Attending a concert or festival can be daunting for someone who doesn’t do it often. You have the roaring crowds, thousands of strangers all rushing to the same place, speakers screaming in your ears, and lights flashing in your eyes for hours as you try to enjoy the show that you had to conquer ticketmaster and spend your hard earned money on just to get in. Someone who used to panic on the days leading up to a concert and not calm down until I was home that night, I’m here to tell you it gets easier when you know what you’re doing. From a frequent concert goer and perpetual ball of anxiety, here are the best tips for attending a concert safely and happily to optimize your experience at the show.

My first tip is to wear comfortable shoes. A big component of attending concerts these days is the elaborate outfits planned by fans. I quickly learned that no matter how cute and planned out your outfit is, comfortable footwear will make or break your experience. Blisters and foot pain are not worth the handful of full body pictures you’ll likely take all night. Additionally, whether your event is indoors or outside, dress for the weather. This is something I myself don’t do and I regret it every time. If it’s raining, wear a coat, you can hang it on your chair. Don’t wear wide open ripped jeans if it’s snowing and definitely don’t wear a long sleeve shirt and overalls for an outdoor concert at the end of May. 

Tip two: hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Whether you’re traveling by car, train, or foot, drink water as you go. Many venues won’t allow you to enter with food or liquid from outside, but no matter if you’re on the floor in a mosh pit or in the nosebleeds, it is always wise to keep yourself fed and full of water. Of course you can always buy food and water at the venue, but let’s be honest, prices are astronomical for mediocre choices of chicken tenders and burgers. Additionally, consult your venue’s website for information about items allowed inside such as bags and umbrellas. Most venues will allow small bags such as fanny packs or belt bags but recently, regulations have changed to allow bigger bags in as long as they are clear. Clear tote bags, crossbodies and backpacks can be found on amazon for affordable prices. Make sure any bag you bring closes with a zipper to avoid anything falling out for being stolen from out of it on mass transit or in the venue.

Tip three: have fun! There is so much concern around judgment at concerts. “Am I wearing the right thing?” “Am I taking too many pictures?” “Am I singing too loud?” The real question you should ask yourself is “am I having the best time I possibly could?” If the answer is yes, then you’re doing it all right. Take all of the pictures, film your favorite songs, DIY your perfect outfit, buy the tour shirt, sing your heart out to every chorus. The performer is there to do what they love for people who love what they do, match that energy and have the time of your life. Another way to relive your concert experience other than taking pictures and videos is to make a playlist of the setlist to listen to over and over again. Setlist.fm is a great resource to find and upload setlists from any concert you’ve been to to accurately recreate the setlist on your prefered streaming platform. 

I am so grateful to have the opportunity to see my favorite artists in concert. As someone who has been to 15 concerts and counting and is always learning from her mistakes, I think these tips are a great foundation to build a concert routine that will help you enjoy your show and yourself at live music events.