Concerts and Reviews in English
Talk about live music – and write about it like a critic.
Going to a concert is a great experience to share. Learn the words for tickets, venues and live shows, and the language reviewers use to praise – or criticise – a performance.
Key Words
Ten essential words with their German meaning and an example sentence.
| English | German | Example |
|---|---|---|
| venue | Veranstaltungsort | The venue was small but the sound was great. |
| gig | Konzert, Auftritt | Are you coming to the gig on Friday? |
| sold out | ausverkauft | The concert was sold out in an hour. |
| support act | Vorgruppe | The support act was surprisingly good. |
| setlist | Setlist | They changed the setlist every night. |
| encore | Zugabe | They came back for two encores. |
| audience · crowd | Publikum | The crowd sang every word. |
| review | Kritik, Rezension | The concert got great reviews. |
| critic | Kritiker(in) | The critics loved it. |
| atmosphere | Stimmung, Atmosphäre | The atmosphere was electric. |
Word Partners
Natural English depends on words that belong together. Learn these as complete phrases.
- a rave review
- a mixed review
- a live recording
- front row
- to queue for tickets
- an electric atmosphere
- a sell-out tour
- to steal the show
"The young soprano stole the show."
Useful Phrases
Sentence patterns you can use straight away.
Talking about a concert
- It was one of the best gigs I've ever been to.
- The sound wasn't great where we were standing.
- They played all the old favourites.
- We were right at the front.
Writing a review
- The highlight of the evening was…
- The performance was let down by…
- It was a night to remember.
- If you get the chance to see them live, go.
Talk About It
Answer these questions aloud, write a short paragraph, or discuss them with a partner.
- What was the first concert you ever went to?
- Do you prefer big arenas or small venues?
- Describe the best live performance you have seen.
- Do you read reviews before you buy tickets?
Test Yourself
Click a question to see the answer.
1. What is "Vorgruppe" in English?
The support act.
2. What is "a rave review"?
A very positive review.
3. What does "to steal the show" mean?
To be the best and most memorable part of a performance.
Explore More
More pages in the Voice & Singing series.
Share the live experience.
Learn the words, use them in real sentences and enjoy using your voice in English.
Go. Listen. Review.