Concert Tips & Resources

General tips for attending concerts

• Expect that WIFI / cellular network will be bad around the venues. Too many users = slow to no internet. 

• Therefore, preload your ticket to a google wallet or print it (also good in case phone battery gets low)

How to choose which shows to attend

• Look at the entire artist’s tour schedule and consider any places that would be meaningful to you (i.e., Louis in Manchester or even places that have their own meaning for you)

• Consider easiest places to travel, consider cost, distance, and type of travel (train, plane, etc.)

• Choose places where friends or family live near a show that would make it a nice visit as well.

• Consider places you’ve wanted to visit anyway and could make it a holiday/vacation?

• Look for opportunities for additional shows if you are on the road following the tour. 

• Some of the last-minute random shows end up being the best.

• Look for the closest shows together that can be driven to

How to attend concerts alone

As our volunteer Brooke says: "By the time the show starts, you are rarely alone."

• Its ok to be alone, you are there to see the show. Don’t hold back simply because there is nobody to go with. You need time for yourself and if you travel with another, you won’t always find space for yourself. Plus, you won’t need to worry about how the other person is doing.

• Try to find group chats to meet others who also go to your show. Put the word out that you are going, to learn if any of your moots are going. 

• Once at the show, an easy way to start talking to strangers is to compliment an outfit or hairstyle, or ask what they are queueing for, etc. You'll find that people are generally happy to talk to you, it only takes you 20 seconds of courage to start a conversation.

• At the show, you’ll be surrounded by people who match your energy and excitement. You're all there for the same thing!

• You don’t need to be at front of stage to have a good time.
  
  

Recommended items to bring

• What you need to bring with you depends on if/how long you plan to queue.

• Always check venue for list of things they allow inside.

• Always bring bottled water, ideally in a disposable 500 ml bottle. The venues will most likely not allow you to bring a full bottle inside, or only without a cap. The pro tip here is to bring at least one extra bottle cap in your bag/pocket. You can refill the bottle in the bathroom inside the venue.

• Dextrose/Glucose tablets are wonderful if you're feeling faint. These type of packets are great to pass around you :)

• Bring a sweater or jumper. Queues could be cold, camping gets cold, and you'll want the warmth and comfort after the show. You can tie it around your waist during the show.

• Clear bag is good, but not always necessary. Check the venue rules. Google “bag policy” and venue name. Max bag size is usually A4 paper size.

• Bring phone charger cords and, if possible, a power bank (larger bank, the better, if you need to help someone else). 

• Earplugs can help with sensory overstimulation while queueing and are essential to protect your hearing during shows. Our admins recommend the brand "loop" (we're not associated with them tho)

• Also good to have: essential medication, pain killers, calming tablets, tablets for diarrhea and constipation, blister plasters, Band-Aids, bobby pins, hair ties, poncho, chocolate are all good.

How to get pit tickets

• "Pit tickets" refer to the standing tickets in a venue. They're more "desirable" than seated tickets so they will sell faster. If you want pit tickets you need to be extra fast and, if possible, use presales.

• Ticket Master always gives you only 30 minutes to get your ticket once you are in their online queue. Be patient and sometimes go back in and you could see different tickets. Sometimes other orders don’t complete, and something might be open if you keep trying.

• Having pit tickets will require you to stand up for a long time, usually at least 2-3 hours before the main artist comes on stage. You can sit on the floor until shortly before the openers come on stage. Between the openers and the main act, the crowd will usually stand too close already to allow for sitting down. Your body will feel the tension because your legs will be standing all day.

• People will stand very close together, it might feel claustrophobic to some. If you have sensory issues, keep this in mind. 

• Due to the close proximity, it will feel much warmer than on the seats. 

• If you are shorter, prepare yourself for not seeing the stage and being surrounded by taller people.

Accommodations and transportation

• Always check ahead where (the area) the venue is within its city, and where it is in relation to your airport (usually outside of the city) and your hotel.

• Check how long it will take you to get from where you are staying to the venue and return by public transport.

• Look for transportation around your accommodations. Choose a place to stay near the venue.

• If you want to do sightseeing of the city, find a hotel in the city and check transportation to/from the venue. You might need to give yourself more time.

• Compare prices. Sometimes it is cheaper to take a plane than a train.

• Make a folder or binder with your tour travel information for ease of reference. Include a full itinerary for your trip. If you have multiple shows, create a full schedule, include all hotels with addresses, confirmations, tickets, print everything out and keep in a backpack so you always have a hard copy in case your phone loses power.

• Send a virtual copy of your travel information to trusted friends and/or family who need to know where you will be at all times. Check in with them often so they know you are still safe. If you are to go out of contact, someone should know within 10-12 hours maximum if anything were to happen to you.

• If you are trying to save money, do not do it on accommodations. Find good safe places where you can recharge and get a good night sleep. If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, you will not enjoy your show. 

• If you are sharing a room, Airbnb, hotel or hostel with someone, make sure you absolutely know that they are someone you are comfortable with because you down time is for you and they will be there with you. 

