we get a lot of questions on what to wear to shows, or what to expect when going, and all of that. so we’re going to try and make a guide of some sort of help cut down on these questions and hopefully help out a lot of people and all of that. now if you have any suggestions or maybe something you want to argue against or w/e just send us an ask and all of that. a lot of this is just thing from our own personal experiences. 

now this guide was made for all time low fans and so one or two parts are really gonna be band specific, but the rest of this can go for just about any band you’re gonna go see live.

WHAT TO WEAR.

first and foremost: be comfortable. concerts can be an all day affair depending on how early you want to go stand in line and dressing comfortably will help you in the long run.

obviously, during the spring/summer months it’s pretty damn hot depending on where you live and trust us, it’s gonna be even hotter once you get inside the venue. outdoor events are even hotter. shows like warped tour and bamboozle are outdoor events. you think it’s hot just walking around? wait until you’re in a hot, sticky, and humid crowd during a band’s set. so try to dress light and don’t layer up. if you do bring a jacket make sure its not something thick, just a thin hoodie for after the show because sometimes it does get cool~. try to wear shorts or capris, things like that, maybe some cute dress with shorts underneath (understand, however, you might get a few odd looks). you get the idea, just dress how you normally would during the summer. avoid dark colors, dark colors just attract the sun and make you feel so much hotter/warmer. so think yellow, pale colors, white for shirts, stray away from dark colored pants!

• also, if you plan on buying merch, (an anon gave us a really smart idea so props to you anon) simply just wear a tank top to the show and when you go to buy just slip the top over the tank top. it’s so simple and smart. it eliminates the whole carrying around a shirt all night.

shows during the winter/late fall are hella difficult to dress for because you are waiting outside in the freezing ass cold just to go into a room and sweat your balls off. so here are few tips on staying warm and all that. so wear long sleeves, long pants, maybe double up on the socks if you hate cold toes~, and wear a hoodie. also:

• buy/bring blankets. really cheap ones, but ones that you don’t mind leaving outside once its time to go inside the venue. blankets are so amazing. fkdjsklfjg. also you tend to make close friends really fast because everyone will wanna huddle under the blanket(s) that is always a bonus.
• try to find a near by coffee shop or store that you can buy something warm to drink. that always helped me a lot. plus you can stand in there for a few minutes to warm back up.
• buy a a big old winter coat at a thrift store. something that cost less then 5 bucks or w/e and then you can ditch it when you go inside. you’ll be warm and won’t be that much of a loss if you lose it. (make sure you just have a hoodie on underneath because after the show you’ll freeze)
• try to move around a lot in the line. moving gets the blood flowing and keeps you a little warmer.

also above anything i dunno how much i can stress this but WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES. i would wear sneakers of some sort. we advise against ballet flats, flips flops, high heels or any of the sort. your feet will hate you (and if you step on anyone in high heels they might just kill you). just shoes you know you can wear upwards to six+ hours and won’t kill your feet for the next week.

but seriously, girls, leave your high heels at home, rock concerts are not the place for them.

WHAT TO BRING TO A CONCERT.

there are always thing you absolutely need when you go to a show. there are things you really don’t need. so here are the things that are that you may find you need:

• camera
• cash or a debit/credit card (we don’t know if many bands have this, but all time low has recently acquired a credit/debit card swiper which makes the paying process a lot easier.)
• i.d (just incase, sometimes if venues have age restrictions they’ll check so this is a “just in case” item or if you there to party and go to the venue’s bar if the have one.)
• cell phone

on whether or not you should bring any these items is up to you. for example: andi likes to bring a camera to shows, kryzia doesn’t (mostly because i find myself getting distracted trying to get a good view of the band on my camera than actually paying attention to what’s going on, but that’s just me).

SHOULD I TAKE A BAG/PURSE OR NOT?

this is also entirely up to you and what you feel is comfortable with you. andi doesn’t like taking a bag because she can put everything she need in her pockets or simply carry it in her hands and doesn’t have to worry about lugging a bag around all day. but the bag is also helpful if you’re afraid you might lose something if you put it in your pocket and you can hold a bunch more. 

if you plan on crowd surfing then you really shouldn’t have a bag with you. if that’s the case you can just stuff shit in your bra if you’re afraid of it being in your pockets.

if you’ve decided you’re gonna bring a bag, you should bring a small messenger bag or a small backpack.

bottom line: you have to think about what you will be doing at this show and then decide to bring a bag or not. 

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO BUY MERCH?

this is also entirely up to. there are really a bunch of different times on when to buy it.

