I love pizza, a great fitting pair of jeans that doesn’t suffocate my stomach, rainy days, big dogs. For attention span purposes it was easier to list the few things I actually love than the ever-growing list of things I hate. I try and recall when did I become so bitter about many things? After all my mom raised me to be kind and always see the bright side of everything but the older I have gotten the more I detest certain things in life, case in point: dairy/gluten free pizza, just WTF. There is one thing I hate more in life though and that is having a shitty spot in a concert.
My mind always drifts to my second concert in life: Jack White at The Fox Theater in Detroit (Lazaretto Tour). I had gotten a job as a bartender in a college town which meant I finally had cash to make it rain (haha, I wish). Tickets went on sale prior to my having said job hence I didn't catch a pre=sale. I paid through the roof to get this ticket on stub hub but since Jack is one of my idols I had little care about my finances. Show day came and I made way to Detroit for the night of my dreams and then… I had a shitty seat on the main floor and I was surrounded by giants. At only 5’4 (1.62) I stand out in shortness in Michigan. That night Jack reached into my soul but couldn't register into my optic nerve. Since then I have avoided seated shows like the plague and have converted to a main floor front row person.
Main floor is not a place, it’s a state of mind.
Ugh that line is too pretentious for this blog. Let me rephrase it. Main floor is where the good shit happens. The place where you lose your shoes, where you get beat in a pit, the spot where you make sexy eyes to the lead singer. Main floor holds so many moments it should have its own spotlight along with the performing artists. Relationships start on the main floor, these also end on the main floor when your significant other notices your obvious thirst for the base player. It has given me countless memories that I only want to grow old, so I can invite the youths for a cigar and a story about that time I walked out of the Cage the Elephant concert with blood on my shirt that wasn’t mine. I now have 8 years of experience in my concert belt (wish this shit could land me a job on Linked In) and would like to share my tips with you.
This knowledge is free of charge, but it is worth A SHIT TON OF MONEY (8 years of concerts and festivals, add it up and damn).
1.Get a physical ticket.
Physical tickets are now a thing of the past. I hate this trend. Don’t get me wrong I am all about let’s save planet earth and the Kiwi’s but I severely dislike not having a physical ticket. Not having a physical ticket with you can impair your chances of being front row. How do I know? I worked box office with Live Nation long enough to know what people do with their tickets when they aren’t physical. Your phone got lost, your out of power, you have the wrong QR code, you didn’t accept the ticket properly through the transfer, you have no data for it to load…
The list of shit that can go (and will go) wrong with your digital ticket is long. So fuck the Kiwi’s and get a physical ticket!
2. Who’s playing matters
Depending on who you are seeing you are either in for a good chance to be front row or not. I have overestimated the popularity of many artists in the “stand in line” department. Last year I had planned to show up to an Arctic Monkeys concert in Detroit till 3pm to lineup (with doors at 7pm). Little did I know that the Monkeys were incredibly popular with the youths and that they had set up camp the night before to get a chance to be close and personal. Thankfully some friends warned me about Tumbler girls (still don’t know what this means) and how they are not to be fucked around with, so I managed to change my plan for the day and lineup up early.
Ask yourself: Am I committed to be around the hardcore fans (and perhaps their pushy moms) for this? If the answer is yes, yes, yes then proceed with the list.
3. Pack Nothing
As a woman a purse just delays you at a show. Security will check it (and they should because this world is fucked up and we must ALWAYS remember Bataclan) probably causing you to sit back while other purse-less people walk on by. I recommend having a jacket with pockets (dress with pockets always better because you can show off that IT HAS POCKETS!) to store what is truly needed, in my case I always have my ID, Credit Card, Phone, car keys, lipstick and a foldable reusable bag for merch at the end of the night.
4. Check for Parking before the show
A lot of people drive from out of town for a show. Knowing the law of the land is imperative because the last thing you want once your show is over is to see a parking ticket on your vehicle. If you are planning to go solo look for a parking spot closest to the venue (safety first!)
Here is a little life hack if you are doing this in the Detroit area: Some parking structure offer all day parking for a certain fee. The rate is cheaper about 4 hours before the scheduled door time.
5. Get a snack
If you drove from out of the city for a show SNACKS are a MUST. I don’t mean snacks for before the show I mean snacks for after the show. You will walk out of the venue hungry and thirsty so make sure you have something hiding in your vehicle to quench your needs. In winter season I usually leave a pizza in the vehicle for after the show (cold pizza is the food of champions ok). I greatly appreciated this habit after being stuck in a parking lot for 2 hours after Muse’s Drones show in Detroit.
6. When to line up
Check your ticket for DOOR times. In USA most of the concert tickets have the exact time when doors will open for guests to come in. This time is (often) not the time the band will go on stage. Usually that information is reserved so you get to the venue on time and get your shit together. In Europe most of the venues will release set times week of show so you can plan your life according to that.
I recommend that if you really want to be on the main barricade for a show you get there 3 hours before door time. This sounds like a waste of time, but it isn’t. Hear me out. You will have more chances of parking your car in a nice safe spot close to the venue with easy access unlike the people who show up at door time. You get to check out how busy the show might be. If there is a queue you'll be glad you are there before it gets longer. If not go ahead and check out the surroundings of the venue, there might be a spot where you can chill for a bit before you go back to the line or you could even bump into the band.
Before you plan on lining up check on the weather and be safe. I seriously do not recommend lining up in the middle of winter in the Midwest.
7. How to Secure the perfect spot
You got a favorite band member? Check out the artist social media to see where they position themselves for the show. Want to stare into Slash’s finger technique for the whole night? Then make sure you jump to the right side of the venue when you get in. Want to be surprised? Stick to the middle and enjoy the view. You might want to steer clear of the giant amps on the opposing sides of the stage, protect your ears!
8. I got my spot now what?
Chat with the people around you and let them know you are riding solo for the night and if they can save your spot while you go get merch, bathroom, drink etc. Depending on the artist the pit might get packed really quick and sometimes the crowd can be bitter. When exiting the pit try and go out and in through the same path. Let people know you are coming back so you don’t get kicked out from the pit on your way back in, it happens, it sucks.
9. Be friendly to security
Security is there to do two jobs: keep the ARTIST safe and keep YOU safe. Security isn’t there to be your personal waiter for the night but if you are nice and polite they will keep an eye out for you. I have a special place in my heart for the AMAZING security team in Rock Werchter who made sure to hand out water to all of us at the barricade on the hottest day of the fest.
10. Leaving the show
Cities are sketchy, and I know most solo travelers are aware of this, but whenever a show is over make sure you keep an eye on your surroundings. If you are a woman ask the people you bonded through the show if they can walk your way for a bit, you lose nothing in doing this and as a community we should all keep an eye out for each other!
Got any other pointers I missed? Share them with me and I will update the readers.
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