Why You'll Love Going to Concerts Alone & Solo Concert Tips
Before you go to your first solo concert, the idea can be intimidating. The spotlight effect can make you feel like all eyes are on you as you walk into the show, find your seat, and enjoy the music by yourself. However, with the right preparation and mentality going into the show, going to a concert alone can be one of the best experiences a live music lover can have.
Table of Contents:
- Is It Weird to Go to a Concert Alone?
- Why Go to a Concert Alone
- Benefits of Going Alone to a Concert
- Barriers to Going Solo
- Tips for Attending a Live Event Solo
- Choose an Artist You Love
- Be as Social as Feels Comfortable
- Enjoy People Watching
- Arrive Late and Leave Early if Social Anxiety Is an Issue
- Stand to the Side
- Find Upcoming Shows Near You
Is It Weird to Go to a Concert Alone?
Is it weird to go to a concert alone? No, not at all! While going to a concert alone may feel strange, it’s more normal than you think. At the Event Tickets Center office, for example, over half of the team has attended a concert or live event alone, and of those, the vast majority loved it and would recommend it.
Since our staff is full of live event lovers, going to concerts solo might be more normal here than in the general population, so we can offer advice for those interested in attending their first solo event.
Why Go to a Concert Alone
There are a few situations when going to a concert solo just makes sense logistically or is even preferred:
Your Friends Can’t Go
If you’re a music lover, you’ve probably encountered the situation where you invite people to a concert with you, and they aren’t interested or can’t go for some reason. Concerts can be expensive, your friends may have other plans that day, or they may not be interested in the same artists as you are. Just because your friends aren’t available doesn’t mean you should miss out on a concert you want to see. If you want to go to a concert, you should go!
You Truly Love the Artist
The best time to go to a concert alone is when you truly love the artist you’re going to see. In my experience, for my absolute favorite artists, I’ve at times actually preferred going alone. If I know I won’t find someone to come with me who loves the artist just as much as I do, I go alone, because there’s nothing worse than going to a concert you’re excited for with someone who’s just “meh” about being there.
It’s Last Minute
Another common situation where going alone is preferred is in a last-minute situation. You realize an artist you want to see is coming to town that evening, and it’s too late to find a friend to go with you. What do you do? I’d recommend going alone. It’s better to go alone than miss out.
Benefits of Going Alone to a Concert
We’ve covered why you might go to a concert alone, and here are some real benefits of going by yourself:
You Can Come and Go as You Please
Some people like to arrive at concerts early for great seats or to skip security lines. Some like to arrive as the main act is starting and skip the openers. Some prefer to leave early to skip traffic, and some like to stay through the very last encore and not miss a moment. When you go by yourself, these decisions are all up to you.
The Focus Is on the Music
When attending a concert alone, you don’t have to worry about anything but enjoying the music. Sometimes when you bring a friend to a concert, your focus can be split between enjoying yourself and making sure your friend is enjoying themself. Going alone means you can completely lose yourself in the music and not think about anything else.
Cheaper Tickets
Solo concert tickets in venues with reserved seats are almost always cheaper than multiple seats next to each other. When only one solo seat is left in a section, it's often harder to sell, which is great for solo attendees, who get a nice discount on these tickets.
Barriers to Going Solo
While there are definite benefits to attending an event alone, there are also barriers that keep people from doing so.
Social Anxiety
Most of the time, when someone is nervous to attend a concert or event alone, they’re experiencing some form of social anxiety. They imagine walking into the concert alone and all eyes staring at them, judging them. In reality, this never happens. No one judges or even notices solo concertgoers.
Safety
Sometimes safety is a concern when wanting to attend a concert alone. Especially for women, there are real fears when we don’t have friends along for backup. While the fear is real, don’t let it stop you from attending a concert alone if you want. Just take safety precautions, like never leaving your drink unattended and never walking alone in the dark.
Tips for Attending a Live Event Solo
Our staff at Event Tickets Center is made up of some solo concert diehards. We’ve compiled tips to ensure your solo concert experience goes as smoothly as possible.
Choose an Artist You Love
The first step to attending a concert alone is choosing an artist you are dying to see. This will ensure that while you’re at the show, you won’t focus on anything but the music you love. While you can certainly choose an artist you're not as familiar with, you may be a little less focused on the music and potentially more self-conscious. If you’re a seasoned solo concertgoer, this can offer a chance to mingle and discover new music and people, but for a newbie, this can be intimidating.
Determine what feels comfortable to you. When you're alone, having the familiarity of your favorite music can ease the sensation of feeling out of place, but if your goal is to be bold and try something new, that’s okay too.
Be as Social as Feels Comfortable
If you’re attending solo, you may feel pressured to try to make friends at the concert. You might not want to appear lonely, or you may want to branch out and meet people with similar music tastes. Don’t force yourself to engage with people if you’re only doing it to look less lonely. Having a peaceful solo concert experience without interaction is totally normal.
On the flipside, don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with those around you if that feels natural to you. Being solo at a concert can be a fantastic opportunity to mingle and meet new people if you go in with an open demeanor.
Enjoy People Watching
An underrated aspect of attending concerts alone is the people watching. Sometimes it’s fun to be a fly on the wall and take in the high-energy excitement of a concert.
Arrive Late and Leave Early if Social Anxiety Is an Issue
If you’re worried about social anxiety, the easiest way to avoid it is to arrive late and leave early. Wait to find your spot until the moment before the main act comes on to ensure you don’t have any time to feel self-conscious. Once the music begins, everyone's attention will be on the stage anyway.
Stand to the Side
If you don’t have a reserved seat, it might feel most comfortable to stand near the edge of the GA section. While not necessary, being on the edge means fewer people are surrounding you and less fear of judgment. Additionally, at many concerts, you might notice a solid number of solo concertgoers standing towards the edge of the room. If you position yourself near the other solo attendees, you can be sure you won’t face any judgment as those around you are in the same boat as you.
Find Upcoming Shows Near You
Don’t miss out on a concert just because you’re afraid to go alone – break out of your comfort zone and find out what’s great about going solo. At Event Tickets Center, you can find tickets to upcoming events and shows near you. Navigate to our concerts page, and you’ll find the top upcoming shows. Use our tips and tricks to attend your first solo concert and have a great time.
