Tips to rock a concert
This weekend I saw the ultimate concert – U2 360 tour J. Amidst a lot of blunders and waiting periods, I realised that it would be helpful to jot down some tips to make the most of future rock concerts that I might attend. Who better to pen these tips than me – with my limited rock concert experience and my propensity for bad luck to follow me around like a dark cloud.
The most important piece of advice I have is: don’t forget your ticket. Maybe it’s just me who forgets things all the time but driving halfway through the city only to have this nagging feeling that I left something at home is not the way to emotionally prepare yourself for one of the amazing bands of all time…especially when retrieving my ticket involves walking up two flights of stairs.
Now I live in my heels so naturally I go everywhere wearing them; so I’ve learnt the hard way that walking a good distance from the parking lot to the venue and then standing and jumping up and down for hours is not very pleasant on your little feet. Appropriate dress is key but while you’re comfortable in your jeans, t-shirt and sneakers, remember that this is a huge event so bring out your inner rock star and don that rock look on cos the older you get the more likely it is that you aint gonna be able to pull off a punk rock look anywhere else.
Speaking of getting older, perhaps I’m too young to understand or just not in the right phase of my life yet but is it really appropriate to bring little kids to a concert – especially one that is going to be completely wasted on them? Ten year olds don’t know who Bono is and I don’t think they’re going to remember the awesomeness that was the claw. That being said, I’m not gonna waste a grand on my kid who is going to be tired and irritable, doesn’t have the patience to walk or stand in a crowd, feels hungry and needs to use the bathroom at all odd times during the most exciting parts of the concert. Kids also have a tendency to bother other people around them who don’t want kids near them so get a babysitter.
Very often you’re surrounded by swarms of people (and sometimes kids) especially if the concert you’re attending has sold 98 000 tickets. Queues are inevitable and so is waiting in close proximity to strangers. I think it might be the ideal opportunity to practise a little bit of queue etiquette. Rule number 1: do not attempt to cut the queue if people have been waiting there for an hour already. Not only is it unfair but people get cranky and somebody might injure you for trying to get ahead. Rule number 2: even if the weather looks deceptively overcast, carry some deodorant in your bag of things. If I’m not mistaken, sharing your BO is an infringement on other people’s basic human rights. Rule number 3: surely there’s some law that says you shouldn’t smoke within close proximity of other humans that want to spare their lungs from the torment of cancer. I have lots of smoker friends who believe they have the right to smoke where they want and if you don’t like it then you should leave. Let’s face it, in an environment where there’s one smoker out of a thousand, you’re kind of out-numbered and you’re making the queuing in the hot sun even more unbearable. Rule number 4: I don’t care what your culture or race is but if the person you’re talking to is standing right next to you, how about not yelling at the top of your lungs. We’re all here to have fun and pleasant banter around you just adds to the ambience but talking that loudly – is it really necessary?
And when those people in the queue join the rest of audience, there tends to be inappropriate proportion of the number of people to toilets. That is why you need to carry tissues. If you decide to leave your handbag at home, please remember to stuff some tissues into your pockets along with the cash you have to buy drinks that lead you to use the bathroom frequently. Toilet paper has the tendency to run out and no girl likes to drip dry.
In the event of a concert held at a stadium, if you can’t get golden circle then rather choose to be in the crowd on the ground instead of the stands. The atmosphere is awesome in the crowds, the tickets are cheaper and everyone has more fun. The stands were meant for old people who can’t jump around and scream like they used to.
And above all, have fun. Road trip there, eats loads of junk and pee on the side of the road if you want to. Make it memorable - take pics like a Japanese tourist. Profess your groupie status to random people. Scream at the top of your lungs. Smile through all the blunders because having and making your own fun is how you truly rock at a concert.
Are there any tips you’d like to add?
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