Being a music lover, concerts come with the territory. Concerts are an amazing way to experience music in a whole new way. As someone who has been to many concerts, here are some tips and tricks to make sure your next concert experience is a good one!
Pack Light
Most venues now will only let you have a bag that is a certain size. The standardized size can change based on the venue, but usually, your bag has to be the size of a medium-sized wrist-let. Anything bigger and you’ll be turned away at security which is the last thing you want. This is why packing light is essential. Only pack necessities in your venue bag, then keep a bigger bag in your car for before and after the show.
Bandaids
Bandaids are great to have on hand for yourself and the drunk person next to you that is bound to take a tumble. Keeping a few with you can help with a skinned knee, a basic cut, or a nasty blister from jumping in uncomfortable shoes.
Stay Hydrated
Being hydrated is by far the most important thing when it comes to concert preparedness, other than your ticket. No one wants to see you pass out from dehydration or heat exhaustion so you might as well drink a lot of water before and after the show. If you are able to drink water during the show even better! I know that some places charge a lot for a bottle of water, so just be prepared!
Makeup Wipe Singles
For all my friends out there that wear their “statement” makeup to concerts, I’m there with you. One of the best parts about going to concerts, other than the music, is seeing other people’s sense of style and showing off that concert outfit you spent days picking out. While that makeup is going to look great at the beginning of the show, it’s going to smudge throughout the set, and you’re not going to want to keep that face on afterward, especially if driving from another place. Makeup wipe singles are great because they don’t take up much room, but also keep you from looking silly if you pass out.
Don’t Buy Bootleg Merchandise
Especially outside major concerts, you may see people selling what looks like tour merchandise on the streets outside of the venue. I recommended not buying from them because the shirts are in no way authentic, and usually are very bad quality. Tour merch can be very expensive and can be a big turnoff to people looking for a souvenir. If you don’t want to spend $80 on a T-shirt, I recommend going to a place like Hot Topic to get band essentials. It’s also a great idea to find shirts on online stores like Etsy, where your merch can be customized. You get to help out a small business as well!
Drink Tea
If you’re anything like me, you are going to be screaming at the top of your lungs for the entirety of the show. The amount of times I have woken up the day after a show and had no resemblance of a voice is uncountable at this point. To counteract this, I recommend drinking some warm tea or water after the show, and the morning after so that you can talk to people the next day without your throat feeling like the Sahara.
Earplugs
Hearing loss is no joke and the closer you are to the stage, the louder it is. It’s always a good idea to bring a pack of earplugs with you so that you can protect your ears from the soundwaves. You may feel a little stupid wearing them but you’ll thank me later when you can hear the person next to you on the way home.
Make Friends with the People Around You
Making friends with the people next to you is a great thing to do. You can make long-lasting friendships and people to talk with while waiting for the show to start. At the very least, they could give you a tissue when you’re like me and are obviously crying throughout the set. The heads-up when someone being crowd-surfed is about to kick you in the face is a plus too!
Always Have a Meeting Spot
On a more serious note, always, always, ALWAYS have a meet-up spot for you and your friends if something ever happens. Sometimes you just need to find each other after the show. Other times there could be real emergencies where you need to keep everyone accounted for. Safety is a huge part of having a fun-filled concert experience, so always be prepared and alert!
Unless Participating, Stay Away from Mosh Pits
This tip depends on the type of show you are going to, but if you see a mosh pit forming, stay back. Obviously, if you want to participate in a mosh, that’s a different story; knock yourself out (literally). Unfortunately, it can be hard for “moshers” to tell who is in on it and who isn’t. The best thing to do is stay away from the forming circle as soon as you see it. I could’ve saved myself a punch to the face if I knew this earlier.
Make Friends with Security and Crew
One of my favorite things to do at shows is talk to and make friends with the security/crew at the venues. This is a lot easier to do at smaller places, but it is totally worth it. The amount of times my friends and I have been able to get extra guitar picks, set lists, etc. is crazy! Also, these are some of the coolest people you’ll ever meet, and a lot of them have awesome stories from touring with bands.
With these new tips for concert-goers, I’m sure your next experience will be a fun and well-informed one!
HCXO,
Jackie