7 essential items for a summer concert
Joel Stice
Summer is the season of concerts, so get out you’re rocker T’s, kiddies, cuz it’s time to get down to some live music. Bonnaroo may be over, but there’s still Lollapalooza, The Warped Tour and a ton of other music festivals hitting cities across the nation. Nothing beats seeing your favorite band or a slew of your favorite bands with thousands of other diehards. However, don’t forget to bring the proper gear to save yourself a headache and make the most of your concert experience.
7 Sunblock
Quite possibly the most important thing to bring to an outdoor summer concert, other than your ticket. Whether you’re just going to be at the concert for a couple of hours or a stretch of several days, the rays of the summer sun will take little mercy on you and leaving with a sunburn isn’t how you want to remember that Jay-Z show.
6 Bottled Water
Rehydrate, rehydrate, rehydrate! There is always some guy at the concert who has to be taken to the first aid tent because he thought beer was an adequate substitute for water on a 95 degree day. Don’t be that guy. Some concert venues are more lax than others about bringing in your own water bottles. Most would much rather you buy an $8 bottle of Aquafina from them, but get creative and stick it to the man by smuggling in your own bottled water, dummy.
5 Toilet Paper
Some people might think, “Hey, who’s the nerd that brought his own toilet paper?” Chances are that your only choice of relief at the summer concert is going to be the infamous porta-potty. It’s like a phone booth and gas chamber combined and probably gets cleaned between zero and one time during the concert. Yes, it’s gross and nobody wants to spend more time in those blue boxes of nasal torture than they have to, but make it easier on yourself by supplying your own T.P. Your arse will thank you.
4 Cash
It’s nice to think that concerts are only around to provide terrific live music for the masses, but in reality they’re around to make a buck. Most summer concerts will be glad to charge those $30 t-shirts and $7 beers to your credit card, but it never hurts to carry a little cash on you. I’m not saying bring $100 to the show but $20-30 isn’t a bad idea. It’s quick and easy, and if it’s your thing, you may be inclined to buy certain “party favors” that aren’t sold at the beverage stand.
3 Camera
“Holy cow, man! It’s the drummer from Alice In Chains, and he’s just chilling out by the X-Box tent, get your camera… d’oh!” Sucks to be that guy, but I’m sure all your friends will still be impressed with your story. Maybe you can get a sketch artist to recreate the scene and use that as your Facebook profile picture. Bring your camera or at the very least your phone that has a camera that takes decent enough photos. Even if you don’t cross paths with a rock star while waiting in the bathroom line, you can still capture the day with friends or snap a few cool pictures of the artists on stage.
2 Proper Attire
If you plan on heading to a summer concert where you’re going to be camping out for a day or two, leave the dressy attire at home. It’s a concert, don’t treat it as a fashion show. Think practical over trendy. Comfortable shoes over boots, and a good t-shirt and jeans or shorts that you don’t mind getting a little dirty will serve you well. The poncho is always a good idea if you’re going to be there for a couple days and there’s a chance of rain. Yes, I know some people say it’s not cool to wear the shirt of the group you’re going to see perform. I say, screw that! You’d wear a Yankees hat to a Yankees game wouldn’t you? If you’re a diehard Metallica fan or Parrothead, represent!
1 Backpack
This might not be necessary if you’re just going to be rockin’ out for few hours, but if you plan on being there for the entire day or a whole weekend somebody in your group should have a backpack. You don’t want to be weighed down, so don’t over-stuff the thing and bring only what you need. It’s also important that you remember your bag is most likely going to be searched at the gate, so don’t pack anything that might be considered contraband. Remember these items and enjoy the show!
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