Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown Tour (Rod Laver Arena 16/12/2009)

As a teenager I always purchased reserved seating for concerts. I’ve recently discovered the awesomeness that is general admission. You get a much better view of the band and the atmosphere is more electric.

If you’ve never bought floor tickets to a concert before, I’d suggest it’s something you seriously consider if one of your favourite bands is playing a concert anytime soon. You don’t even have to “mosh.” I certainly don’t. Standing towards the back or the side still gets you a better view than even the best reserved seating in some venues.

One thing I’ve learnt when buying concert tickets is to check out the venue layout before you purchase tickets. Most venues and/or ticket outlets have these online. You’ll quickly be able to see what seating is available and what sort of ticket is going to get you the best view.

If you do decide to get floor tickets, I’ve got a few tips for you to make sure you have an awesome floor/mosh pit experience:

• Make sure you drink & eat something before you go. There are two reasons for this: food & drink is stupidly overpriced at concerts and making sure you’re well hydrated & fed means you’ll still be feeling okay after you’ve been stuck in a large crowd for a couple of hours.
• Wear comfortable shoes. The crazy band fanatics tend to dance like idiots and they will jump on your feet continuously. Thongs/flip flops/sandals/heels and ballet flats are all a no go. Wear your chucks or sneakers.
• Along the same line of thought, make sure you wear comfortable clothes. You’re most likely going to get hot and sweaty, you may as well be comfortable.
• Check your bag into the cloak room if there is one. This saves you having to worry about it. If you must take a bag, make sure it’s a small one that you can attach securely to your person.
• All I usually take to a concert is my ID, my house keys, a heap of cash, my eftpos/debit card, a contact lenses case, my fully charged mobile phone and some sunscreen (if it’s going to be outdoors) in a small bag I can secure to my wrist. On the same note, it’s also a good idea NOT to take anything you particularly care about with you. Some bigger concerts will spray the general admission area with water to cool people down, so if you do take them, make sure you protect your camera and phone.
• Where you want to be really does decide what time you need to turn up. Get there early if you want a spot right at the front. That said I’m usually too busy to get to a concert before it actually starts and I am not really interested in being stuck in the centre of a mosh pit. I always tend to turn up to concerts mid way through the support acts and manage to find myself a good spot (usually to one side & back a bit) without having to push in front of people. You’ll find the floor really tends to fill up as the support bands are finishing up in anticipation for the main act.
• Try and find a spot behind someone who’s either the same height as you, or smaller. There’s nothing worse than being stuck behind a giant for the entire show!
• If you do choose to get right up front, it’s a good idea to be polite to the people around you. Most of the time if you look out for them, they’ll look out for you.
• It’s a good idea to drink water (nothing caffeinated or dehydrating) throughout the concert, just don’t drink so much that you need to spend the entire concert in the bathroom!
• Just have fun! After all, you’re there for the music!

 
Do any of you have any tips you think I should add to the list? :)