Live music is a critical missing piece from my happiness toolkit

Every one of us has things we’ve desperately missed during the pandemic. Very high on my list is experiencing live music. As my excitement builds to see live shows again soon, it also reinforces how much I took live music and its benefits for granted.

Walking past the historic Englert Theatre in downtown Iowa City is a clear reminder that I’m missing a critical piece of my happiness toolkit — whether it’s in a stadium concert, an intimate bar or someone’s living room, the transference of energy between a musician and their audience can be magical. For years, I’ve depended on that energy both to tap into my own creativity and as ballast to anchor my life. According to Plato, “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.”