One of the greatest once-in-a-lifetime experiences, especially for teenagers, is attending a concert, whether it is their first or tenth. However, it can be stressful and a bit nerve-wracking thinking about how to prepare and what to expect.
Concerts have different meanings for everybody through the way the music connects to that specific person, which is why every concert has a different style. Here are my experiences with three different concerts and how I prepared for them:
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Get notified of top trending articles like this one every week! (we won't spam you)1. Alexander Stewart
My first ever concert was for Alexander Stewart. My sister was originally into his music and then introduced him to me later on. Going to his concert, I didn't know many of his songs or his style of performing, so I just wore simple jean shorts and a white shirt with my hair tied in a ponytail, along with a bandana hair band.
As my first big live music experience ever, one of the things I was most shocked about was the volume. Once the drums started playing, I finally understood what it meant when people said when they said that your heart beats to the beat of the drum.
Regarding the environment, it was at a smaller venue, so everybody who attended was standing in a pit. My sister and I waited in line a few hours early and ended up being close to the front. Since it was a small concert, we had an extremely amazing view of Alexander and his band, and Alexander had a good view of us too, and could make eye contact with us multiple times during the show.
At the beginning of the concert, Stewart had an opener, and for me, that was a completely new concept. It lasted longer than I expected, maybe 40 minutes to an hour, and then another 30 minutes, give or take, setting up his set on the stage.
A key takeaway from this would be that if you want to come early to get to the front of the venue, you will also be there for longer because of the opener's performance as well, and if you come later to skip the opener, you will probably be near the back of the pit. Stewart also sang some of his old songs for a nostalgic feel for his longtime fans, which I didn't know at the time.
So my key takeaways from this would be that this was a fairly small concert with an intimate feel to it, and if this is the case for your next concert, wear an outfit that is related to the artist or album, because they will probably see it, know your artist and maybe some of their old songs, and be sure to stand in line early to get into the venue if you want a spot in the front, especially if it is all standing.
Another additional one that was not mentioned above was to maybe bring some gifts to give to the artist on stage, because for Alexander Stewart specifically, he accepts small gifts like bracelets, and lots of fans were able to give them to him during the show.
Image Credit: Frederick Shaw from Unsplash
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2. Benson Boone
Seeing Benson Boone in Las Vegas was an unbelievable experience. I left early in the morning to prepare for the four-hour drive, in addition to checking into my hotel and finding my way from the hotel to the T-Mobile Arena. Once I got to my hotel, I started to change and do my hair and makeup right away after arriving, maybe four hours before it started.
Then, we quickly walked to the stadium, got some merchandise before the line got too long, and then ate dinner afterwards. The restaurant was nearby, so it only took us a few minutes before we were in the never-ending line to enter the stadium.
Once we got in, it was extremely cold, and I had to wear my new shirt on top of my dress, even though other reviews said it was warm in that particular stadium. Benson's tour was extremely popular, and the whole tour was sold out, so there were an enormous number of people there. He also had one opener, but because his seats were already arranged and the whole concert was seated, I didn't have to arrive there early to get a seat in the front. So, even though I missed some of the opener's performance, it didn't matter since my seat stayed the same.
I was pretty far away from the stage, but the music was still at a good level, and you could see his face well enough on the screen. The whole concert was amazing, I screamed my heart out, and I even wanted to stay afterwards so I could meet him after his show. However, because we were in Las Vegas, it was more dangerous for us to miss the train back to the hotel, and the drive the next day would be horrible if we stayed until past midnight just to see him. So, we left and got some ice cream for my sore throat instead.
Main points from this concert would be that since it was in a different state, decide whether you want to drive or fly, in my case, we drove, and manage your time wisely. Don't forget the time needed to find your hotel, check in, settle into your room, get dressed, and find your way through an unfamiliar environment. Check reviews about the stadium, like the temperature and all of the items prohibited, so you don't have to leave anything behind with security. In my case, it was only a few waters.
Next, if you're having trouble deciding what to wear, search up on Pinterest or another platform, what others have previously worn, or come up with your own ideas. I went to Benson's American Heart Tour, so I wore a simple jean dress. However, I did see others come in full red, white, and blue with glitter and tinsel, and the whole getup.
