Finding fun summer activities can be difficult. However, instead of listening your way through the summer heat with AirPods stuck in your ears, there are many popular artists headlining locally at live music events.

     Different bands and singers are performing within the greater Baltimore, D.C. and Philadelphia areas this summer. Within the genre of pop music, performers such as Halsey, Pitbull, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, Imagine Dragons and Macklemore will be in the surrounding areas.  

     Rocking and rolling on over to upcoming rock and rap concerts, these include Nelly, T-Pain, Kenrick Lamar and Franz Ferdinand.

      Country music fans won’t be left out.  There are plenty of events happening in the area as well, including Dylan Scott, Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley, Chris Stapleton, Thomas Rhett, and Morgan Wallen.

     Other performers who may not fit in the above categories include Tears for Fears, The Lumineers, Gorillaz and The Weeknd.

     Ticket prices range all the way from $40 to $500, but these prices vary based on seating arrangements, venues, and the performer themselves. Something else to keep in mind is that there can also be extra fees when purchasing tickets, including parking passes and ticket insurance for refunds.

     This summer, sophomore Mia Coleman will be going to a Tim McGraw concert. She’s been listening to his music since she was a child and when asked about her favorite song by him, she couldn’t pick just one. She hopes it’s going to be “really fun because I’m going with my 2 aunts and my mom.” According to her, the venue will most likely be crowded.

    Another sophomore, Ethan Sealy, recently attended a concert headlining The Lumineers. He’s been a listener of their music for a few years and likes their song Stubborn Love. He also said he “expected the venue to be a lot bigger,” when referring to Merriweather Post Pavilion, a venue in Columbia, MD, but that it was still very crowded. The price of his ticket was $130.

     Junior Ogunyemi “Yoyin” Oluwayoyinsola also went to a concert, featuring K-pop group Monsta X. She’s been a fan of their music for over a year and a half, and currently loves their song Wildfire. All she hoped for was “to have a lot of fun,” especially after paying $165 for the ticket.

     According to Frontiersin.org, some of the fun in attending live concerts can be “…engaging with other audience members through moving to the music.” Concerts are also great for those who are seeking spontaneity and anticipation, due to unique performances that aren’t pre-determined.