So there you are with tickets in your hand to your favorite band. You're wondering what to do next. Here are some helpful tips in my concert experience, with the help of Rebecca and Sara who have went to probably a million shows.

1. When preparing to go to the show DON'T wear a skimpy little outfit, not only will you look like a groupie, you'll also look pretty easy. It's a concert not a hoochie show.

2. Try not to wear that band's t-shirt to the show as so many other people will be doing that same thing. Wear another bands t-shirt or just something comfortable. I guess the only acception to this one would be if you buy a shirt at the concert and throw it on after the show. After because right away you'll be in the very front for the whole show.

3. So, you're wondering what to bring along with you, include a Sharpie marker for those times when your favorite member will be right there talking with you making sure you're not freezing cold because the concert you went to was at the end of January in Minneapolis MN, and you got there at 6:50am, but thats another story. The sharpie, and liner notes or something else you'd like them to sign. If it is in the cold months, bring blankets, a thermos of hot chocolate/coffee, and those little hunting warming packs (you shake them and they warm up) bring lots of those. Not all places allow digital or regular cameras so ALWAYS have a few flash disposable cameras on hand.

4. It's a general admission show and you're wondering what time you should get there? The earlier the better. You want to be the absolute first in line, no exceptions. A little story, my friend Rebecca and I went to see Simple Plan in Minneapolis at the Quest at the end of January, it was COLD. You don't know cold until you've sat outside in 0 degree weather for 8+ hours. ANYWAY, we got up really early like 5 or somethin. We ended up getting to there at 6:50am and the doors didn't open til 5 or 6. We were able to stay in our car for the first 3 or so hours because nobody was there. It was probly 9:30 or so when the buses pulled up. That's right, the tour buses and of course who should get out but some of the members of Simple Plan. It was sweet. We were first in line and its always fun to meet different people that end up in line right away too. You make some good friends that way.

5. You meet your favorite member when you're standing in line early. Do NOT cry, scream, faint, puke, or anything else in front of them. I made up a quote for this -- "Be a teenybopper behind the scenes not on stage" what does that mean? It means wait til their gone if you're gonna get really girly and scream and get all excited. They're normal people they don't get their oxygen pumped from another planet or something. They're the same as you and me, only thing, they're doing what they love for a living.

6. So it's about a half an hour before the door opens. Gather all your stuff up and go put it in the trunk of your car while your friend stays in line (at the very front of course) and holds your spots in line. If it's cold, leave all sweatshirts and gear in the car and tough it out in line so you don't roast when you get inside. You don't want to have to deal with a sweatshirt once you get inside, trust me I know first hand. When I was at Simple Plan the second night the crowd was pretty rough and I was roasting and I couldn't handle the front any more so I left the front and I was holding my sweatshirt and my bag full of crap for the show. I fought my way thru the audience and almost passed out. I lost my sweatshirt half way through the crowd, it really sucked. Thank the good Lord that I found it after the show. Thats my number one favorite Relient K sweatshirt.

7. So there you are front and center at the concert and the bands have started up, you dont know the opening band, that's okay. Still bop your head and get into it, that way the band knows your getting into them. Its only polite. It would be very sad to see the people in the front row just staring at you not getting into the music that you're playing, or is it just me.

8. People are moshing all around you, don't get mad at them. It's the front row at a concert, its expected. Instead just keep your spot whether your pushing back or moshing and jumping around with them. It's not worth fighting over, its a concert and you shouldn't be in the front row.

9. Concerts over and people are leaving the front. This is the part where you go to the merch table to get some awesome CD's and or shirts of your favorite band. It's also a good time to meet some of the artists if they are signing after the show. After you've gotten all your stuff, its also a good idea to wait outside where the buses are where there may be barricades which means go and stand there as they will come out and sign stuff. (I met Davey Havok, Jade, and Adam from AFI that way).

10. Get into your car and go to your hotel blasting the CD that you bought at the show and yell at the top of your abused lungs with your friends about all the fun times that you just had.

These are my opinion only, if you don't agree with them, thats up to you.

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