In the age of social media, a curious question keeps cropping up whenever a show is announced: "What are the stage times?" This seems to happen regardless of the venue, the artist, or how far off the event is. But why are we so fascinated with something as predictable—and ultimately unknowable (for most of us)—as a show schedule.

Let’s break it down. If the doors open at 7:00 PM (as they often do), you can bet the support act will most likely take the stage around 7:30 or 8:00 PM. They’ll perform for roughly 30 to 45 minutes, give or take. Following this, there’s likely to be a short intermission as the crew transforms the stage for the next act. If there’s another support act, they'll perform next following a similar pattern, or, if the main act is next, expect them to make their grand appearance somewhere around 8:30 to 9:00 PM. The cycle repeats until the headliner wraps up the night.

It’s all a fairly standard format, yet people can’t seem to resist taking to the digital ether to ask for specifics.

The mystery deepens: Why would anyone—aside from the band or venue—actually know the stage times? Sure, sometimes a venue might post this information closer to the event, but until then, it’s mostly a guessing game. What makes this all the more perplexing is that most shows follow predictable timing patterns, as outlined above. Are people hoping for some divine intervention to get exact minutes before it’s officially announced?

Perhaps it’s symptomatic of our hyper-connected lives. We crave certainty, precise answers, and dislike ambiguity. Or maybe it’s just fear of missing out—the nightmare of arriving too early, waiting through opening acts they don't care for, or worse, getting there late and missing a favorite song.

What’s your take on this odd social media quirk? Is it understandable, or does it leave you scratching your head too? Share your thoughts, anecdotes, or theories—let’s unpack this together. Who knows, maybe we’ll solve this peculiar phenomenon once and for all!