Festival and concert season (cueing red rocks) is just around the corner and one of my new years resolutions this year is to attend more concerts, festivals, and shows by my favorite artists. I've personally had my eyes on Bonnaroo, Shaky Beats, Global Dance, and Lollapalooza just to name a few. As we are all aware, they can be a costly thing. From the tickets themselves, to planning outfits, to planning accordingly if the event is out of town, I decided to ask my friends who are experts in the field for some 101 tips for people like me who want to start attending some killer shows this year too.
1. Finding a concert/festival
It sounds so simple for some but I used to be clueless when it came to even knowing when a favorite artist of mine was performing in town until the day after when everyone would be posting Instagram pictures from the show, it used to get me so frustrated. So some tips from my friends; don't be afraid to follow your favorite artists and festivals on social media, especially Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. This is probably one of the best ways to stay informed on when a show is coming up! One of my favorite apps to use is bandsintown, download it from the app store and depending on the songs/artists in your iTunes library, it'll tell you when they have a show coming up near you. Iconic.
2. The $$$
This is probably one of the biggest things that hold most of us back from attending a show, having the money for it. What I've learned is it boils down to how badly you want to go, being money savy is crucial. If you're lucky the event will have a payment plan so you don't have to pay it all right away, but this requires being diligent and remembering to set money aside each month for the payment. Now that I finally have a steady job with a paycheck coming in every 2 weeks I have to make sure that I'm smart with it, buying groceries every week instead of going out to eat, not going out on the weekends so much and doing homework instead so I'm spending less, and especially putting most of it into my savings account so I can attend some killer concerts and festivals among other things this summer. I've decided that when I check my bank account every other Friday morning and do a happy dance, immediately after I need to transfer an already determined amount into my savings for emergencies and "fun funds."
3. The travel arrangements
Chances are if you're going to a festival, it's out of town. So money really comes into play here. My friend Monique (who went to EDC these past two summers) says driving usually tends to be cheaper rather flying, especially if you're going with a group of friends who can all pitch for gas. She recommends taking an extra day after the festival if you're driving so you have time to recover because the drive back can be dreadful from going hard for 48 hours straight or longer. If you do decide to fly, she recommends putting aside about $50-$75 aside from each paycheck for the plane ticket, and about the same amount for the hotel room, but that also depends on how many people you're sharing a room with. JusCollege is a great travel company to use if you're a college student, they offer great packages for concerts, spring break trips, and more.
4. Outfits
For girls (and some guys,) outfits are almost as important as the festival itself. I asked Monique where she gets some of her clothes and she recommended boohoo and iheartraves. Both have really good prices on their items! But if you're into DIY's, I highly recommend doing your own festival pieces that way they're unique and can help represent your own style.
5. Wise tips for the show itself
My friend Andre also gave some good advice, "Establish a budget. Festivals are expensive. $100 a day on average should be more than enough." This is crucial, it sounds like a lot but remember shows can be costly and it's important to be prepared, this will help to cover food, drinks, merchandise from the event, etc.
Another good tip he gave is to bring a camel back (he wrote this in all caps,) water is essential, especially in the summer time when it's hot, you're probably drinking amongst other things, so please remember to hydrate responsibly!
Also, please remember to take care of yourself and your squad. Festivals and concerts can be an intense, all over the place thing and "like a party, some people can't hang." If you think someone needs water or help, do what you can to be a good person and make sure they're okay. "Those who rage together, help each other."
Most importantly remember to have fun! You put all of the work into going so make the most out of the experience. One of the main reasons I wanted to make going to concerts and festivals apart of my new years resolutions list is because they bring people together that would be impossible to meet otherwise and they bring a fan closer to their favorite artists. They can also be some of the best moments of your life. Hopefully these tips not only helped you, but also inspired you to do some more research of that festival you keep dreaming about.
