Concert Guru

(Please keep an eye of this page for any updated tips or tricks we might come across in our own concert-going experiences.)

Right out of the gate, we'll openly admit we haven't been fans of dealing with Ticketmaster for a long time.  Between overpriced tickets, hidden fees, virtual queues that make no sense, high ticket limits (seriously, who legitimately needs to buy 8 tickets at once?), we're sure everyone has felt the pain of dealing with Ticketmaster too many times to count.  With that said, we've found some ways to save a few bucks on tickets.  Gametime.co has become our favorite site for ticket deals.  We've found they have lower fees for secondary market tickets, compared to StubHub or SeatGeek, with a great map feature to pick specific seats.

If you really want to score a deal, and have the flexibility to do so, one trick we've learned to grabbing the cheapest possible ticket is to wait until the day of the show, or very close to it.  There are a couple of reasons tickets end up being so cheap at the last minute. First, you might find a resale ticket for face-value from someone who had to cancel their plans to attend the concert and just wants to recoup their money.  Second, if a show (mainly ones with seating, not general admission) isn't close to being sold out, Ticketmaster will even "open up" good seats close to the stage that didn't sell a few hours before the concert.  These are usually part of a VIP ticket option that didn't sell for, say, $800-$1,000.  We were able to grab one of these seats at noon the day of the show for $149 and ended up 2nd row dead-center.  We actually could've grabbed similar seats at a concert recently at the same venue 3 days before the show for $100 each.  We're not promising anything like that, but give it a shot.

Moving on to merch.  There are some VERY limited edition posters that we're still working on figuring out how to get ahold of (think foil-printed ones), but if we find any tricks for scoring those, short of getting in line at 8 a.m., we'll be sure to provide an update.  However, for typical numbered posters or limited edition merch, or even in general, this trick applies mainly to concerts at arenas and stadiums.  Even if you have a low-level seat, as soon as the gates open, immediately go to the top floor as fast as you can.  The majority of people either slam the ground-level merch stands and will sell out the fastest, or people kind of take their time going all the way up top.  You'll run into much shorter, or even non-existent, lines on the top levels.  You'll have plenty of time to get back down a few levels to your seat since you've already walked in as soon as the gates open.  

Also, as an added little tip, grab a drink and/or some food on the upper levels before heading back down to your seats since the lines on the upper levels will be just as short as well.

The best advice we can offer for parking is (for city venues) use SpotHero.  You might be able to find some deals within walking distance of the venue.  (We will say, we've had a couple of issues with a few parking garages not wanting to honor the deal we had purchased with SpotHero because the garage's "event pricing" was much higher.  The best advice we can give is stand your ground politely, and if they continue to refuse, simply tell them you'll be reporting the issue to SpotHero directly.  That's usually enough for them to back down and let you park at the rate you had through SpotHero.  Do not walk away from your car, though, until they get in it to park it.  Also, make note of any previous damage to your vehicle in this instance.  We highly recommend taking pictures with your phone to be safe.  The last thing you want to deal with after a fun concert is getting into a "he-said, she-said" situation when picking your car up after the show if your car has more damage than it got dropped off with.

If you're attending an event at a stadium or amphitheater, definitely arrive as early as possible for the best parking spots closest to the main gates. However, that also means you could potentially be at the back of the pack when leaving.  We say, park as close to the exit as feasibly possible.  If you walk fast enough at the end of the show, chances are you'll beat most of the traffic out and get home in time for maybe an extra hour of sleep before work the next day.

Now for the section we're sure few people were looking for:  how to meet your favorite artist.  Let us preface this by saying that we will only provide ethical tips (NONE of which are guaranteed methods) on how to possibly meet an artist.  We do not promote or condone any physical acts that will get someone in legal trouble.  We also do not promote or condone stalking in any way, shape, or form.  Don't try finding out what hotels an artist is staying at and stalk the place after a show.  Have some respect.  They're people just like all of us and are just trying to relax and have some privacy after their night of work.  Afford them that.  However, IF you happen to dumb luck be staying at the same hotel they are and you run into them in the lobby or bar, take a shot.  Don't run over and hug them, screaming "Oh my God, I love you!!!"  Show some restraint.  Approach casually, speak nicely, and you just might be surprised by your interaction with them.  We've had more than a few drinks sitting at a bar with an artist or celebrity that we just randomly run into.  Believe us when we say (we have pics to back this up), they appreciate it way more when you just treat them like any other person instead of like "their biggest fan" and help them keep a low profile in a public place while they're trying to relax and enjoy themselves.  We've had way more luck being a patient, decent person than those we've seen who were being overly aggressive and obnoxious. 

Arenas, stadiums, and amphiteaters.  We'll tell you outright that these are the most difficult places to meet an artist, short of having backstage passes.  We've seen bands riding into an arena in a blacked out van, and that's about as close as we've come there.  Amphitheaters present a similar challenge, though certain ones may have "secret" areas where you might get lucky and spot an artist or even be able to wave to them while they are in the backstage area. (Look for these in my reviews.)

The best chances you'll have of meeting an artist is at an indoor theater.  For example, in NYC, The Beacon Theater, stand outside the stage door (barricades are usually set up around it).  Head straight for the stage door upon exiting the theater and wait patiently for them to come out.  (We mean be REALLY patient.  You might have to stand there for an hour or two waiting in a crowd.)  Most artists are generous enough to take a few minutes and say hi to everyone, and maybe even sign a few autographs.  We were able to say hi to and speak with Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam briefly this way. (Sadly, it was in the post-Covid era, so he wasn't up for doing any signings.)  Though, to prove our point from before, we spoke softly to him, thanked him for his music, and being appreciative of how we acted with him, he in turn joked around with us about being crazy enough to wait outside in 19 degree weather until 1 a.m. just to meet him.  The belligerently loud idiot a few feet away got completely ignored.

Though the absolute best ways to meet artists are at small clubs/concert halls (i.e. The Chance Theater, in Poughkeepsie, NY).  Some will even hang out on stage for a while after the show and chat a little, or you can also try the stage door method as well.  If it's a small enough club, they might even just come walk around the venue and meet a lot of people.

Also, though not concert specific, book signings are probably the easiest and best way to meet an artist (keep an eye on their social media pages if they've written a book, or look out for pop-up appearances).  We've met Darius Rucker this way, all for the low price of $30 each. We got to meet and take a picture with him, and he also signed his book for us.  We highly recommend this method if you live in a larger city area (these events most often happen in NYC and Los Angeles, sometimes in London as well, from what we've seen).

If you're into purchasing concert posters (like we are am), times have changed and, unfortunately, cardboard tubes are more often than not, no longer free with purchase.  Typically, we've seen prices for a tube run about $3 each, on top of the cost of the poster.  If you purchase either multiple posters at a concert, or go to a lot of concerts, I recommend investing in a sling poster tube holder made of a heavy plastic.  They can be found on Amazon for $8+ and are a great investment if you'll use them multiple times for years.  They definitely make moving through crowds much easier, and help prevent damage better (especially from spilled beer) than cardboard tubes.  However, use your discretion if you want to keep it slung over you the entire show, or place it down in front of you while you're standing at your seat.