I have been to my fair share of concerts over the years. When I was in the sixth grade, I saw Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers at the Prudential Center. That show is what started a great love affair between myself and live music. I have found that concerts are so much more than just the music. Concerts are an experience, starting with buying tickets and ending with the inevitable PCD (post-concert depression).
1. Ticket sales
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Ticket sales are like the Hunger Games. You have to have great reflexes and a sense of good timing. You can't hesitate or have second thoughts about anything. Two seconds of hesitation or fumbling around for your credit card is the difference between floor seats and the nosebleeds. Buying concert tickets is 100 percent a competition and I came to win.
2. The venue
If you don't get those floor seats, it's not the end of the world. There are some venues that are just so magical and electric that it doesn't matter what sort of seats you get.
3. The merchandise table
T-shirts are an important part of any concert. It's a wearable souvenir from one of the best nights of your life. Plus, every concert t-shirt is made of some sort of material that is way softer and more comfortable than any regular shirt that you own. T-shirts aren't your thing? Then check out the sweatshirts, tank tops, bracelets, and posters that will inevitably be on sale.
4. Your squad
There's a reason Ticketmaster sells tickets in twos. Concerts are so much better when you go with someone you enjoy spending time with. You have a dance partner, someone you can scream songs with, and someone who won't judge you when you yell questionable things to the band onstage. In fact, they'll be right there with you, shouting marriage proposals to the drummer.
5. Your NEW squad
Concerts are a great place to meet new people. You already have a common interest with every other person there: the artist that you're seeing. Start a conversation with the person that you're standing next to and you'll be having a dance party with your new best friend by the third song in.
6. The opening act
The opening act can make or break a concert. The purpose of any opening act is to pump up the crowd and get them psyched for the main event while also publicizing their own music. They have to win the crowd over. A good opening act leaves you excited and wanting more while a mediocre opening act can leave you feeling unsatisfied and questioning the decisions of your favorite band. Like, really? This is the band you picked to precede you? Are you sure?
7. THEY'RE REAL OH MY GOD
There is no euphoria greater than watching your favorite band or artist come on stage. The moment that you fully understand that you're not in your dorm room listening to Spotify and that you're actually in the vicinity of your favorite artist of all time will make you weak at the knees.
8. Surprise cover and/or a surprise guest
One of the fun things about concerts is that you get to hear songs performed live that might not be on the artists' records. Panic! At the Disco wants to play "Bohemian Rhapsody"? Go for it. Ed Sheeran does a cover of "Be My Husband"? More power to him. Walk the Moon comes onstage to the opening of The Lion King? Coolest thing ever. And if there's a surprise guest, it's like getting a 2-pack of Starbursts and opening it to find 2 pink ones.
9. The classics
The best part of any concert is when the band or the artist plays your favorite song. It may be the first song that the band ever produced that made you like them in the first place, or it could be their newest release. Either way, we both know you'll be a hot mess when you hear the first note.
10. PCD
So the concert is over. You go home exhausted yet elated and pass out as soon as you get to your room. Then, you wake up the next morning and it hits you: post concert depression. All you can think about is the amazing time you had the night before. You can't stop looking through photos that you took, even if they're blurry and there's too much light so you can't even see the performers. You try to tell everyone about how much fun you had but you can't because you lost your voice from screaming. The only remedy to PCD? Buying more concert tickets.