Lastly, learn more about the artist's usual habits or special things that they do. Benson is known for meeting fans near his trailer after his show, and he was able to meet some people in Las Vegas as well. If you don't want to miss out, watch some videos of them performing live before and decide how you will use your time.
Image Credit: Tom Mumford from Pixabay
3. Blackpink
When I went to the Blackpink Deadline Tour with my sister, it was only the two of us. Our parents dropped us off at the stadium, but from there, we had to maneuver our way by ourselves. The second we arrived, we bought two waters and stood in the merchandise line for what felt like forever.
Because it took us a long time to get through the parking lot, 8:00 p.m. came faster than we expected. We probably bought a shirt by 7:59 and quickly rushed to our seats. This concert was also seated, held in the SoFi Stadium, a grand stadium where I felt as if I looked too far down, I would fall forward from the angle.
For this one, I wore a black one-piece with pink Converse, and my sister wore a black dress as well. In Korean shows, it is a common thing for K-pop bands to have their own special wand. Their wand is something that fans can buy online before the concert, and it lights up so you can wave it around during the concert. While we were watching, everyone, including us, waved their wands around, and the whole room glowed with pink, so if you ever go to a K-pop concert, be sure to buy one and don't miss out.
If you don't already know, Blackpink has four members: Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa. In previous years, they had gone on their own path for a little bit to make music individually. During this concert, they had some solo performances with their own songs, so it's important to know if you're going to a band's concert, that they might do some individual sets too. Not having gone on tour for so long, Blackpink also performed some of their old songs for their true Blinks (what Blackpink fans are called), and this was extremely thrilling for all.
Another special occurrence was the appearance of Bruno Mars to sing 'A.P.T.' with Rosé. This is what drove the whole crowd wild, and it's important to know some of their collaborations, since there's a good chance they will bring them, especially in big places and arenas like Los Angeles.
One of the things I learned the most from this concert was the encore. My sister and I were so anxious to get out of the stadium because we heard it would be a pain to leave with those hundreds of people, but while we were walking out, we heard their hit song, 'Jump,' play again. At first, we thought they were just playing some music for the audience, but then we realized it was an encore.
An encore is just some extra songs that artists play at the end, since they always leave their fans wanting more, but we didn't know that at the time, and just left. Always remember, artists usually have encores, so stick around for a few minutes at your next concert and don't miss a thing.
Image Credit: Jeremy de Blok from Pexels
Takeaways
Overall, I felt these three concerts had the most diversity, from my first ever small show to a concert in another state on a weekday, and a Korean band performance in a massive theater with my sister. Just in case you didn't read it all, my biggest five points overall would to be to plan accordingly based on time for all of the things you will do (drive there, find the stadium/hotel, eat, get ready, buy merch, wait in line, take photos), think about if you want to get there earlier or later based on the opener(s) and seating, dress properly according to the temperature as well as fashion, learn the style of the artist and how they perform (if they do a lot of talking breaks, acoustic sets, fan interactions, how they dress, long/short breaks, come into the crowd, accept gifts from fans, how they dress), and finally, to prepare yourself if you're sensitive to loud noise, dehydration, temperature, tight crowds, drinking, etc.
If you want tips on how to prepare for your concert beforehand, specifically, get an outfit that you feel comfortable in, because you don't want to spend the whole concert being bothered and fixing your clothes, and if you don't know what to wear, find some videos of people from previous concerts for inspiration.
If that absolutely does not help, a simple solution is to wear something understated, perhaps clothes that symbolize the album cover (color, style, theme, e.g., orange, denim, 1800s), and write some lyrics on your arm with an erasable marker or removable face paint. It's easy and meaningful to you, and the lyrics or words that connect with you.
Before the concert, I always listen to the album multiple times to ensure I know all the words and get in the vibe. Go to the concert with someone you trust, so you can protect each other through the crowds, and so you can fully enjoy yourself without worrying about what they think about you being in your own musical zone.
Live music is a completely different experience and has changed my views about so many aspects of music and the artists' characters as well. It's important to fully immerse yourself in the experience and find the joy in listening to the music you love, with the people you love.
