Summer is halfway over and, unfortunately, that means that you only have a few weeks left to go until the summer concert season comes to a close. During the beginning half of the summer, I definitely went to my fair share of concerts and I have plenty more to get ready for in the upcoming weeks. That being said, my travels to each of the concerts this summer have been utterly crazy, to say the least. From being in the middle of a lightning storm and a semi-hurricane, to being stuck in traffic for hours in downtown Philadelphia, I have had my fair share of mishaps at each of these experiences. I have seen an abundance of both families and fangirls at said concerts, ready to live through a night of music, lose their voices from singing too much, and drink a bit. However, what shocked me the most was how unprepared everybody was. It was like they have never been to a concert before (which might have been the case). Disasters ranged from never even checking the weather before arriving to the venue, to getting a ticket because of an illegal u-turn.
With my past concert experiences, I would definitely consider myself a pro, braving snow, extreme heat, and hurricanes in order to hear an hour or two of a voice that I have been obsessing over for the past months or even years. I always seemed to find that the people sitting next to me at these concerts saw how prepared I was with one phone for taking pictures, one phone for recording an audio of the entire concert, and my portable phone charger. They would look to me for expertise, having those "I wish I would have done that" or "I wish I would have known that" moments. So, looking out for your well being, I have comprised a list of must haves and must dos when attending the last concerts of the summer.
1. Know the venue!
Knowing the venue is crucial to the perfect concert experience. Are you going to be sitting in the middle of a field during a humid summer night? Bring bug spray! Are you going to be sitting in a metal stadium waiting for the concert to start while a lightning storm just happens to strike? Know your exits!
Where are the bathrooms located? There is nothing like arriving to the venue, rushing to go to the bathroom because you were stuck in traffic for hours and you are about to miss the entirety of the first act. (Take it from somebody who has learned it the hard way.) Knowing exactly where the bathrooms are is going to save you time running around or asking one of the staff members to point you in a general direction, only for you to have to wander around looking. Extra tip--look at a map of the venue before arriving. Some will post tips like “this is the bathroom that hardly anyone knows about and you won’t have to wait in line for 10 minutes.” (Shoutout to The Mann in Philadelphia!)
Parking is an overlooked, yet extremely crucial part of your concert experience. Driving in may not be bad, depending on the traffic. Before you walk away from your car, know where you parked it! There is nothing like walking out of the stadium to hear thousands of people setting off their car alarms, only to confuse you even more. However, the traffic after the concert is enough to have you sit in the car for two hours while your ears are ringing and all you can hear is people blaring their horns at each other. Park right next to an exit; that way you have easy access to the road and you will be out of there in no time!
2. HYDRATE!
This should be a given to many people. Unfortunately, I have seen way too many people pass out before or during the concert due to a lack of hydration. You paid $80 for those tickets, why would you want to miss the whole thing because you were sent to the medical tent, or even worse, the hospital? Think of the pros and cons, going to the bathroom too many times, but keeping yourself hydrated or not drinking enough water and spending the rest of the night under medical attention. Think about it.
3. Brainstorm Instagram captions.
Weeks in advance, you should already be thinking about what kinds of pictures you will want to post on social media. Even more, start thinking about your Instagram caption. Make a list in your notes on your phone and add to it every time you think of an idea. Make a play off of a song, quote someone, or even title it bucket list. Whatever you do, just DO NOT put a ton of emojis, put a meaningless caption, or, the worst, don't caption it at all.
4. Shop till you drop.
Rule #1, never wear the same outfit to two different concerts or an outfit that you have already been photographed in. An outfit that you wear to a concert is one of the most important outfits. You need to start brainstorming in advance, thinking ahead to weather, atmosphere, type of concert, and personal issues that you might have with specific clothing items. Every piece of clothing must go hand in hand with the rest of the outfit, and that goes for sunglasses and shoes as well. Your outfit is going to be seen by thousands of people, give or take depending on the venue. Make it a good one. Plus, you never know if you are going to randomly run into the singer/band member you are hoping will find you attractive, sweep you off your feet, and marry you in a few years. (Yes fellow fangirls, I am talking to you.) Get the gang together and shop like there is no tomorrow.
