Concert Survival 101

How To: Buy Concert Tickets

Hello my guys, gals, and non binary pals! How are all of you? Today I will be teaching you how to play the dangerous game of buying concert tickets. Don't be fooled, this may seem like a simple task, but nothing is what it seems. Buying concert tickets is the most stressful thing to do, but in the end you get to see a bunch of middle aged dudes run around in skinny jeans. Enjoy!!

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So for any newbies to the concert ticket buying world, here is how it all usually works. Ticket retail sites like Live Nation, Ticketfly, Eventbrite, and Ticket Master work with artists to sell their tickets. Most of the time bands will post the link on their social media. Make sure you are up to date with their instagrams, twitters, facebooks, and even snapchats. Have your notifications on so you know when the ticket link goes on sale. Most of the time venues will release tickets at 10am local time or the afternoon.

Any details of VIP packages will come directly from the band. Don't trust sketchy sites or people that promise you VIP. In some cases, you have to be a member of their website or on a mailing list to get these perks. For example, you HAVE to be a member of the All Time Low Hustler fan page to meet them. To get Panic! At The Disco presale you HAVE to be signed up for their mailing list. 99% of the time VIP is SEPARATE from the actual ticket so make sure you BUY BOTH!!

When I know tickets are going on sale, I set an alarm. I plan out where I am going to be and if I'll be able to buy them. I have bought tickets during class, but I highly suggest not doing that because you could get caught. If you are unable to buy them once they go on sale, ask a friend or parent to buy them for you. When P!ATD VIP went on sale I had my dad buy them for me because I was in film class. Have the ticket link open before tickets go on sale and refresh the page a few seconds before it's time to buy them. Depending on the band, tickets may sell our super fast or not at all. Don't be upset if you don't get them right then and there. There are multiple ways to get tickets, besides the day they go on sale.

Resale sites like Stubhub and Vividseats are a good second choice for tickets. Personally, I have never had a problem with resale sites, but I have heard horror stories of the tickets being fake. Most of the time the tickets on stubhub will get cheaper closer to the date which is a huge help.

If you really don't have the money for tickets, try contests. Sometimes bands will hold contests for tickets or meet and greets. Last year I won Mayday Parade tickets and meet and greets. It's a super easy way to possibly get tickets since it's free.

Don't worry about buying tickets last second. I bought general admission Blink-182 tickets the day of the show and One Direction floor seats a week before the show. There are always resale tickets to be bought. One of the main reasons why concerts sell out so fast is because resale sites buy them in wholesale. Then they sell them on their own site for a little more.

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Okay kiddies that's it!!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and make sure to vote!! Comment an upcoming concert you're going to I'm super curious. Love you all so much! May you be blessed with concert tickets and band members.

-Isabel