So you wanna go to a show (NaBloPoMo Day 12)?

Concerts at collisuims are fun but if you want a more intimate feel or don't want to be stuck on the lawn seats, live music venues are the way to go! Whether it's 300 or 900 capcity, you want to be prepare yourself for what you may walk into that night.

1. Wear earplugs. If you can't tell by the videos I'm posting (from my phone) you hear a lot of the destructive noises that can do some serious damage to your ears. Protect yourself by going to your Wal Mart and going into their sleeping aid section and purchasing ear plugs. I use this brand, but the pink ones are good too.

2. No to open toe! It really is not wise to ever wear open toe shoes (sandals/flip flops) since you will be in a crowd most likely your toes will stepped on whether you chose flip flops or sneakers. It's just a show hazard.

3. Bring $$! No, you can not bring in your own drinks in! Yes, there is a cover charge! And OMG! there is awesome merch! Have money for these situations. Because they will always be presented to you at a show!

4. Drink Water! It doesn't have to be water, necessarily, but you will need to stay hydrated. Whether it's from a cranberry/vodka, mountain dew, redbull, or water, you need to absolutely keep yourself hydrated.  It's very important you don't want to pass out! I see it happen from time to time, and it sucks to have to learn through that. So I'm adding it to my list, drink a lot of water when you start feeling dry in your mouth. It's always helped me in the most staggering heat.

5. Be aware! You always want to be aware of your surroundings particularly at the heavier shows because there is a mosh pit circling in the middle of a crowd. It's kind of like a dance floor but rougher with unspoken rules. The biggest one is you are going to get pushed around if you are right outside of the pit. It's just understood so if you are aware of this you can anticipate it and prepare yourself. Just by being mentally aware, you are not going to be roughed up as much and you have the choice to avoid the racket altogether (for the most part)!

6. Formal Wear? That's okay for pop rock, acoustic, alt country and underground hip hop since it's not rough--but metal shows? I personally don't think it's worth the risk especially if you want to be on the stage floor. Dresses are a sit down and hang out at the bar or pool table occasion. Not a jump in and get rough with the crowd attire! haha You can always wear them but it's just risky when it's metal. You don't want to ruin your outfit or get completely plowed over. I think the best attire is t-shirt, jeans and a comfortable pair of vans/converse especially on rough shows.

7. Coats and Totes? Some places do coat checks but I haven't been to one in a while that had one. So I suggest wearing a light sweater or hoodie and a small bag and or no bag. Coats are a bad idea when it's 200+ people. Totes are no good when your shoulder is killing you and you want to dance! When I go to a lot of bars/clubs I put my money in a pocket when I don't want to lug a purse. Or you could always do a stylish fanny pack, right?

I think that's all I got in my brain at the moment. But I think it's a pretty good idea of the common things I see with people that are new to going out to shows. I hope this helps. Or just falls into blog oblivion! haha