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Since it's concert season and I'm prepping for one myself (Stray Kids), I thought now would be a good time to throw in my two cents about what you should do when you go to a concert. Whether you're a first timer or you've been going to concerts forever this is a list of tips and tricks for everyone to enjoy their concert going experience.
Credit: Calysta Eachus
#1 First and foremost, gather the squad. Sure you can go solo and still have a good time, but concerts are always better with your besties. They make great memories and photos for the scrapbook (if you still do that you're a dinosaur) or your social media page. They're great bonding experiences for you and all the homies. Concerts are memories you'll never forget and memories are best made shared.
#2 Tickets. If you can, have one person in your group pay for the tickets so everyone can sit together, and then have everyone else in the group pay back the cost of their own ticket. Another good way to spread the load is to divide up who pays for what. Never but from a third party seller or trust your uncle's cousin's bestfriend's dog. Sketchy is sketchy. If you have doubts, get out! There are plenty of legit websites to buy from. Make sure you check out multiple websites, prices may vary from site to site. Always go with the best deal if you can. When you buy your tickets, check where they are located. Most websites will have a map if there's assigned seating for the concert check that the tickets are in the location you want before you buy. Also pro tip: DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE NOSE BLEEDS!!!
We all know tickets can get expensive, but unless you're deathly terrified of heights, don't be afraid to sit in the nose bleeds. If you got the right crew around you and you can still hear and see the artist, it won't matter where you are in the audience. You'll have a blast no matter what. If you want to go all out for the front row go for it, but the nose bleeds are honestly kind of underrated.
#3 Let's face it, most of us aren't going to a concert right across the street. Number three on the list is transportation. Make sure that there's a plan for transportation laid out in advance. Double and triple check all arrangements as the date of the concert gets closer. If you're spending the night before and/or after the concert, sort that out with your group and make the proper reservations for sleeping arrangements well in advance. The sooner the better because you aren't the only group that's going to come up with whatever plan you make, and if you're staying somewhere you want to make sure your name is down for a room beforehand, or they might not have room when you get up there.
#4 Make a group chat. If you already have a group chat with everyone going (if there's more than two of you, if not skip to #5). This way everyone is on the same page and the chances of a major miscommunication decreases significantly. Plus it's fun to start a countdown as the days get closer, and after the concert is over you only need to send pictures and videos you took to one place.
#5 Pick an outfit! It's a special event. Go all out, if you want. Wear the merchandise you bought and bring the light sticks too! You know you've been waiting for the right time to wear that T-shirt; well now's the time to wear it and wear it proud. This is the first completely safe place to wear your band Tee; everyone else there came for the same reason. If you don't have any merch, that's OK too. You don't need to prove you're a fan. You already bought the tickets and that's enough to show it. Don't just wear your sweats though, it's going to get hot with all those people. Check out the forecast. You're going out, take the time to put in some effort to make yourself feel real badass. Treat yourself. Maybe you can talk to your squad too. Coordinate, or don't, that's cool too. Bottom line is wear what makes you feel good and gets you excited.
#6 Create a playlist. All bangers. Pick out your favorite songs from the artist you're going to see. It gets you pumped and in the concert mood when you listen to it. On the ride over to the venue it's also fun to have a little carpool Karaoke too. Whatever gets you and your friends turnt up, do it!
#7 Prepare your wallet. As a general rule make sure you have at least a 20 dollar bill. In case your card dies something quirky or there's an issue with the reader at the venue, better safe than sorry. However, don't carry around more than like 50 dollars in your wallet at a time, it's just not safe to have that much money on you at once, plus it's a lot easier to stay organized the less you have. Most venues won't allow you to bring in bags, so make sure your wallet is small enough to carry on your wrist or in a pocket, but still big enough to fit your essentials. Always have some form of ID in your wallet at all times too. That's for safety reasons too. If anything happens it's easier to identify you and if your going to an event that rated 18+ or 21+, you always have it on you if someone stops you.
#8 HYDRATION. That's probably a tip to just survive life, but especially at a concert. Between the heat this time of year and the amount of people there. You're going to be sweaty, and no matter how calm you may be everyone screams and yells at concerts. Be sure to drink plenty of water before and during the concert to avoid dehydration and keep your energy up. In the immortal words of a band director: Hydrate or Die-drate everyone. Dehydration isn't fun, and if you pass out from it you're going to miss the whole show, so stay hydrated.
#9 Don't, and I mean it, DON'T arrive on time or you'll be late. The time printed on your ticket is the time the artist STARTS performing, not the time you should get there. Arrive about an hour before the start time. It'll give you enough time to find parking, get through security, and find your seat. It also gives you enough time to stock up on snacks and drinks so you won't have to miss anything by getting up later. If there's still a lot of time before they start you can mingle with other concert goers to make some new friends.
#10 This last tip is for anyone that enjoys concerts but not the crowd. When it's time to leave, wait. Like a Marvel movie, stay in your seat for a few more minutes. Let the people around you get up and leave, this way you won't get crushed, lost, or separated in the flow. Crowds are much easier to handle when you're at the tail end of them. You can straggle behind a little bit. A little bonus is that leaving the parking lot won't take as long because there's fewer people trying to get out.
Following these 10 tips will help you stay prepared and enjoy your concert going experience to the fullest. The most important rule in concert going is to have fun and enjoy yourself. Take these tips and tricks with you the next time you're planning on going to one. Have fun!
P.S. Interested in how my concert experience went? Tune in to the Comic Book Curious podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your podcasts to hear all about it!
About the Author:
Hi! I’m Calysta; I’m 19 years old, and I live in Delaware with my family. My favorite person on Earth is my dog, Ebony. I learned about Comic Book Curious from one of my best friends and now, I host the official Comic Book Curious Network podcast with my other best friend. Check out the podcast’s insta and twitter too @cbcnpodcast on Instagram or on Twitter for more updates on adventures! Thanks for reading and all your support!