Concert Tips

Tickets are usually at a premium and sell out quickly. There is nothing worse then standing in line for hours, purchasing what you consider mediocre seat locations, because the place is nearly sold out, and then find out a friend went to the box office a day or two in front of the event and was able to purchase seats in the front row. How and why this occurs is no mystery. Most acts require, in their contract, a large number of tickets be held for them, for friends and business associates. With few exceptions, these tickets are the very best seats in the building. As the concert date gets closer, the performers management will release back to the box office the seats that they will not be using and the box office in turn makes these choice seats available to the general public. You can always ask the box office if they expect any house seats to go on sale, but most of the time, they will act like they have no knowledge of what you are talking about. You can count on one hand the acts and or the locations that don’t hold the best tickets back.

Security and crowd control personell are always in abundance and it has been our experience that they are usually courteous and never very helpful. They have a very tough job and they do try, but most are overwhelmed by the experience, your cooperation is always appreciated.

Concerts that feature celebrities, other then rock stars, can be very intimate even in a hugh arena setting. We’ve seen Bill Cosby, George Carlin and Gallagher on numerous occasion and they follow a basic setup. They have a beginning and an ending. What happens in the middle, often is dictated by the audience, They are so aware of their audience they actually tailor the show to fit the crowd. This gives you a performance that is unique. No two shows are the same. Other performers do the same thing but to a lesser degree. Others do shows that seem to come off a copy machine. Everything, including what at first appears as an error is in every performance.

Comedy and musical acts usually run about ninety minutes and most have an opening act. These shows are a little more formal in their presentation and dress is usually a little more towards business casual.

Presentations such as solo musicians, orchestras and more serious singers such as a Pavarotti, Striesand or a Johnny Mathis for instance, set a mood that gives the performance a special aire and suggests the audience be dressed less casual, while other performers such as a Johnny Cash or a Barbara Mandrel audience usually is very dressy casual.

How you dress for a concert is a part of the experience. Don't wear a jacket and tie or a cocktail dress if jeans are correct. Likewise, you don't want to walk in and find you're the only couple not dressed properly for the occasion. Take into consideration, who you are about to see perform and where. Certainly if you're in a formal theatre setting, you would dress differently then if you find yourself in an outdoor amphitheatre. By todays standards, if you dress comfortably, you'll usually be dressed correctly and because you are comfortable, you'll be able to enjoy the occasion. If you have a question about dress, call and ask what is appropriate for the occasion.

Some concert locations do have dress codes and age restriction. Comedy clubs and concert halls are a good example. Some not only have dress codes and age requirements, but a per person minimum even after you have paid for an admission ticket. To make matters worse, you're being admitted one week may not apply the following week because of the type of performance being presented. Most of these entertainment spots have their policy posted, but don't embarrass yourself and your date by trying to get in if the policy prohibits you attending. In these cases, you usually will find yourself being turned away and losing the money you paid for your tickets.

If your favorite act is playing a local night spot, call and ask what the age requirements are. If the show is billed as a family performance that should mean everyone should be admitted, but if it states 'age requirement' find out exactly what the term means because circumstances can restrict admission to 18 and over on one occasion and 21 and over the next. To further confuse the admission policy, early performance policies may differ from later shows. Dress for these types of clubs tends to fall into the casual. Some of the larger spots, because of age restrictions, may actually seat you in different areas for security and control purposes serving strictly soft beverages in one area and alcoholic beverages in another. To violate these restrictions may not seem important to you, but because the owner/management is offering this courtesy, they are in most instances putting themselves and their business license on the line. If you find a club and you truly enjoy what they have to offer, support it and follow the rules. Everyone wins and you have a special date place.