so if he is gonna go solo surely some friendly people on this board wouldn't mind him tagging along with them
Right, but that's still not the question. Would you let your 16 year old son go to a concert by himself, knowing that will be tagging along with strangers from the band's online forum? I'm sure, as well meaning as virtually everyone here may be, there aren't too many parents who would allow that (probably rightly so - how and why would they believe any online stranger is well meaning?).
His question is: would you let him go by himself? Period. As much as we all remember our experiences being very cool and liberating, they were almost universally with friends, siblings etc. Going alone as a 16 year old? Not quite the same thing.
He's looking for advice/opinions, not a reflection if what we did that he apparently doesn't have the option to do.
So, solo at 16? Nope. With friends etc? Sure. With strangers from the band's fan club? Not a chance.
Best bet: find a friend who they know, talk to both sets of parents, figure out the pickup and drop off points are going to be, tell them you'll text them where you're going to be etc. (Oh, and don't tell them you won't to show up at noon for merch. Tell them you want to be dropped off at 5pm. That's a time they'll understand. There are people here who can't understand why anyone would stand for merch 8 hours ahead of time - surely you're non fan parents won't either.)
Good luck!
In answer to your question, yes I would. Life is shaped by our experiences and if the kid is happy to go solo and he gets picked up and dropped off afterwards then I see absolutely zero issue.
My mentioning of people on this board was more not even a factor of his age, if I was going to a PJ gig alone i'd probably put a message out there for other solo show goers or anyone cool who wanted to hang out. 16 or 60.
I used to head into London on my own at 16 and was playing in a band who did night shows.
Rock shows are safe. They are only unsafe if you get yourself into stupid situations or act like a moron. Which I doubt a 16 year old would do. I'm sure he would just be mega stoked to be there
so if he is gonna go solo surely some friendly people on this board wouldn't mind him tagging along with them
Right, but that's still not the question. Would you let your 16 year old son go to a concert by himself, knowing that will be tagging along with strangers from the band's online forum? I'm sure, as well meaning as virtually everyone here may be, there aren't too many parents who would allow that (probably rightly so - how and why would they believe any online stranger is well meaning?).
His question is: would you let him go by himself? Period. As much as we all remember our experiences being very cool and liberating, they were almost universally with friends, siblings etc. Going alone as a 16 year old? Not quite the same thing.
He's looking for advice/opinions, not a reflection if what we did that he apparently doesn't have the option to do.
So, solo at 16? Nope. With friends etc? Sure. With strangers from the band's fan club? Not a chance.
Best bet: find a friend who they know, talk to both sets of parents, figure out the pickup and drop off points are going to be, tell them you'll text them where you're going to be etc. (Oh, and don't tell them you won't to show up at noon for merch. Tell them you want to be dropped off at 5pm. That's a time they'll understand. There are people here who can't understand why anyone would stand for merch 8 hours ahead of time - surely you're non fan parents won't either.)
Good luck!
In answer to your question, yes I would. Life is shaped by our experiences and if the kid is happy to go solo and he gets picked up and dropped off afterwards then I see absolutely zero issue.
My mentioning of people on this board was more not even a factor of his age, if I was going to a PJ gig alone i'd probably put a message out there for other solo show goers or anyone cool who wanted to hang out. 16 or 60.
I used to head into London on my own at 16 and was playing in a band who did night shows.
Rock shows are safe. They are only unsafe if you get yourself into stupid situations or act like a moron. Which I doubt a 16 year old would do. I'm sure he would just be mega stoked to be there
Yup. I'm among that apparently small number of people who would say yes to the going alone, not just with friends. And I'm still scratching my head as to why that's a problem for so many people.
my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
I won't vote in the poll because there isn't enough data. Quite honestly it just depends on the 16 year old. I would have allowed my nephew to go alone at 16 but he is an Eagle Scout. I also know some mid-20 year olds that shouldn't even be allowed to cross a street alone. It comes down to your level of maturity. My parents wouldn't (and shouldn't) have allowed me to go to a show alone at 16, but I was a late bloomer and just wasn't ready for that responsibility.
In 1987 when I was 16 years old my parents let me fly from Edmonton to Vancouver to see U2 and fly back the same night. I was with two other friends and we bought a concert package through a travel company. I was a pretty good kid and my parents trusted me for the most part. Everything went fine and to this day it is still one of my top concert memories.
My first concert experience was when I was 16! I saw Megadeth on the floor at Bell center, I wasn't alone I had 2 friends with me! The parents of my friend drove us to the show and picked us up after!! So yeah if he is with some friends I think he's good.
I guess the people who said "only with a friend" are parents themselves! It´s all about negotiating sometimes. That´s such a typical parent answer ... "yes, BUT only if..." LOL Your kid wants it black or white, and you´re trying to get it more balanced.
"I gather speed from you fucking with me"
PJ in Stockholm, Sweden, 7th July 2012. EV solo in London, 31st July 2012. PJ in Stockholm 28th of June 2014. PJ in Milton Keynes UK, 11th of July 2014, Eddie solo in London 6th of June 2017. PJ London 18th of June, 2018, and 17th of July, 2018.
