I watch concerts alone – here’s why you should do it too

As I type this, I just watched another concert alone. It was one of my favorite bands of all time, the Backstreet Boys, and they were playing in my hometown. Of course I wouldn’t miss it, right? But you may be asking why, even in the city I live in, do I watch concerts alone? Here are the reasons why I prefer to watch concerts alone, and why you should try to do it too. 

I’m writing this post to help others who may want to watch concerts alone. There’s a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t: it’s scary, it may be uncomfortable going alone, but all of those are just excuses, and I’ll tell you exactly why.

This post is part of my get out and do something new goal. Here are a few other posts I’ve written about solo travel and making new experiences happen. 

• Solo Cruising on Virgin Voyages 
• Is it More Dangerous to Travel Now than Before?

I watched my first concert alone in 2008 (why i watch concerts alone)

I was sent to London in 2008 as part of a work assignment. It was 6 weeks, alone, when I was 23. Scary? Yes. After all, it was my first time away from home for a really long period of time. Exciting? Heck, yes. 

Read more about my expat journey to the UK and the USA here. 

Did I also mention one of my favorite bands of all time were playing their last night in Wembley the day that I arrived from my flight? 

Of course I had a lot of questions about booking a concert ticket the day I arrived from a long haul flight. What if the flight gets delayed? Canceled? How do I get to the venue? How do I buy and collect tickets? 

Luckily enough, a few days before I was set to fly, there were still tickets left available for the show and the seat I managed to book was for the 5th row. Closer than I could ever have thought of, and definitely not resale prices. It looked like they released a few seats they were hanging on to for some reason. Lucky? Definitely. Am I willing to take a risk with my flights by arriving a few hours before the concert? Yes. But the pros outweigh the cons of the risk. 

That fateful day in 2008 was my first concert experience alone. I was in a country I have never been to, with no friends, but I still had a blast and the memories are priceless. 

Would I do it all over again? Yes. 

How to prepare to watch a concert alone

There is a fair bit to do before you go watch a concert alone. There’s the physical and mental preparation, but it should not take a whole lot of your time to do. Here are some of the things you will need to do and some tips from someone who has constantly done it again and again.

Plan how to get to and from the venue when watching a concert or live show alone

It is good to plan beforehand how to get to the venue before the day of the event. Are there public transportation options? If so, are they going to still be operating as per usual if the concert ends around 11pm? What do you need to consider if you’re out later than that? Do you need to call a taxi? Have you budgeted how much it will cost? Are there special night bus trips that change their routes after a certain time? 

If you’re going to drive to the concert alone, are there parking options available in or near the venue? If so, do these options need pre-booking a spot in advance or can you take a chance and hope to get a spot the day of? Where is the cheapest parking you can do?

If you are watching in your home city, can you get someone to drop you off and pick you up at a specified time and place to save on transportation costs if there is no transportation? 

The logistics of getting to the concert venue and back to your accommodation or your home in advance can give you more peace of mind when you actually go to a live event. This also lowers the risk of you scrambling to look through your phone as you figure out your next move. Researching in advance lowers the risk of encountering pickpockets or having your phone stolen if you appear that you know where you’re going and what you’re doing. 

How to prepare yourself for watching a concert or show alone

I get it, going by yourself can be very intimidating. It’s more of a mindset thing. Going to a concert or a live show alone is a bit sad sometimes, especially when you are just waiting for it to start. However, if you are uncomfortable the first time around, you’ll soon learn to be more comfortable by yourself the more you do it. 

Like anything else, you just get used to that uncomfortable feeling and know what to expect the more you keep stepping out of your comfort zone. It is actually quite fun to step out of the comfort zone! The more uncomfortable you are, the better it feels after! 

All the ways to entertain yourself before a concert or live show

Sometimes you may find yourself waiting a few minutes and even hours before the concert or live show starts. It could be that you scored standing seats and want to be right in front of the stage or everything else you can go to closes early and you have nowhere else to go before the event starts. Here are some ways to pass the time if you’re watching a concert or live theater alone. 

Chat to fellow concert goers 

If you are extroverted (I most certainly am not), you can initiate a conversation with your fellow concert goers and chat about the band or artist you came to watch. You have shared interests so it shouldn’t be that hard to make a connection happen. If they end up ignoring you then who cares? You may not see these people ever again anyway! 

