Stop Calling Concert Films “Second-Best” — They’re the Better Night Out

This week, I am taking a firm, possibly unreasonable position: concert films are better than many actual concerts. You get the perfect camera angle, excellent sound, air-conditioning, and zero chance of standing behind a six-foot-seven man in a basketball jersey. The trick is treating these screenings like events—not errands between lunch and folding laundry.

Concert-Film Encore Screening
Friday–Sunday, showtimes vary
Location: Participating movie theaters nationwide
Cost: Usually $12–$25; parking varies by theater
Kid-friendly: Usually, depending on the artist and rating

Go with a group and sit near the front, where everyone is legally required to sing along at least a little. The best concert films turn the theater into a temporary arena, complete with people cheering at the same moments and strangers bonding over a perfectly timed drum solo.

National Theatre Live Encore
Saturday afternoon or evening; check participating cinema schedules
Location: Select theaters and performing-arts venues nationwide
Cost: Approximately $18–$35; parking varies
Kid-friendly: Often, but check the production rating

This is for anyone who claims theater is “too fancy” but will watch three hours of prestige television without blinking. You get the drama, costumes, and big emotional speeches without paying Broadway prices—or pretending you understood the plot after the first ten minutes.

Midnight Cult-Movie Screening
Friday or Saturday, typically 10 p.m.–midnight
Location: Independent cinemas and repertory theaters nationwide
Cost: $10–$20; parking varies
Kid-friendly: Generally no; late hours and mature content are common

Midnight movies remain one of the last places where audiences are encouraged to be loudly, joyfully incorrect. Wear something theatrical, bring a friend who knows every line, and accept that the film may be terrible in a way that becomes magnificent.

Outdoor Movie Night
Friday–Sunday, usually at sunset
Location: Public parks, campuses, and community plazas nationwide
Cost: Free–$15; parking may be limited, so arrive early
Kid-friendly: Yes, for most family titles

Bring a blanket, snacks, and a sweater you will dramatically regret not packing. The picture quality may be questionable, but watching a familiar movie under the open sky remains one of the cheapest forms of magic available to adults.

DON’T MISS: The concert-film encore. This is the rare event where being late does not mean missing the opening act—you can simply buy popcorn and settle into the fantasy. Go on the first night if possible, because audiences are liveliest before everyone has seen the clips online. And yes, stand up for the final song; the ushers have survived worse.

SLEEPER EVENT: Look for a post-screening Q&A with a director, choreographer, archivist, or touring musician. These small add-ons are often overlooked, cost little or nothing extra, and can turn a standard screening into the kind of night you bring up unprompted three weeks later.