Concert ready: Tips for first-time concertgoers
Key takeaways
- Concerts are an amazing way to experience your favorite band live, but it’s always a good idea to make sure you know what to expect.
- Make sure to properly prepare for your concert by pre-ordering your ticket, wearing a suitable outfit and planning your journey.
- Bring everything you’ll need for your day out, including your ID, some earplugs, some food and water and a small bag to keep it all in.
- Staying safe at a concert is key, so keep a close eye on your belongings and make sure to give your ears a rest every now and then.
- The most important thing is to go out and enjoy yourself. You deserve it!
What’s a better experience than your first ever concert?
The music, the fashion, the food, the dancing – everything is just so exciting.
But your first time at a loud and busy concert can be a bit stressful, especially if you don’t exactly feel at home in loud environments or bustling crowds.
So to help settle any pre-concert anxiety, we’ve put together a full rundown on how to be “concert ready” and make sure you have everything you need for your first concert.
How to prepare for a concert
So you’re about to set foot in the world of concerts and festivals, but it’s your first time and you want to make sure you’re prepared. Well, you’ve come to the right place.
Here’s a few things you’ll want to consider for how to prep for a concert:
1. Pre-order your ticket
First things first: no ticket, no concert.
Depending on the scale of the concert you’re going to, some people will just turn up and hope to buy a ticket on the door. But if it’s your first time, you won’t want your experience to be ruined before you even get started.
It’s always a good idea to pre-order your ticket so you can be sure that you’re going to get in and have an amazing time.
Just remember to actually take your ticket with you!
2. Wear comfy clothes
Fashion statements at concerts are a big thing.
People go to gigs and raves in the wildest and most wonderful outfits you could ever want, but style isn’t everything. Because after all, your full neon suit with glittery wings may look incredible, but when you’re at a heavy metal concert in the middle of a mosh pit those wings won’t last long.
You’ll want to make sure your outfit is suitable for the venue. For example, if it’s outside at night, you might want to put some extra layers on, or if it’s outside in the heat you’ll want to make sure you’re wearing loose clothes that won’t make you overheat.
And if your concert is indoors, you’ll want to make sure that you’re wearing clothes that are comfortable and that you won’t overheat in – like a nice comfy T-shirt and jeans.
You should also avoid wearing things like high heels or new shoes that could give you blisters – just your old, comfy, and trusted street shoes will do perfectly.
3. Plan your journey
If you’re off to a big venue, then getting there can be a bit of a hassle.
Be sure to research the logistics of getting to your concert. Whether that’s making sure there’s adequate parking if you’re driving, making sure that it can be reached by public transport or finding out if there are any free shuttle services available to take you to and from the venue.
What to bring to a concert
It’s your first concert, and you want to make absolutely sure that you’ve got everything you need to have the best experience possible. So here’s our list of “must-haves” to help you be certain you’re all packed and ready to rock:
1. The essentials: ID, cash and your phone
Picture this:
You rock up to the gate with your friends, looking as good as you feel. The security asks you for your ID and suddenly you feel the color drain from your face. Because you know exactly where your ID is: at home.
Shudder.
But luckily for you, you won’t have to experience that because you’ve checked this list and made sure to pack your ID; some spare cash for some food, drinks, or merch; and your phone in case of any emergencies.
2. Earplugs
You’ve only got two ears, so you’d better look after them.
Concerts are loud. We know that sounds pretty obvious, but what isn’t obvious is how much this can harm your ears (more on that later).
Loop earplugs are a great way to take your world of sound into your own hands and efficiently protect your hearing.
Our Experience earplugs can help you to reduce noise levels by up to 18 decibels, allowing you to fully immerse yourself and enjoy your favorite live music without having to sacrifice the health of your ears.
Plus, Loop earplugs come in a handy little case which is perfect for when you want to pack light.
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3. A portable charger
If you’re going to be taking videos of the band, snapping pictures with your friends, or using your phone as a flashlight for those “wave-along” numbers, then chances are your battery is going to run flat.
But after the gig, you don’t want to be stuck without a phone — so make sure you bring along a portable charger for a quick bit of juice for your cell phone.
4. Sunscreen, snacks, and drinks
If your concert is out in the sun, chances are you’re going to get hot and thirsty – and the last thing you’ll want to worry about is getting heatstroke when you’re just trying to chill out and have a good time.
You might also get a bit hungry, but you don’t want to lug around a full packed lunch and a huge two-liter bottle of water. So make sure you just bring some sunscreen, a small snack and an appropriately sized bottle of water to keep you topped up and ready to rock.
5. A small bag
So now you’re probably thinking “I’ve got everything you’ve listed, but I only have so many pockets! Where am I supposed to fit all of this?”
You won’t want to bring a massive backpack or handbag to a concert. If you’re carrying something big and bulky, you probably won’t be the most popular person for everyone around you as you continually bash into people.