In my case, some people initiate conversation when they realize I am going alone. I am also a woman and a POC so they are usually interested in learning where I am from and if I traveled far to watch a concert or live event. 

At the end of the day, there’s a big chance you will never see these people again so you don’t need to leave a lasting impression with these folks, nor are you compelled to make them your friend or acquaintance.

Read, write, or do stuff on your phone while waiting 

I side hustle a lot. Since event venues do not allow laptop computers, I usually use my phone to work on our side hustles and businesses. This way, I am and feel a little bit more productive even after taking a few hours off my busy day to watch a show. We only have 24 hours every day, so it is best to make every minute count. 

If you don’t like side hustling or don’t have a business on the side, not to worry, there’s still plenty of things you can do while waiting. My husband downloads a lot of articles and reads through them while he waits. I also have audiobooks on my phone to help keep me entertained in case I don’t feel like working. 

Not all venues offer free WiFi, and if your phone plan does not offer free mobile internet either, those are some of the offline options I end up doing. If you have internet access, you can just use that time to surf. You really don’t have a reason to be bored! 

Buy merchandise before the show starts

If you like souvenirs from a show then it’s always a good idea to check out the merchandise booth before the show starts. There’s usually a longer line for merchandise after the show ends, especially if it’s a really good one. 

Hate lines? Try getting merch in the middle of the show or during an intermission, if there is one. You can quickly run from your seat if you’re on an aisle to go to the merch booth, be the first one, then go back. 

A downside to buying merchandise before the show means you’ll have to remember to bring the items out with you when the show ends. It’s always a bit annoying lugging stuff around especially if you have something bulky. 

The Positives of watching a concert or live show alone

Still not convinced you should watch a concert or live show alone? Here are a few positives on why you should do it! 

Cost savings: You only pay for one ticket when watching a concert alone 

If you are watching a concert or a show where your partner or your friends are not particularly fond of, then no need to drag them along! Save the money from the second ticket you were going to buy and use the proceeds to pay for another show! 

This also works if you and your friends have a disagreement on the type of seat you want to get. Want to sit up front and be closer to your favorite band? Use the money you saved to splurge on that experience by sitting up front alone while everybody else is in the back! Like merch? Use the spare money to pay for merch! 

Easier to get single seat tickets when watching a concert alone

Some venues and artists give discounts if you are buying a single ticket. It doesn’t happen to all venues and you may not exactly have the exact seat you would like to buy in the first place, but some single seats may be in the general area you were eyeing at a discount. 

As an example, in one concert I checked, a ticket usually worth $100 is around $75 without the ticketmaster fees because it was a single ticket. That’s a 25% discount which you can then use to pay for parking or extra money saved! 

Is it scary to watch a concert alone? 

No, not in the slightest. You just need to be aware of your surroundings, be street smart, and confident. It is just scary at first but like everything you may be doing for the first time, it is an uncomfortable feeling but you will get used to it eventually. You will actually become a pro in no time the more times you do stuff by yourself. 

Again, step out of your comfort zone. Nothing is more rewarding than changing your mindset and consciously finding ways to make yourself uncomfortable as a way to challenge yourself. 

Should I watch a concert alone or watch the live stream at home? 

That is always a question I get asked by my mom. If you’ve seen a band live or listen to their music again and again, surely you don’t need to attend a concert! You can just watch their videos on YouTube, right? 

For me, nothing beats the feeling of watching a concert live. Just seeing my favorite band singing and dancing is very entertaining. A concert showcases the talents of the artist you like and the feeling that you get from that experience is different from the feeling you get when watching a concert or a performance from the TV. 

The fireworks, ticker tape, the audience participation, these are the things you could not replicate if watching something on TV. Same thing as watching a live show. The folks you are watching are entertainers, and with any live show, not everything goes exactly as planned so there are small differences every single time. 

However, watching a concert or a live show tends to cost more money than watching something on YouTube or another streaming subscription channel you may have. But you pay for the experience, and watching live gives you a chance to get out and do something new if that’s a goal you have! 

Are you ready to watch concerts alone? 

Hopefully this guide is enough to help calm your fears of watching a concert or live show alone. It’s all a mindset thing. Remember: it is uncomfortable the first time but the more you do it, the more comfortable you get. Step out of your comfort zone. Experience something new. This helps you grow as a person and keeps life more interesting! 

Let me know in the comments below if you have watched a concert or a live show alone! How did it feel? Did you end up having fun?