Live events are GenZ’s new third space – Live Nation study

The line-up for Electric Avenue 2027 hasn’t even been announced, yet pre-sale tickets have already sold out.

Tickets for the music festival went on sale at 8am on April 9 and were all gone shortly after. The annual festival is held across two days in late February in Christchurch.

This anecdote was shared at the launch of Love Song, a yearly study conducted across Australia and Aotearoa by entertainment company Live Nation’s experiential arm, Connect by Live Nation.

Love Song surveys a range of people across different ages and stages – 1,682 people in Aotearoa this year. It always hones in on Gen Z to try and decipher how they engage with culture and brands.

Passionate about the experience

Study presenters Erica Valenti and James Quinlan say the Electric Avenue example spoke to wider insight from the 2026 data. While Gen Z pay attention selectively, being part of cultural moments, like concerts, was a key priority for them.

So much so, knowing who’s playing Electric Avenue is no longer necessary for people to book their ticket. They’re just as passionate about the experience as they are about the music.

“Gen Z are deeply passionate about live music. 79% value it as an opportunity to be part of something bigger than themselves,” says Valenti. “Live events create a powerful sense of community.”

Live is the new third space

Valenti and Quinlan add that live events are becoming the new ‘third space’ – places where they can be themselves but also connect with others. In fact, 85% indicated they would attend a concert or festival alone, confident that they would form new connections.

Almost all survey respondents (96%) said the experience extends far beyond the actual event to include everything pre and post-gig. This included planning outfits with friends, where to eat beforehand and of course, the debrief afterwards.

“Ultimately, while Gen Z are selective about the moments they invest in, they fully immerse themselves to extend the experience beyond the event itself, maximising excitement and creating lasting memories.”

Community connections

These fandoms aren’t passive, they’re participatory, say Valenti and Quinlan.

Speaking in the panel discussion at the launch, content creator Oliver Mills says this has grown and strengthened over time. Fandom communities are now connected across continents by social media platforms.

Live events seem to unlock new skills among Gen Zers, adds Live Nation’s head of brand partnerships Aimee Stewart.

“My daughter is so disorganised but she is amazing at concerts,” she laughs.

Then there’s the trend of dressing up, making signs or bringing items to the event that can be shared with others.

It’s exploded since the Taylor Swift Eras tour, which saw thousands of people make, wear and swap friendship bracelets with other attendees. The movement was spun out by fans from a single lyric of Swift’s, says Mills.

Mills himself says he likes to attend concerts, dressed up as a niche reference to the artist in a way that only other fans would understand.

Memories as currency

Physical items – from outfits and costumes to making friendship bracelets and buying merch – stood out as a key feature for Gen Z throughout Love Song’s findings.

While their lives are rooted in being digital natives, they also desire disconnection and tangible objects to connect them to moments in time.

Hence, as reported last year, vintage tech is back. Vinyl records, film cameras and now, iPods and wired headphones are all on the rise, as they provide the conveniences of tech, without the noise that comes with being connected to the internet.

There is also increased desire for physical mementoes with scrapbooking and junk journalling also making a comeback.

How can brands fit in?

But what does this mean for brands and how they can connect with this audience? Well, says Valenti, Gen Z shared their thoughts on that, too.

They want brands to help them get to live events. This might look like perks through a loyalty programme, discounted tickets, discovery of new artists, or even transport to the venue.

The lead up and aftermath should provide them with different perspectives – they said they would love more behind the scenes content on social media. They also wanted to see pre and post event activities and premium exclusive areas during the event itself.

Finally, they would love brands to help them get their own content out there in world.

Live events are emotional infrastructure, say Valenti and Quinlan. Their suggestion to brands was to build your presence around the fandom and what already matters to them.