It’s very easy to head on over to Google and search for musical concerts, festivals and other organised musical events and for the most part the quality of the subsequent entertainment you’ll get is directly proportional to the price you pay. You know what I’m talking about, right?

You have your regular, general area tickets or something similar to that and you have the slightly more expensive tickets which afford you a little bit of a better view and perhaps some added perks for a typical concert, perhaps even buying you a spot closer to the stage. You might get a goodie-bag to take back home with you…whatever it may be…

Then you get the top-of-the-range tickets, often given the status of a precious metal, like Golden Circle tickets or Platinum-something tickets for which you pay a hefty fee, but these afford you all the perks which clearly leave the ticketholders who bought the cheaper-priced tickets in the dust. You might perhaps even get to enjoy something like a meet-and-greet that comes with a backstage pass, along with the seating that actually has you enjoying a good view of the performing artist whose concert you’re attending.

All of this still feels a bit staged though, as much as there are some musicians who give it their all when they’re performing live. It’s refreshing to learn that the musician actually has a voice and that they can deliver a great live performance without any of the studio enhancements forming part of the music they release commercially, but still, this is when artists are simply getting their money.

You’d be lucky to get the absolute best musical experience in a setting such as that of an artist being on tour or holding a concert. Otherwise if you truly want to enjoy some of the best musical experiences you will ever encounter in your life, you’ll have to resolve not to explicitly chase them.

I know, it’s somewhat of a paradox, but that’s just how it is.

You need an element of luck, but good fortune is something one creates by going out there and chasing it!

Visit a city like Sao Paulo, in Brazil for example and walk up and down Avenida Paulista (Paulista Avenue) late in the afternoon to early evening. There are some street performers who set themselves up with the full kit at times, some of whom come complete with a drummer and the works. There are some solo performers as well – singers, guitarists – a good variety.

Sao Paulo isn’t the only place where this happens, but the point is that this raw setting in which artists are just out to share their music with the world – this is where the best musical experiences are to be had.

Other such settings could include the likes of restaurants which allow for up-and-coming artists to showcase their talents and create a nice ambience for the diners, but otherwise it’s all about uncovering and experiencing the musical talent while it’s still raw and untainted by the fame that often comes with its commercialisation.