Concerts are one of my favorite past times -- the atmosphere, the people and the music of course. Who doesn’t love seeing their favorite band or artist live? They can be a wonderful experience, one that people remember even years or decades later. As great as it would be to go right off to the concert the day of, there are a few important things to get done beforehand.
1. Find transportation.
Transportation is an essential factor of a concert that can often be overlooked. Sometimes people wait until the last minute possible before realizing they have no way of getting to the venue. It can be especially difficult to find transportation especially if you are short a car. As someone who doesn’t have a car in college, I know it can be hard to find some way of getting to the concert venue. The best thing to do it to plan far in advance some way of reaching your destination, so you aren’t left wondering what you missed.
2. Research the venue.
Knowing where you are going is the next step in the process. It is definitely necessary to know where this concert is going to be held. It just won’t work out if it is an outdoor venue, but you don’t dress correctly for the weather. Knowing the difference between general admission and reserved seating is another important thing to know. For general admission always remember to show up early to guarantee a good view of the stage. I definitely prefer small venues, they are more intimate and there is no such thing as a bad seat when you’re close to the stage everywhere.
3. Look up the opening artist.
This thing is something far too many people completely forget to do. The headliner will always have some kind of opener or two. I have gone to enough concerts to know that it can be extremely boring when an artist plays and you don’t know a single song of theirs. Whether you like their music or not, it can’t hurt to listen to two or three of their most popular songs that they are practically certain to play. Sometimes you’ll even realize you love the music of the opening artist -- I know some of my favorite bands have started as just an opener.
4. Buy some merchandise.
Attire is hardly the first thing to think of when attending a concert. I am someone who loves to sport my band T-shirts to express my devotion as a fan. My advice to anyone who also wants to wear an artist’s shirt to a concert is to not buy at the venue. The merchandise on site is awfully overpriced and definitely not worth spending your money on. Buying something online or in a store is a much better idea if you care for your wallet. You’ll look great no matter where you bought your clothing from!
5. Binge listen to the artist.
Finally, I would say it’s best to catch up on the artist’s music. Looking up the usual set list is great when knowing what to expect, and making sure you’ve listened to all those songs. Sometimes they even play their old stuff, so don’t shy away from the older albums -- you may even find songs you’ve never listened to that you like. It’s also a great way to get psyched about the upcoming concert.
These aren't all necessary things that need to be done before a concert, every experience is different and unique for each person. These are just some tips that can make your experience the most enjoyable, and the least stressful. Whatever you choose to do, I hope the concert is memorable!
