How to survive a concert
Claire Rosinkranz seen from inside the pit at the El Rey Theatre. Tesia Ziobrowski | Lariat
Going to a concert can be a thrilling experience, but a lot of preparation goes into it. Here are the ups and downs of attending a concert as well as tips on how to survive one.
First and foremost, arriving early to make sure you get good parking and have enough time for photos and merch lines before the concert is always a good idea.
General admission or “pit,” is a blast but requires extensive planning if you want to get right up to the barricade.
If you have seats, it’s a lot easier, but you’ll be farther away depending on whether you’re in the nosebleeds or lower bowl. Having seats is almost like having a “home base,” and you’ll have more time to relax before the show.
If you’re there for a good time and to just enjoy the artist I would suggest seats instead of GA but, if this is your favorite artist ever, the pit is the way to go.
Ultimately, it depends on how much you like the artist and how big your budget is for tickets. Some venues only offer floor tickets or pit, which is common for smaller artists and venues.
Gracie Abrams seen from the middle section of seats at the Greek Theatre. Tesia Ziobrowski | Lariat
The main difference between smaller and bigger artists is usually the venue. Other differences include the number of shows, the opening act, where they visit (if they’re on tour), whether they can do a meet-and-greet and more.
When on tour, most smaller artists won’t have many shows, and you probably won’t recognize the opener. Bigger artists will almost always perform every day during a tour and, depending on their popularity, will have recognizable openers—sometimes even more than one.
A larger venue like Sofi Stadium performed in by Taylor Swift during The Eras Tour. Tesia Ziobrowski | Lariat
- Portable charger
- Comfortable shoes (especially if you’re in general admission.)
- Jacket (It will be cold after the concert, so either keep it in your car or in your seat unless you want it to be with you.)
- Digital camera (This isn’t a must but it’s always fun and depending on the camera you can get nice really close photos with zoom.)
- Small/clear bag (Depending on the venue rules a clear bag might be necessary but any small bag is important to bring.)
- Hair tie (If you have longer hair I would suggest a hair tie if you’re in general admission.)
- Cash and card (You never know what form of payment a venue will take, so I would suggest both.)
- Water bottle (If you drove to the venue I would keep a water bottle in your car for after the concert, but don’t bring it in with you.)
- ID (This is kind of an obvious one but just always keep it on your checklist.)
- Ear plugs (These can be a preference; if loud concerts really affect your hearing then it would be wise to have these, but it’s up to you.)
- New shoes (They might look good, but at the end of the night your feet are going to regret it)
- Loose rings (For any jewelry you wear, make sure to keep track of it, especially rings, which can come off easily.)
- Professional cameras (Unless you are the band’s photographer don’t bring a professional camera, as it will distract the other fans and no one wants a flash in their face. Also, most venues won’t let you bring it in.)
- Big bags (A lot of venues restrict bags and large bags are not recommended)
- Large signs (It’s one thing to bring a small sign to a concert where the artist encourages signs, but it’s another to block other fans’ view of the stage.)
- Selfie sticks (It’s distracting to other fans; imagine taking a photo of the artist and a giant selfie stick is right in the middle of the picture—no thank you.)
*Some of these suggestions are from this Ticketmaster article.
With all that being said, hope this helps you with your next or even your first concert! Have a great time, focus on the experience and make memories. That’s the best way to truly enjoy a concert.
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