By: Becca Pyzska//
From start to finish, concert days are extremely exciting and it all begins when you first arrive at the venue! Deciding when to arrive is a very important aspect of attending a concert and there are many factors that come into play when deciding. First, do you have your tickets in your hands? If not, most concerts release tickets the day of the show so it’s a good idea to get there when the box office opens. If you bought your tickets beforehand, you would probably be in good shape to get to the venue a few hours before doors open. If the show you’re going to is general admission and you don’t have tickets, arriving to the venue early would be in your best interest. I’ve arrived at GA concerts as early as nine hours before the show started without tickets and I somehow ended up in the front row. It was an experience I’ll never forget!
It’s also important to consider the size of the venue. The bigger the venue, the more people will be there hanging around the venue and needing to find parking hours before the show. For instance, a big venue in a big city will be fairly busy pretty early on in the day. However, shows at smaller venues are bound to be less crowded hours before doors open. Of course, at a general admission show some people choose to camp out the night before to guarantee a great spot near the stage—that is, if the venue allows it and you feel comfortable and safe doing so. Depending where the venue is located there may be merchandise booths set up outside, or radio stations with ticket giveaways, upgrades, or prizes. It’s definitely worth it to arrive on the early side if you know that there will be people around and prize booths set up. You never know who you could meet outside before the show!
Traveling to the venue on show days can definitely be a hassle, regardless of what size the venue is. Thousands of people going to the same place means there will be a good chance of heavy traffic, so be sure to include extra time in your travels for any delays. When I went to a Taylor Swift concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, the parking lots were already backed up at just 2:30pm because of traffic!
It’s important to consider all of these factors when deciding what time is the right time to arrive to a concert. The size of the venue, the type of show, and whether or not you have tickets are just a few key factors that come into play when determining what time is too early (or late) to show up. Whatever time you decide to go to the show, always remember that being safe and having fun are the two most important things!
