My roommate and I went to Hozier’s Unreal Unearth Tour in Phoenix at the beginning of November, and it was one of the most incredible nights of our collective college experiences. However, you may be surprised to know that it was her first time attending a concert, even as a senior in college, and that is not an anomaly. I went to the Jonas Brothers concert a few months ago with another first-time concert friend. If you have not been a regular concertgoer since high school, trying to go to a concert in Phoenix can seem daunting, but there are several tips to make your first concert experience memorable and as easy as possible.
Find a friend
Don’t go to your first concert completely alone! Find a friend or group of friends to experience this with you. If you have any friends who have been to concerts before, use their previous knowledge to help you plan your first concert.
Choose an artist you really enjoy
A concert will be stressful because of all the planning and purchasing required, so choose an artist that you know and love! You will never forget your first concert experience, and seeing one of your favorite artists live will make for a truly amazing first concert! You can look out for your favorite artists’ concert dates in your area on Spotify or by searching the artists’ websites for dates.
Consider whether the date of the concert causes excess stress
A concert on a Wednesday night will affect you differently than one on a Saturday night. Oftentimes, there are not many choices in terms of dates because artists will only play one night in a city, but you should be aware of how the date fits into your schedule. Planning ahead for homework or extracurricular activities will alleviate the stress of spending a weeknight out. And just as an additional note, if a concert says it starts at 8 pm and there is an opener, that means the opener starts at 8 pm, so the main artist will come on much later. This will make most concerts run quite late, so keep this in mind when considering time.
Buy tickets early
As the concert date approaches, the ticket prices will slowly climb, and if your favorite artist is as famous as Taylor Swift, or in my instance, Hozier, tickets will sell out. Ticket prices are an important factor in choosing seats for a concert, but you should not sacrifice your location just for cheaper tickets. Choose a section where you know you will be able to see the artist, and then look at the prices to find the cheapest option within your parameters. You may end up spending an extra $20-30 than necessary for slightly better seats, but buying tickets is an investment regardless of how good or bad the location is. Furthermore, sometimes if you buy tickets earlier, you could get better packages with them like fast passes or parking passes to make the experience easier.
Plan your night before the concert
So much stress can be alleviated by establishing a concert plan before the actual night. Know where the closest parking is and how much it costs, and have a few backup options if the first one is too expensive or full. Know which roads to take to the concert. Will highways be jammed, or backroads too slow? Having a planned route will also help you gauge how long it will take to get to the venue. Using the site where you purchased your ticket, find out how early the venue opens for the event to plan when you want to get there. If you have assigned seats, you don’t need to get there 5 hours early, but if you have pit tickets, you should consider getting to the venue 2-3 hours before the actual concert to get a good view. All venue details can be found either on the venue’s own website or the website where you purchased tickets for the concert.
Know the venue’s rules of what you can bring
Using the venue’s website or ticket website, find out what is permitted in the venue. Can you bring a sealed water bottle so you don’t have to spend $10 on a small water? Can you bring a small bag, or does it have to be a clear bag to pass security?
Wear comfortable shoes
Those heels may not hurt you for the first hour, but if a concert goes from 8-11pm, will your feet be on fire by the end? Will you be jumping in the pit and bumping into other people? Most likely, your feet will hurt by the end of the concert regardless of footwear, so lean towards your most comfortable options.
Clear phone storage space for photos and videos
No one wants to go to a concert and try to record their first video only to find that their phone storage is full. Take a moment the night before to make sure you have enough space to take photos and videos of your first concert experience.
And there you go! Some advice on how to tackle your first concert in college! Regardless of whether you follow these tips, it will be a night to remember, so don’t be afraid to take a chance and go experience music live!