Welcome to Music Biz Advice, where we have compiled all of the advice and information that you will need about the music business to have a great time at your next concert. Whether you’re an aspiring musician or just a fan of good music, you’ve come to the right place to learn more about how to get the most out of every concert you go to.

A concert can be a lot of fun, but one or two bad moves on your part can completely ruin your experience. Usually, these are just things that you might not even be aware of. Our goal here is to help educate you so that you have fun regardless of what band you go see and where they are playing.

Ready to get started? Keep reading for the best Music Biz Advice on the web!

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead isn’t just about figuring out all the details for getting to the concert and back. This stuff is certainly helpful, and we highly recommend doing this; we can even give you some really helpful advice for these figuring out these details.

Really, little things like knowing where your seats are, where the exits are, where the closest restrooms are situated, and what potential hazards you might experience (like sitting right underneath the air conditioner!) can help you to be more prepared. This last one happened to me once, and I was miserable the whole show. If I had known there was an AC unit nearby, I could have just packed a sweatshirt and been fine. Check out the venue’s map before you go and make sure that you’re prepared.

When it comes to getting to and from a show, remember that traffic can be a big pain. Parking, getting out of the lot at the end of the night, and everything in between can really put a damper on an amazing experience. Carpooling can help, as can using public transportation. If you’re going to be driving yourself and your crew to the show, be sure to check out the parking situation well in advance. A lot of third party ticket sites will have parking passes listed along with concert tickets. When you’re buying your tickets online, check and see if there are any parking passes available, too. This way, you can guarantee that you have a spot before you get there and minimize the time that you’ll spend driving around looking for a spot. It will also prevent you from overpaying.

Know the Crowd

Have you ever gotten to a show and been surprised by the people there and what they were doing? Unfortunately, this can happen quite easily. If you have teens (or are one yourself) this can be especially important. But with all of the tragedies that have occurred recently in or around concerts, it’s definitely something to consider.

Sometimes, there’s no easy way to address this one. Ensuring that your kids know what’s right and wrong is something that takes years to do, and even then you can’t fully keep them safe from others.

However, by ensuring that they know where the exits are, what to do in the case of an emergency, where to meet up, and who to contact, you can help them take the right steps towards keeping themselves and their friends as safe as possible. Just what this will look like will depend on how old your kids are and what your family rules entail. Look into this topic deeper.

Check Out Deals

Going to back to a lighter topic; who doesn’t like saving money? If you’re buying tickets for a group, sometimes the best way to get tickets is to go through one of the third party ticket sites. They have a huge selection, and thanks to the big marketplace, their prices tend to be competitive. Sites like SeatRetriever and Barrys Tickets will always have tickets available. It’s pulling the trigger on the best seat at the best price.

Timing can be important, too. Sometimes prices will drop as it gets closer to the show because sellers are fearful of losing money. Taking advantage of this can be helpful to you, but not always. Sometimes last minutes purchases just add to the stress.

Be sure to look out for any coupons or loyalty rewards offers that you can find. These are not as common as they once were, but there are still opportunities for you to get these types of deals. It all depends on which site you are using and where you’re looking. But even if you’re only saving $10 on tickets, that’s more money back in your pocket. Every little bit counts. And, if you are a frequent concert goer, then this little bit will add up to a big sum over time.

We’ll try to make things easier for you when it comes to getting tickets. Just be ready.

Maximize Your Fun

This one goes without saying, right? Still, saying it and actually doing it are two different things. In this section, we’ve compiled a brief list to help you get past the theory of having fun and actually doing it.

Now, some of these things require some advanced planning. For example, for all day festivals or other outdoor shows, you know that you are at the mercy of the elements. That means you need to be prepared for whatever might happen outdoors. Bring gear for bad weather, even if you don’t think you’ll need it. A rain poncho is pretty small and will fit in a pack with lots of leftover room, and if it does rain for a few minutes, you won’t spend the whole time being miserable. The same goes for colder weather. Bring a sweatshirt or light jacket. If it gets chilly, you’ll be glad that you did.

Another helpful hint: don’t buy merchandise at the show. Everyone wants the t-shirt for their favorite band but paying five times what the shirt will cost online and standing in line for 45 minutes to get it is rarely fun. Spend that time enjoying the show and hanging with your friends rather than standing in line.

Hopefully, this advice will help you to get the most out of your next show. Don’t forget that these tips are just the start, though. There’s a lot that goes into every single concert, and the more prepared you are, the more fun you’ll have when you get there.