By: Becca Pyszka//

The concert experience first begins when the tour dates for your favorite artist gets announced. After that is the fun (yet incredibly stressful) part: purchasing tickets. Buying the tickets for your next show could be a breeze, but it could also mean Ticketing websites freezing due to an overabundance of people trying to buy at the same time for the same show. The two most common sites for 100% verified tickets are Ticketmaster and LiveNation. Depending on the venue, there may be a separate website run by the venue that sells their own verified tickets.

For bigger artists, it’s more than likely that their tickets will sell out relatively quickly so it’s crucial to get your tickets right as they go on sale, especially if you’re looking to sit close to the stage. My advice is to have your computer and your phone open on Ticketmaster as early as a half an hour before the tickets go on sale, although this does not guarantee you a good ticket. Also, be sure to refresh the page right as the clock strikes the time that the tickets go on sale! Personally, I like to purchase my tickets right as the go on sale, but others may want to wait and see their other options.

It’s very common that venues release tickets on the day of the show because either they didn’t sell out, or additional seats opened up in the venue. These tickets typically get released early in the morning or just a couple hours (and sometimes even minutes) before doors open. If you’re trying to get tickets directly from the venue be sure to get to the box office early. You never know if or when they’re going to release awesome seats! If by chance the show is sold out, the venue could possibly release tickets the day of the show at the venue or on Ticketmaster, so be sure to keep an eye out!

Another route to take when purchasing tickets for a concert is buying tickets through a third party ticketing site such as Stubhub or VividSeats. These sites are sometimes risky because the seller could be selling multiples of your particular ticket, making your ticket possibly invalid. On the other hand, sites like StubHub are a great way to sell tickets at whatever price, sometimes even cheaper than face value! These third party sites are great for last minute tickets as well, as many tickets drop in price just hours before the event!

All in all, getting tickets to see your favorite artist or band could be a complicated and frustrating experience, but in the end it’s always worth it. Ticket buying is just the first step in creating lasting memories at an incredible show!