Well done you on making the effort!!

It irks me no end when I read a tour announcement on social media, e.g. a 30 city tour of the US, and people complain because the band is playing in City X and not City Y. When the distance between those cities is a two hour drive, all I can think of is "get off your butts, you lazy bastards!"

I live in Canberra, Australia. Some bands come out here and play the 4-6 biggest cities (Sydney>Melbourne>Brisbane>Adelaide>Perth>Hobart). Occasionally a band might be big enough to play in other big population areas like Wollongong, Newcastle, Geelong, Gold Coast. Sometimes the bands are so popular, there aren't really venues big enough in regional centres.

I've lost count of the times I've driven the 300km to Sydney to see a band/concert/show. You just do it because there is no choice. Some trips have been akin to tactical strikes. I'd leave home at 4.00pm drive the 3-3.5 hours up to Sydney, pay for some parking close to the venue, eat something, go to the show, get in the car (anywhere between midnight andf 2.00am), and drive home. I would stop once or twice for a break/snack/snooze/slash, which typically pushes the trip out to about four hours.

Other trips were a bit more relaxed, staying the night in a hotel near the venue, and driving home the next day.

My attitude is if you like them that much then you'll make the effort.

In 1996 I saw The Posies five times in the week they were in Australia. Two larger venue gigs in Melbourne and Sydney, where they supported Hoodoo Gurus; two headlining club shows in those two cities; and a club show in Newcastle. I drove to Sydney and Newcastle, and flew to Melbourne. Make the effort!