That’s why a belt bag, bum bag, fanny pack, waist pack – whatever you might call it – is perfect for concerts. It’s big enough to hold the essentials but small enough to not get in anyone's way.
Plus, you can keep it close to you and perfectly in sight – so there’s much less chance someone can steal any of your valuables without you noticing.
How to stay safe at a concert
Concert safety is always important. Of course, you want to have a good time – but you also want to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to be as safe as possible.
Staying safe at a concert is a mix of doing your research first and practicing common sense.
So here are some tips for staying safe at a concert:
Look after your ears
The average concert or festival normally reaches noise levels of around 100 decibels, and can commonly reach 120 decibels. And the fact is exposure to noise levels this high can really take a toll on your hearing – especially if it’s for prolonged periods of time.
It’s recommended that for every hour that you spend in a high-volume environment, you should take around 10 minutes to let your ears rest and recuperate.
Or you could make use of earplugs to help reduce the decibel levels. Loop Experience earplugs filter sound to allow you to fully experience your music whilst also keeping your ears safe.
That way you can continue to enjoy your concert without experiencing an unpleasant ringing in your ears afterward, or even worse – permanent hearing damage.
Keep an eye on your personal belongings
We’ve already touched on the importance of taking a fanny pack to your first concert, but you still need to keep a close eye on your personal belongings to make sure nobody either accidentally takes your things or purposefully steals them.
Pickpocketing and petty theft is common in festivals and concerts, with things like cell phones, wallets and other small valuables being the main targets. So make sure you keep your valuables close to you at all times.
How to get the best concert experience
We get it, if it’s your first time at a gig then you’re going to want to be clued in on how to have the best time possible and squash any pre-concert anxiety.
So here are some of our top first-concert tips:
Know your concert etiquette
You’ve been waiting to see this concert for months. You got there early to make sure you’re near the front, you’ve got your best outfit on that’s been in the works for ages, and the band has just walked onto the stage in all their glory – here we go!
Then, suddenly, a drunk person knocks past you, spilling their drink all over everyone, stands directly in front of you and starts loudly singing along.
Nightmare.
Concert etiquette isn’t just about keeping yourself or others in check. It’s also about making sure that everyone can have the best time possible while being respectful to others.
Here are some of the most common tips for concert etiquette:
- Be ready: Have your ticket ready when you’re queuing up to get in.
- Don’t block someone’s view: If you’re tall, try not to stand in front of someone that’s smaller than you.
- Don’t be a pusher: If you’re late, don’t push to the front of the crowd.
- Dance away, but be careful: Feel free to dance and have a good time, but make sure you’re not pushing the people around you.
- You’re not auditioning to be the new singer: Don’t sing at the top of your lungs if no one else is.
- Keep your spills in check: Hold your drink steady and try not to spill it on someone.
- Know your limits: Don’t get too drunk.
Be respectful: Don’t talk through quiet songs or songs that aren’t your favorite.
Live in the moment
You’ll often see people watching the entire concert through their phone screens as they capture their favorite songs on video, but you’re there to watch the concert – so watch it!
There’s nothing quite like experiencing your favorite band live. So of course take a few photos and snap a short video every now and then, but also do your best to stay present in the moment and really take everything in.
Plus, you’ll almost certainly be able to find videos of the concert online somewhere anyway, so you don’t have to worry about capturing it yourself.
Don’t be afraid to go alone
Going to concerts alone can be a fun, rewarding experience.
There’s a bit of social taboo associated with a solo concert trip in the same way that going to a restaurant alone can make people feel uncomfortable – but if your friends are busy, why shouldn’t you go alone?
It’s important to remember that people either won’t notice or just won’t care that you’re there by yourself. Plus, it can actually be a much easier experience. You can grab a drink whenever you want, move anywhere in the crowd with minimal fuss, and even strike up a conversation with other people if the mood takes you.
Have fun!
Last, but certainly not least, make sure that you just relax and enjoy yourself.
Going to concerts isn’t an everyday thing. It’s quite likely that you’ve shelled out a bit of money for this, you’ve taken the time to plan it, you may have even taken time off work – so kick back and make sure that you have the best time possible.
Make your first concert your best concert
Let’s make one thing clear: Going to a concert shouldn’t be a chore.
It should be amazing fun, a wonderful experience and something that you’ll remember for a long time – especially if it’s your first time going to a concert.
So if you’re battling with any pre-concert anxiety, or worrying about whether you’re going to remember everything you need, just remember that this is all about having a good time. So embrace the situation and just go with the flow – and we’re sure you’ll come out of it ready and raring to book your next one.
And if you’re worried about the noise levels, earplugs such as Loop Experience allow you to live in the moment whilst also keeping your ears safe in high-volume environments.
Providing 18 decibels of noise reduction, these earplugs filter sound equally across all frequencies, so you can hear every lyric, chord and beat as clear as day – while also making sure your ears don’t suffer.
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