• you can go right when you walk into the venue, not a lot of people are worrying about merch, but about getting a spot on the floor. you get the sizes you want but you are also kind of stuck carrying it around for the next five hours, unless you have a bag with you.
• you can go right during a band’s set that you don’t mind missing a little bit. you can still can get the sizes you want most likely and not have to carry it all around as long.
• for an all time low show, they always, always, always close their sets with dear maria and that would be an excellent time to slip out and go buy some merch. now at this point it is basically the end of the show and you do run the risk of the merch you want being out of the size you need, but there isn’t as much of a wait and can get your stuff and go. 
• you can wait till after the show is finished and wait in line for a long ass time before the merch person gets too you and the by this time a lot of the sizes are sold out.

your choice, but please know exactly how much money you have before you ask for stuff. it just makes your purchase go quicker when you know what you can and can’t afford.

CAN I MEET THE BANDS AFTER THE SHOW?

you can most definitely try too! all time low and a lot of other bands always make an attempt to come out after shows to meet with as many people as they can. sometimes it can take an hour or so before the come outside but they do try to come out. for all time low, we’ve heard mostly of jack being the first one out, and the last one to leave. alex and rian sort of follow after that. we haven’t really heard anything about zack but we do know they all come out and try to meet and get pictures with everyone until they have to leave for the next venue or the police tell them they have to go. sometimes, the band can’t come out because their bus call is really early depending on where the next venue is located. if that happens, then hopefully you’ll get to meet them next time. 

sometimes you’ll be able to catch them before the concert running around town, exploring. we’ve heard of zack running before the shows, so you might catch him then, possibly. 

SO BASICALLY WE’VE ALREADY COMPLIED SOME DO’S AND DON’T’S OUTSIDE OF THE SHOW. THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD OR SHOULDN’T DO DURING THE SHOW.

1. DO have fun. you paid money to see this band that you love so much so have fun! enjoy it! who knows when you’ll be able to see the band again, but that also leads us to our first don’t.
   DON’T go so crazy where you become inconsiderate to the people around you. make sure your jam session doesn’t cause your elbow to find itself in someone’s eye socket. be aware of your surroundings. it’s a lesson that you should apply to your life, not just at a concert. 
2. DO help the crowd surfers. 
   DON’T fucking drop them. it’s going to be painful for the crowd surfer and you. if you don’t help them, they will fall and it’s going to be on your sorry ass. if you don’t want to deal with them, then you might want to stick to hanging around the side stages. crowd surfers are a middle stage sort of thing as are mosh pits.
3. DO have a drink or two if you wanna. 
   DON’T get fucking smashed. no one, and i mean, NO ONE wants to deal with your drunk ass at the show and you’ll reek of booze, which in such a close space fucking sucks for the rest of us. 
4.  DO befriend the security guy(s) if you’re at the barricade and you don’t have qualms with being social. if you manage it, they will become your best friends for the evening and look out for you and give you water when they pass it out. if there’s a quarrel and you aren’t in the wrong, they are likely to believe you over the other person.
   
5. DO tie your hair back if you have long hair. trust me, no one wants your hair tangled in their fingers and in their mouths. it’s disgusting.
   DON’T be pissed if you refuse to and someone gathers your hair and puts it over your shoulder. after a show, you’ll be a sweaty mess, if anything, tying your hair back will help keep it in some what of an order and not frizzy and in knots.
6. DO get there early if you want to attempt getting a spot at the barricade. 
   DON’T get there late and cut in front of people who have been there for hours. the chances are you can work your way near to the front if you really want to be there. that being said…
7. DO move closer if you want to be closer to the stage. 
   DON’T push and shove your way up there or you make your journey there a bit more vicious. don’t try and pull a kid from the barricade away because if there’s a cat fight (rawr~), you can be sure the security guys will be on it and you’ll be the one forced to get out and go to the back again. 
8. DO know your size when buying merch. don’t ask to try it on right then and there. the merch guy will hate you. if you need help, go to any band’s merch webstore. they usually have sizing charts where you can get an idea on what size you are. also, all band shirts are unisex/men sizes unless otherwise stated. do tip them. they have to deal with a ton of kids every night who don’t know how to buy merch. they deserve a medal for the shit they go through. 
   DON’T point to a shirt behind the merch guy, describe it. don’t ask them about another band’s merch. don’t ask the merch guy to hold your shit for you. it’s not their’s. it’s your’s. you decided to bring it along so you’re the one going to deal with it. (BASICALLY FOLLOW DAVE CHAPMAN’S MERCH RULES.)

adhere by this guide. read it, learn it, and live it and guarantee that you’ll have a great time at your favorite band’s show.