This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Chicago chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
A room reverberating with loud music and the thumping of bodies. Shameless dancing and arm flailing. A momentary release of all thoughts, your whole being enveloped in melody and bass. There are so many things to love about electro concerts. Here are some tips to make your next concert experience all the more fun and comfortable for you as well as everyone else:
- Wear a very light jacket to the venue that you can easily tie around your waist or, if the weather permits, none at all. Once you get inside, the venue will likely have the temperature of a sauna, rendering a jacket completely unnecessary. Although some venues do offer coat check, it’s frankly a waste of money and time (attempting to retrieve your coat at the end is the worst) unless you plan on being outdoors for a lengthy period of time before or after the concert. Another option would be to bring a small backpack or duffle bag that you can stuff your jacket into. Again, the lighter the jacket, the less of a burden it is to carry it around.
- Under this light jacket, wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty or possibly ruined. Often, people get drinks spilled on them or get rubbed on by other sweaty individuals. Additionally, if your manic dancing causes you to get pretty sweaty yourself, you may find that you want to use your top to wipe off the droplets.
- Bring a valid form of ID, i.e., your license. I recently made the mistake of going to a concert at the House of Blues last weekend without my license and thought that I could get in with my school ID. Nope. I was turned away and had to make the superfluous trip back to campus so I could retrieve my license. Overall, make sure you check before your leave that you have: proper form of ID, your ticket, phone & keys, and some cash or your credit/debit card.
- To my ladies with long hair: put your hair up! As much as you may want to show off your luscious locks, an unrestrained mane is a nuisance to everyone. The moment you start shaking your head, your hair, perhaps unbeknownst to you, attacks everyone around you, especially the poor souls standing directly behind. In addition to loose hair being annoying to others, it’s a safer and cleaner choice to keep your hair stacked in a clean bun or pony. It is very easy for hair to end up in other people’s mouths and drinks or to get inadvertently tugged.
- Don’t go overboard with the liquor, whether its pregaming before the concert or purchasing during. Not only is it sad when you realize that you don’t remember anything about the concert that you dished out money for, but extremely drunk people are also one of the worst things about concerts, particularly when those people suddenly take on violent/annoying tendencies. Almost every concert I’ve been to, I’ve seen people in their drunken stupor get carried out by security or worse, passed out in a toilet stall (and we all know that those restrooms are not the cleanest). Let’s not end up in that situation, okay?
- Stay hydrated. With all the dancing and sweat you’re losing, it’s important to keep your body hydrated with water. At times, the vendors selling alcohol will give out plastic cups of water for free. Often times, in attempts to leech the maximum amount of money from its guests, venues will charge for tap water. If you have extra cash on you and are willing to spend it, go ahead and cool yourself down with some ice water. Otherwise, go to the restroom and lap up some sink water.