Concert Tips and Tricks

If you want tips and tricks for securing concert tickets for your favourite artist, have no fear, our seasoned concert-goer, Dayna, is here!

Imagine this – you find out your favourite artist will be making a stop in Singapore as a part of their world tour. Feeling excited, you text your friends the good news and make plans. The day of ticketing finally arrives and your hands are clammy. Heart beating fast, full of hope to breathe the same air as your favourite artist. Yet, luck was not on your side and you were defeated by the ticketing gods.

The above scenario is not one that is rare and many do not even have to imagine it. In fact, it is so common because of how tough concert ticketing is in Singapore. 

Fortunately, being a seasoned concert goer myself (21 concerts and counting!), I have some tips for you. Read on to find out more!

Tips on Ticketing

Log in before the start of ticketing

A step that is so overlooked and forgotten. Always remember to log in to your account before attempting to purchase or queue for tickets! Ticketing platforms like Ticketmaster allows you to queue for tickets without needing to login to your account, and will only prompt for your login details right before allocating you tickets.

Every second counts – someone else would have snagged your tickets in the time taken to type your password.

For concerts with an expected overwhelming demand such as Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, it is wise to log into your Ticketmaster account one day before and do not close the tab. It was reported that the platform crashed due to the sheer surge in people accessing the website concurrently. Even those who managed to secure a ticket were not able to cart out as they were unable to login to the platform!

Ticket category

By now, you would realise that time is of essence. The time taken to choose the category and section is time wasted. Thus, you should familiarise yourself with the seating chart beforehand. Once you enter the ticketing site, click on the specific section desired without hesitation.

To aid in your decision on which ticket category to purchase, you can check out the view from each section. Just a simple search on Google will allow you to access many concert goers’ pictures and their views from each specific section and row number. X (formally known as Twitter) posts such as this can help you better visualise the Singapore Indoor Stadium and ease your decision making process.

Number of devices and tabs

Especially for ticketing queues with a ‘firewall’ (those where you are allocated a random online queue number and can only access the seat map when it is your turn), you would definitely need more than one device. This increases your chances of scoring a low queue number and allows you to enter the ticketing site earlier. Borrow your friends’, parents’ or siblings’ devices. The more devices, the better. The allocation of queue numbers is purely based on luck. It does not matter if you enter the site hours ahead, or just one minute before the start of ticketing (although I usually enter the site at least 30 minutes early for contingency). 

Alternatively, use multiple search engines like Chrome or Safari, and open up tabs on incognito to access Ticketmaster. This will allocate you more places in the queue and thus a higher chance of accessing the seat map quicker.

Of course, there are methods people use to bypass the ‘firewalls’. However, do proceed at your own risk and remember to have a backup plan should these shady methods prove unsuccessful.

How to prepare for a concert

Pack light

Bring only what is necessary. When you are at a concert, you do not want to be weighed down by a heavy bag, especially if you are at the standing pen. 

You also definitely do not want to be stopped at the security checkpoint for bringing prohibited items. Always check the terms and conditions for entry for the concert venue.

Some concerts have express queues for those without any bags! Bring only the essentials, like your phone. Most places accept cashless payment, including the merchandise booths, so you do not have to worry about cash.

If you are afraid of being thirsty, bring an empty bottle as security would have you pour out all contents in your bottle before entering the venue. There are water fountains in the Singapore Indoor Stadium and The National Stadium where you can fill your bottle up for free.

Some concert goers like to live in the moment while others enjoy filming the concert to remember that core memory. Should you decide to film the concert, your battery will definitely deplete fast. Do remember to bring a portable charger, and charge your phone to the maximum before leaving home.

Protect your ears

Noise Induced Hearing Loss has been on the rise in recent years. Concerts tend to range from 90 to 120 decibels, which is harmful to your ears (anything above 85dB is considered harmful). In the long run, it will be detrimental to your ears. 

To combat this problem, you can invest in a good pair of high fidelity earplugs to reduce noise. What makes these earplugs different from regular earplugs would be that even though both reduce noise, clarity is not compromised so you can hear your favourite singer’s voice crystal clearly. 

I recommend the Loop Experience Earplugs. They are sleek, stylish, and seamless, all while fitting securely in your ears.

Dress comfortably

We all want to take that perfect OOTD picture, or dress up in accordance to the theme. I definitely relate, I already have my outfit planned for The Eras Tour happening in March. However, if you are going to be dressed in ill-fitting clothes, you would be focused on your discomfort rather than fully immersing yourself in the show. Especially your shoes, it is better to wear a comfortable pair of sneakers than a pair of pumps if you are going to be dancing and jumping to the music.

Now that you are geared up with these tips and tricks, I wish you the best of luck for your concert ticketing. May the odds be ever in your favour!