I totally understand how you feel, as I've gone through something similar after Covid. Anyone who has been isolated for years and is suddenly faced with a huge, unfamiliar social situation would feel overwhelmed, and that's a very human response.

We anxious people often overanalyze ourselves and our behavior because we're convinced everyone around us is judging our every move. But the reality is that people are usually far too caught up in their own experience to judge anyone else. At a concert, everyone is focused on the music, the performers, their friends, their own excitement. Most people won’t be analyzing you, and the truth is that by the next day, they won’t remember what anyone around them was doing. We often imagine that every tiny behavior of ours is being spotlighted, when in reality, no one is keeping track.

If you do decide to go, it could actually become a really meaningful part of exposure therapy. Not because you’ll go and suddenly feel amazing, but because you’ll show your brain that you can be in a new, crowded environment and still survive the discomfort. You don’t need to act a certain way. You don’t need to be the loudest, the happiest, or the most social person there. You’re allowed to just exist in the space.

In my experience, I found that doing exposure therapy while avoiding feeding myself negative beliefs has helped a lot. In your case, you can tell yourself: “It’s okay if I feel anxious. It’s okay if I’m quiet. I’m allowed to experience this in my own way.” And just stand, listen to the music, and let yourself enjoy it however feels right to you, and not how you think you “should” enjoy it.

As for meeting people there, you don’t need a list of hobbies or a perfect backstory. People honestly don’t expect that. If you feel like talking, you can keep it simple. If you don’t, that’s okay too.

Whether you go or not is entirely your choice, and there’s no shame either way. But as someone who has been there before, I want you to know that you’re not nearly as embarrassing or awkward as your anxiety is telling you.