Concerts. An exhilarating experience that evokes a unique rush of excitement and joy, yet also a laborious and draining challenge. My first concert experience was during Stampede 2014 at the Coca-Cola stage, eagerly waiting for A Great Big World. We didn’t know any songs by them other than “Say Something“, but we still decided to wait hours in front of the stage, trying to learn the lyrics to some of their other songs. The concert ended up being one of the most memorable experiences of that summer, and I’ve had a passion for concerts and live music ever since.
My first concert experience after the Coke Stage was quite intimidating because I had no idea what to expect. Numerous artists, venues, and shows later and I am still no expert, but here are some tips and tricks I learned along the way on how to optimize your concert experience.
NOTE: These tips are more geared towards General Admissions concerts (a concert with no assigned seating but a standing general admissions floor in front of the stage) because I am most familiar with them. However, I am sure these tips are still applicable to all concerts.
Pack for Success
One crucial rule to remember when attending a concert is to pack light. You don’t want to let aching shoulder pains prevent you from bopping to your favourite song, and it’s kind of very irritating when the person in front of you has a huge backpack that hits you every time they make the slightest movement. Personally, I found that even a small cinch bag got in the way and hit the people around me, so it might be better to stay away from them, as well as backpacks. Small side purses with a shoulder strap work great but the ideal choice is undoubtedly a good old fanny pack. This beautiful species of bag are a) not of inconvenience to others b) gives full arm mobility to really dance to the music c) keeps everything in extremely comfortable reach and d) no shoulder pains!!!
Here is a short and sweet list of my concert essentials:
- ticket- very important.
- phone- also, very important.
- cash- a lot of venues only accept cash for merchandise. Bringing cash is strongly recommended unless you’re okay with using an ATM and paying a service fee.
- portable phone charger- your battery will drain quickly! This is a must!
- water and snacks- for when you’re waiting outside to enter the venue.
Come Early
This tip only really applies to concerts with no assigned seating. If you really love the artist and want to be close to the stage, start lining up early. Extremely dedicated fans will wait from as early as 4 am to be at the barricade, depending on how popular the artist is. Yes, it is not the most pleasant experience to wait 5 hours outside in the middle of winter when you are fairly certain you are on the verge of hypothermia, but as long as you dress in layers, have a scorching cup of hot chocolate, and friends to keep you company, you will survive!
Stay Hydrated
I cannot stress this enough. Stay. Hydrated. There are a number of times that excited concert attendees had to leave the pit before the show began, or passed out in the middle of the set because they were dehydrated. Either buy water at the venue (because a lot of venues do not let you bring in your own water) or, if you’re close to the barricade, ask one of the security guards for a drink. Oftentimes, they have water bottles with them to give to you because pulling out passed- out dehydrated teenage girls is not particularly high on their wish list.
Learn the Lyrics
Although live music is always a wonderful experience regardless of if you know the lyrics or not, I find a concert significantly more fun and exciting when you’re able to sing along to the songs. Singing at the top of your lungs to the point of losing your voice halfway through the show is a key component of the ultimate concert experience. I typically listen to the artist’s albums on repeat for months in preparation for the big day, and the blood, sweat, and tears put into all of the arduous memorizing is always worth it.
Don’t Watch the Show Through a Screen
This is hands- down one of my top tips. It is the biggest mistake my overly-enthusiastic 14-year-old self-made at that first concert a few years ago. I literally recorded the entire set but, to this day, have only watched the recordings once or twice. I do encourage filming your favourite song or particularly exciting moments of the show for memories sake, and also to help you get over that potential case of PCD (Post Concert Depression).
Most importantly, have fun and stay safe.
🙂