---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In those days a concert was a personal…"
description: "\"In those days a concert was a personal experience. I wanted to be as close as possible to the audience, and of course big stadiums didn't enable you to..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/cat-stevens-2683_audience_in-those-days-a-concert-was-a-personal-e_1450283.png"
---

#  In those days a concert was a personal experience. I…

![“In those days a concert was a personal experience. I wanted to be as close as possible to the audience, and of course big stadiums didn't enable you to do that. It wasn't my style.” quote by Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/cat-stevens-2683_audience_in-those-days-a-concert-was-a-personal-e_1450283.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/cat-stevens-2683_audience_in-those-days-a-concert-was-a-personal-e_1450283.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/cat-stevens-2683_audience_in-those-days-a-concert-was-a-personal-e_1450283.png)

> “In those days a concert was a personal experience. I wanted to be as close as possible to the audience, and of course big stadiums didn't enable you to do that. It wasn't my style.”

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Live concerts used to be intimate, allowing deep connection with listeners, unlike large stadium shows.

**In simple terms:** Intimacy matters in performance.

Key Takeaway

Seek closeness with your audience.

Themes

authenticity connection performance style

Mood

nostalgic thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- small venue gigs
- acoustic sets
- fan meet‑ups

Key Concepts

musical intimacy audience engagement

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you prefer intimate or large venues?
- How does setting affect your performance?

A Different Perspective

Large venues can dilute personal interaction.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Big Stadiums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-stadiums-1247284/) [Concert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concert/) [Concert Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concert-personal-5214016/) [Days Concert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/days-concert-3378318/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Personal experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-experience/) [Stadiums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stadiums/) [Stadiums Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stadiums-didn-5214017/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/)

## Related quotes

> [Playing '10,000 Days' in concert was very challenging but infinitely rewarding. It's much more sensitive and emotional than our other songs, and it requires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chancellor/playing-10-000-days-in-concert-was-very-challenging-but-infinitely/)

[Justin Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chancellor/)

> [The big stadiums, sold-out crowds and games with massive things riding on them; as players these are games you want to be playing in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-wilson/the-big-stadiums-sold-out-crowds-and-games-with-massive-things-riding/)

[Harry Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-wilson/)

> [Scoring at the big stadiums in Glasgow is something I have dreamed about doing since I was a wee boy and now I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcginn/scoring-at-the-big-stadiums-in-glasgow-is-something-i-have-dreamed/)

[John McGinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcginn/)

> [I play against big teams in big stadiums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreas-pereira/i-play-against-big-teams-in-big-stadiums/)

[Andreas Pereira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreas-pereira/)

> [It's always nice to go and play the big teams at the big stadiums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-murray/it-s-always-nice-to-go-and-play-the-big-teams-at-the-big-stadiums/)

[Glenn Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-murray/)

> [I really enjoy playing in front of big crowds and in big stadiums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shelton/i-really-enjoy-playing-in-front-of-big-crowds-and-in-big-stadiums/)

[Ben Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shelton/)

> [I've never felt nervous in front of big crowds and in big stadiums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/i-ve-never-felt-nervous-in-front-of-big-crowds-and-in-big-stadiums/)

[Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/)

> [It's always nice to play in new and big stadiums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-kimmich/it-s-always-nice-to-play-in-new-and-big-stadiums/)

[Joshua Kimmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-kimmich/)

> [I think if you're a footballer, you want to play in big stadiums like Old Trafford.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreas-pereira/i-think-if-you-re-a-footballer-you-want-to-play-in-big-stadiums-like/)

[Andreas Pereira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreas-pereira/)

> [I'm not scared of big stadiums. There are other risks in my profession, and I love taking risks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimiliano-allegri/i-m-not-scared-of-big-stadiums-there-are-other-risks-in-my-profession/)

[Massimiliano Allegri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimiliano-allegri/)

> [Probably. Definitely. I love to play finals. I love to play on the big stadiums. This is something really special. It doesn't feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-kvitova/probably-definitely-i-love-to-play-finals-i-love-to-play-on-the-big/)

[Petra Kvitova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-kvitova/)

> [I am an advocate of playing in big stadiums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-hayes/i-am-an-advocate-of-playing-in-big-stadiums/)

[Emma Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-hayes/)

> [Since I was five or six years old, I just wanted to be a professional football player. I wanted to play against the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coleman/since-i-was-five-or-six-years-old-i-just-wanted-to-be-a-professional/)

