience of my life. This time, I experienced all of those same things, but I am sure this was the most impactful show I have been to.
I listened to Brockhampton for the first time right around New Years 2018. My sister had been a fan for a while, but I was convinced that I would not like them from the way she described their music. Once I got a listen for myself, I was instantly hooked, but like a lot of people, I did not understand how the band was built. I started researching and watching some of the videos on the band’s Youtube channel. I became so interested in learning about each of the boys and it became so fun for me. It’s like trying to pick which Spice Girl you are, but instead of five, you have 14 members to identify with.
The boys were electric on stage. Each had such intense energy. It is impossible to not be impressed by their mere presence on the stage. Not only is their energy contagious, but their performance is unique and bursting with talent. The setlist was perfectly pieced together, a mix between old and new, bangers and ballads. This show was completely unique. The chemistry of the group on stage and on the record is a force to be reckoned with, and that is attributed to a combination of friendship, hardwork, and talent.
The crowd at the Brockhampton concert was more than a group of strangers, it truly was a unique community in which I instantly felt comfortable with. Everyone will find something they identify with in music. With Brockhampton, this connection is a perfect fit for a generation that has grown up with the internet and social media. Brockhampton met on a Kanye West forum. We are living in this new time in which people make friends, share their lives, and connect with people in ways we never thought possible. Brockhampton is a cultivation of everything good that can come from the Internet and a perfect example of this new generation of music discovery.
The crowd at Brockhampton was unique because most people there are internet kids. I looked at the hashtags on Twitter and Instagram after the concert and found photos from everyone in the room, some from strangers I was standing next to. This realization of community that has been created and then cultivated on the internet, we are able to feel connected in a room of 5,000+ thanks to the music of Brockhampton and stay connected in the hashtags and subreddit after it is over.