• Do research and find safer areas to stay in, if there is a police station nearby, hospital access if necessary. 

• Cities often have their own websites or apps that are more accurate than Google Maps and other regular search engines.

• Ask other fans what their timing is, when they are leaving/returning so you can find them to travel in multiples. You don’t have to spend other time with them, but it’s best to travel to/from venue. Ask if they are returning straight after the show and ask if you can go with because it will make you feel safer.

Money saving tips

• Pre-sale order if possible – it’s not just about getting early tickets. If you are planning multiple shows and are buying a ticket alone, minimize stress by trying pre-sale first and then do normal purchase so you aren’t trying to buy too much at once.

• Refresh the ticket queue when purchasing because often tickets that were showing sold could be pending and then fall through and become available again.

• The Ticketmaster/US is difficult to get pre-sale codes, so you can use @handwrittentix on Instagram and Twitter to buy face value or less tickets, they verify their tickets.

• Some tours (LOT) send out local pre-sale codes, so check the tour websites and social media.

•  Ask friends and/or family if they can try getting in queue for you while you are trying in case, they find better deals.

•  Look at your trip holistically. Make sure you will still enjoy your trip, even if your concert is cancelled. Find out what else there is to do. Make a trip out of it.

• Paying a little more for refundable options on accommodations and flights is worth it, especially if the concert is the only reason you are going to the area. If there is a show cancellation, you can get some or all your money back.

What’s it like to be on barricade for Louis?

• "Barricade" refers to the very first row. Standing here, you will be pressed up against the barricade that separates the pit audience from the stage. For some concert goers, standing here is the "highest goal", as you have an unrestricted view of the stage and a good chance of an interaction (even just eye contact) with the artist. But getting here is very difficult and generally requires very early queuing or even camping.

• Make sure to respect what venue security wants because they can change the queue numbering.

• Sometimes you are not allowed to camp.

• Expect a lot of pushing. If you want to be at barricade, you must like to be ok with getting pushed and squished.

• It’s very loud. You will be in front of the speakers, so it’s extra important to wear earplugs.

• Louis will go directly to where you are and everyone will lean to him and push.

• He could fall onto someone and accidentally knock them down.

• Do not throw anything on the stage. Louis does NOT like it. You can ask security to take something for him, he has kept gifts. 

• For any artist, if they can see you, you can check with them to nonverbally “ask” if you can toss something to them. Do not throw anything if you do not have their permission. 

Going Live

Sometimes watching lives is the only way for people to attend shows. So Thank You to Everyone Who Goes Live!

Personal accounts of what it's like:

•  “It doesn’t feel like you are providing access for 80k people. It feels like you are attending the show with 80k of your close friends.”  - @Anna_not_anna (AJ)

•  “Even if there is one person watching, you make that one person happy. There are people that are not able to go to shows for whatever reason, and to be able to show the whole show to those people and those fans is something I’m very happy about. I want to get people to join the fun…I really love to promote the artists, especially going live for the smaller bands because I really love them.” – @beanie_ontour (Beanie)

• “This is something we are all in together.” @louisdoamanbun (Kate)

• “These people [artists] are loved from all over the world, and we are not alone when we watch them.” – @louisdoamanbun (Kate)

General tips for going live:

• Before you go live, ask yourself if you want to do it. No one should go live that doesn’t want to go live. Don’t feel obligated because it will affect your personal concert experience.

• Any view is valuable.

• It's better to go live for one long time than several short times. Going in and out is the biggest way to have people not come back to you.  

• Bring extra battery packs to to keep lives from cutting out. 

• Make sure you have enough data. 2 hr. live stream = approx. 2-4 GB to use

• If you are in the middle of the crowd and you want to stream, you must really hold up your phone. Your arms will get very heavy. If you have less people around you, you don’t have to hold up so high. You can hold one arm across your belly and hold elbow on that arm to stabilize the hand holding your phone to keep steady. 

• It's totally fine to sing along, just be mindful of maybe not screaming directly at your phone as that comes across very very loud ;)

Post show depression (PSD)

• It’s a common thing to feel sad or down after a show. The intensity varies depending on your experience with an artist or show, as well as your general mental health

• It’s normal for people who did not go to shows to have a sense of loss or a void. It does dissipate, especially if you can go see another artist or even watch another artist live.

• Tips to speed up recovery:

  • Be gentle with yourself

  • Find your next thing to look forward to, another artist, watch another live event.

  • See what is coming ahead and get it on your calendar.

  • Find little moments of joy in day-to-day life.

  • Reconnect with real life friends and family if possible.

  • Refocus on real life hobbies.

  • Relive the experiences by reminiscing with online friends.

  • Ask others about their experiences.

  • Journal about your experiences and feelings.

  • Find new music, listen to Louis’ radio where new artists are introduced.

  • Instead of worrying about it being over, try to find gratitude in thinking of all the positive and even funny things that happened during the show.

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