[Chris Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coleman/)

> [They brought on someone who cost more than our stadium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-rodgers/they-brought-on-someone-who-cost-more-than-our-stadium/)

[Brendan Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-rodgers/)

> [We don't want you at the rink, we don't want you in the stadium, we don't want you to watch hockey,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-roenick/we-don-t-want-you-at-the-rink-we-don-t-want-you-in-the-stadium-we-don/)

[Jeremy Roenick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-roenick/)

## More by Cat Stevens

> [The spiritual quest was always the predominant aspect of my life. It's always been there. But there's also an incredible passion connected to it;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/the-spiritual-quest-was-always-the-predominant-aspect-of-my-life-it-s/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [Music is part of God's universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/music-is-part-of-god-s-universe/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [Some extremists take elements of the sacred scriptures out of context.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/some-extremists-take-elements-of-the-sacred-scriptures-out-of-context/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [Knowledge is a thing you can carry around with you, but you may not apply it. Some knowledge is indiscriminate, and it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/knowledge-is-a-thing-you-can-carry-around-with-you-but-you-may-not/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [A person who steals bread during a famine is not treated as a thief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/a-person-who-steals-bread-during-a-famine-is-not-treated-as-a-thief/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [Don't you feel a change a coming From another side of time, Breaking down the walls of silence, Lifting shadows from your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/don-t-you-feel-a-change-a-coming-from-another-side-of-time-breaking/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [I suppose that the media and their portrayal of Islam and the almost tribal separations and divisions of the Muslims are the greatest issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/i-suppose-that-the-media-and-their-portrayal-of-islam-and-the-almost/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [“You will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/you-will-still-be-here-tomorrow-but-your-dreams-may-not/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [There is a powerful need for people to feel that gust of hope rise up again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/there-is-a-powerful-need-for-people-to-feel-that-gust-of-hope-rise-up/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [And if my mind breaks up In all so many ways I know the meaning of The words, "I love you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/and-if-my-mind-breaks-up-in-all-so-many-ways-i-know-the-meaning-of/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [Find a girl, settle down, If you want you can marry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/find-a-girl-settle-down-if-you-want-you-can-marry/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [Oh I can't keep it in; I can't keep it in, I've gotta let it out I've got to show the world; world's got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/oh-i-can-t-keep-it-in-i-can-t-keep-it-in-i-ve-gotta-let-it-out-i-ve/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [I never thought I'd be on the same stage as Kiss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/i-never-thought-i-d-be-on-the-same-stage-as-kiss/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [Miles from nowhere. Guess I'll take my time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/miles-from-nowhere-guess-i-ll-take-my-time/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [Sun is the reason And the world it will bloom 'Cause sun lights the sky And the sun lights the moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/sun-is-the-reason-and-the-world-it-will-bloom-cause-sun-lights-the/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

[Explore all 155 Cat Stevens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

## More Audience quotes

> [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/)

[Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/)

> [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/)

[Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/)

> [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/)

[Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/)

> [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/)

[Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/)

> [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/)

[Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/)

> [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/)

[An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/)

> [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/)

[Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/)

> [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/)

[Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/)

> [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/)

[Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/)

> [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/)

[Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/)

> [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/)

[Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/)

> [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/)

[J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/)

> [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/)

[Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/)

> [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/)

[John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/)

[Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In those days a concert was a personal experience. I wanted to be as close as possible to the audience, and of course big stadiums didn't enable you to do that. It wasn't my style.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Cat Stevens"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/in-those-days-a-concert-was-a-personal-experience-i-wanted-to-be-as/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Audience"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/in-those-days-a-concert-was-a-personal-experience-i-wanted-to-be-as/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/cat-stevens-2683_audience_in-those-days-a-concert-was-a-personal-e_1450283.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/cat-stevens-2683_audience_in-those-days-a-concert-was-a-personal-e_1450283.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/028/cat-stevens-2683_audience_in-those-days-a-concert-was-a-personal-e_1450283.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In those days a concert was a personal experience. I wanted to be as close as possible to the audience, and…” — Cat Stevens",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Cat Stevens",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In those days a concert was...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/in-those-days-a-concert-was-a-personal-experience-i-wanted-to-be-as/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/in-those-days-a-concert-was-a-personal-experience-i-wanted-to-be-as/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