5. Know the concert atmosphere.
I have come to find that there are three different types of atmospheres when attending a concert. Let's say you are going to a Bruce Springsteen concert. I can guarantee you, it is going to be an older crowd. You won't have many people around that are your age and that you can make friends with. That is not the type of concert to show off at, you are just there to chill and have a good time.
Next scenario: you are going to a Maroon 5 concert. This is the type of concert where you will get a mix of people. This concert will be segregated: super fans on the floor and “oh, I like their music” fans in the stands. If you are sitting in the stands, you might make a few friends, but again, you are just there to relax and have a good time. If you are on the floor, I can almost guarantee you that you will run into a few people your age that you will make friends with.
Now, lets say you are going to a One Direction concert. I will say back, "I wish you the best." Sitting there for hours, either waiting to gain entry into the venue or sitting in your seat waiting for the concert to start, you are going to run into thousands of fangirls just like yourself. There will be some that are stuck up and think they are better than you, but more often than not, you will make friends with the people around you. When the concert starts, your new group of 10 friends surrounds you as you all fangirl together in a judgment-free zone. It’s great.
6. Review your personal concert history.
People tend to brag a lot at concerts, myself very much included. Want to shut down a teenage fangirl that is sitting next to you saying she has been to a concert once before? Pull out your list of all the concerts you have been to before and the ones you are planning on attending. People around you will start flocking to you, asking you how a certain concert was and if you have any pictures. For example, here is my list:
November 22, 2005: Hot Tuna
July 25, 2008: Jonas Brothers, Avril Lavigne, Demi Lovato
May 15, 2009: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
January 10, 2010: Nick Jonas and the Administration
May 19, 2010: Bon Jovi
August 14, 2010: Jonas Brothers, Camp Rock cast, Demi Lovato
December 12, 2011: JoJo, Andy Grammar, Patrick Stump, Joe Jonas, Sean Paul, Big Time Rush, Hot Chelle Rae
May 29, 2013: Nikki Williams, MKTO, Little Mix
July 5, 2013: 5 Seconds of Summer, One Direction
July 6, 2013: 5 Seconds of Summer, One Direction
July 26, 2013: Serena Ryder, Hanson, Gavin DeGraw, The Script, OneRepublic, Train
July 27, 2013: MKTO, Emblem 3, Boyz II Men, Jonas Brothers, TLC, New Kids on the Block
October 22, 2013: Christina Grimme, Emblem 3, Selena Gomez
June 24, 2014: Emblem 3
July 1, 2014: Ed Sheeran, A Great Big World
July 19, 2014: New Politics, Paramore, Fall Out Boy
September 6, 2014: Ed Sheeran, Rudimental
February 17, 2015: Aaron Carter
May 26, 2015: Ed Sheeran, Foy Vance
June 11, 2015: Train, The Fray, Matt Nathanson
June 20, 2015: Hozier, The Antlers
August 8, 2015: Icona Pop, One Direction
August 15, 2015: Maroon 5, Nick Jonas
August 29, 2015: 5 Seconds of Summer
September 6, 2015: Nick Jonas
7. Memorize. Memorize. Memorize.
There is nothing more awkward than being surrounded by thousands of people that know the lyrics to a song that you don’t know. Look up past tour dates of the band/singer that you are going to see and make a playlist of the setlist and play the songs all the time. You will save yourself embarrassment and being called “not a real fan.” (Refer to setlist.fm for all of your concert setlist needs.)
8. Posters - Yay? or Nay?
If you don't have a clever phrase to put on a poster, don't bring one to the concert. Most likely, the stage lights and spotlights will be too bright for the band/singer to even see past the second row, so they will not even see it. Plus, it is more than frustrating to have the perfect view blocked by a massive poster that will not even be seen.
9. Pack a concert emergency kit!
After a recent concert, a friend of mine and I were in dire need of a change of clothes (because of a massive downpour) and a portable phone charger. We came to an agreement that we must always carry around a concert emergency kit. Put it in the back of your car and keep handy for all of your concert mishap needs. What should you put in it, might you ask? Well, a spare change of clothes, a portable charger, a protein bar, a massive bottle of water, sunblock, chapstick, a pack of gum, an extra pair of shoes, plastic bags to put electronics in, an extra pair of sunglasses, a wad of cash, a towel, makeup remover, feminine products (a massive fear of mine), and a sharpie (just in case you happen to run into your favorite band member).
Good luck braving your next concert!
