To achieve the ultimate concert experience students ask the following questions: How do I get tickets? What do you bring? How should I dress? When should I get there? I have attended approximately 14 concerts spanning from genres of folk to rap. With my experience I hope to pass down my wisdom with the goal of ensuring someone has the best night ever.
How to get tickets
To attend a concert you first need to get tickets. A lot of music platforms have different options to sign up for notifications of upcoming concerts. An app like Spotify will recommend shows based on the music you listen to. You can do the same with platforms like Ticketmaster and SeatGeek. Following your favorite artists you listen to will keep you informed if they have an upcoming show. A lot of smaller venues as well will post small artists that they have coming to play. Some smaller venues to follow include The Crocodile, Paramount theater, and the Showbox.
What to bring
One of the most important things when preparing for a concert is to make sure you have the appropriate bag. Most venues only allow either a small clutch bag, wallet, or clear bag. Always make sure to check the site of the venue of the concert you’re attending to make sure it’s the correct size. Any bag that has a strap is always good so that way you don’t have to hold it. I recommend looking on Amazon; it has affordable options that come in many different styles. When it comes to the contents of the bag, having a portable charger is always a good idea, along with the basic necessities: chapstick, makeup for touch-ups, and hygiene products.
Things to avoid
Anything that has access chemicals such as sunscreen or pepper spray. Smaller venues will confiscate the pepper spray and you can get it back after the show, if you have pepper spray attached to your keys maybe leave it at home for the night, venues usually have good security. Summer shows occasionally confiscate sunscreen due to its flammability; Check the venue website beforehand just to be sure. Water bottles are a huge thing that lots of concert goers get upset about. Majority of venues either say no outside liquids at all or don’t allow water bottles that aren’t transparent. Never take a water bottle that has either significant or sentimental value because you’ll either have to walk it back to your car or part ways with it forever.
Charging your phone
A mistake made many times when it comes to attending concerts is forgetting or being lazy when it comes to charging my phone. Make sure you always have it fully charged. Even if you think it’s enough, I promise it’s not. You’ll be on it when you’re waiting and when you’re taking videos so it’s vital to have it at its full capacity. A pro tip is to keep it on low power mode or any other battery saving precautions to try and keep it as charged as possible.
Dressing Appropriately
Most concerts usually have some sort of theme or vibe that goes along with the show. When prepping an outfit check either previous videos or photos of other people that were in attendance, or the social media of the artist. Dressing to impress is exciting but there are other things to consider. First dressing for the crowd your seat will be surrounded by. If you’re in the pit there will most likely be lots of moshing, picking an outfit that you don’t frequently have to adjust is the better way to go. With outdoor shows, double checking the weather before choosing your outfit in case you’ll need to adjust based on that information. Shoe choices for concerts is arguably the most important decision you can make when it comes to your outfit. It’s vital to pick shoes that are comfortable because you’ll be wearing them for hours on end. I can’t count the number of times I’ve made a bad shoe choice and had to walk barefoot around a venue in agonizing pain. Doc Martens may be super cute but they’ll lose all their abeal once you see the blisters. I’d recommend any sort of sneaker or comfortable shoe of choice, something that will protect your feet.
The perfect routine:
When arriving at a venue if you’re driving, try your best to park as close to the exit as possible. You don’t want to get stuck in bad traffic.
If you’re not driving and someone is picking you up or you’re taking an Uber, don’t order it at the venue because the person picking you up will never find you. Try to walk to a noticeable location that is easy to describe, that way the driver can find you effectively.
Timing is everything, you want to make sure to verify when the concert is starting to know the approximate time to arrive. If the show you’re attending is more of a power grab for the best view (for example if you have a general admission pit ticket) try to get there as early as you can if you want to be up close. Make accommodations around the time you plan to arrive to ensure you have everything you need before the waiting begins.
Etiquette + Safety
This is important for any social situation but stay safe. Always be aware of your surroundings especially if you’re attending alone. Screening and filtration safety wise is always heavily instated at most popular venues, the smaller ones can be a little dicey at times so take that with a grain of salt. If you have a medical condition or ever need special accommodations, reaching out beforehand to a venue can benefit your safety and keep you better prepared.
Moving on to concert etiquette. A lot of regular concert goers get extremely irritated with antics of concert noobs. To start, being a first timer and getting excited is normal, but don’t be too excited to the point where you’re disturbing the people around you. A universal concert rule is to never push to the front if you’re coming from the way back. Some people wait hours on end to secure their spot and it’s not fair to them if you push through after you didnt care to wait, be respectful. Lastly, probably one of the most important forms of etiquette, don’t bring a big sign to wave around the entire night. People will yell at you for that, especially if you’re blocking their view.
Hopefully all these tips and tricks can help you if you’re a regular or a newbie concert attendee. Though they may not apply to everyone, remember to always be respectful, stay safe, and more importantly have fun.