I see kids that are like 13-15 walking around NYC by themselves and they are fine.
People either think that they can protect their children from the evils or the world, or that their child is incapable of protecting them self from them, even after they are basically adults.
Neither is true.
'I know I was born and I know that I'll die, the in between is mine.'
I think everyone missed the question: would you let your 16 go alone to Wrigley? Everyone is responding with some variation of "yes with a friend.". My first show was when I was 14 to Rage Against the Machine...with two of my friends and my 18 year old brother and three of his friends.
Of course most of us would let their 16 year old go with someone else. His question is would we let our 16 year old alone.
No way. With a friend, a ride, a phone, a plan etc etc etc? Of course, barring some reason not to.
Sounds like he's trying to go solo, in which case, I think most of us would say no.
Ok, to clarify...my answer is still yes. I was in first grade (or 6 years old) when I was left home alone every day after school. Latchkey kid, take the bus to and from school by myself, make myself dinner and wait until my parent came home. I didn't get in trouble, I didn't burn the house down. I would regularly take public transit to downtown Seattle and wander around alone in junior high.
Now, if Mr. Bacon is constantly getting in trouble or suspended or whatever, then the answer would be no. If he's a good responsible kid, then I would have no problem.
The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.
Yea to be clear, I know how to read, and I'm still saying that as long as the kid has transportation to get home after the show there no reason why shouldn't be allowed to go.
16 is definitely an appropriate age to attend concerts alone (no matter what the act is). Time for the baby bird to fly, lol. Going to a PJ show at Wrigley (or anywhere) is not dangerous assuming the kid's not an idiot and doesn't go out of his way to find trouble.
Post edited by PJ_Soul on
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
btw my parents would be in the city at the time and would be able to pick me up and drop me off.
Quit adding variables!
1998-06-30 Minneapolis
2003-06-16 St. Paul
2006-06-26 St. Paul
2007-08-05 Chicago
2009-08-23 Chicago
2009-08-28 San Francisco
2010-05-01 NOLA (Jazz Fest)
2011-07-02 EV Minneapolis
2011-09-03 PJ20
2011-09-04 PJ20
2011-09-17 Winnipeg
2012-06-26 Amsterdam
2012-06-27 Amsterdam
2013-07-19 Wrigley
2013-11-21 San Diego
2013-11-23 Los Angeles
2013-11-24 Los Angeles
2014-07-08 Leeds, UK
2014-07-11 Milton Keynes, UK
2014-10-09 Lincoln
2014-10-19 St. Paul
2014-10-20 Milwaukee
2016-08-20 Wrigley 1
2016-08-22 Wrigley 2 2018-06-18 London 1 2018-08-18 Wrigley 1 2018-08-20 Wrigley 2 2022-09-16 Nashville 2023-08-31 St. Paul 2023-09-02 St. Paul 2023-09-05 Chicago 1 2023-08-31 Wrigley 2 2023-09-15 Fenway 1
I'm assuming the results of this poll may or may not be used as leverage towards convincing your parents to let you go alone...?
The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.
Comments
Life is shaped by our experiences and if the kid is happy to go solo and he gets picked up and dropped off afterwards then I see absolutely zero issue.
My mentioning of people on this board was more not even a factor of his age, if I was going to a PJ gig alone i'd probably put a message out there for other solo show goers or anyone cool who wanted to hang out. 16 or 60.
I used to head into London on my own at 16 and was playing in a band who did night shows.
Rock shows are safe. They are only unsafe if you get yourself into stupid situations or act like a moron. Which I doubt a 16 year old would do. I'm sure he would just be mega stoked to be there
2006 Jools Holland, London / Reading festival
2007 Wmbly London
2009 SBE London / O2 London
2012 MEN 1/ MEN 2 / Berlin 1 / Berlin 2 / EV LDN 1 / EV LDN 2
2013 NY 1/ NY 2 / Philly 1 / Philly 2
2014 AMS 1 / AMS 2 / Leeds / MK
2017 EV LDN 1 / EV LDN 2
2018 LDN 1 / BCN / LDN 2
2022 LDN 1 / LDN 2
If you were with a friend, then I would have voted yes.
Raleigh '03
Charlotte '13
Cincinnati '14
Greenville '16, Columbia '16
Nashville '22
PJ in Stockholm, Sweden, 7th July 2012. EV solo in London, 31st July 2012. PJ in Stockholm 28th of June 2014. PJ in Milton Keynes UK, 11th of July 2014, Eddie solo in London 6th of June 2017. PJ London 18th of June, 2018, and 17th of July, 2018.
People either think that they can protect their children from the evils or the world, or that their child is incapable of protecting them self from them, even after they are basically adults.
Neither is true.
Now, if Mr. Bacon is constantly getting in trouble or suspended or whatever, then the answer would be no. If he's a good responsible kid, then I would have no problem.
- Christopher McCandless
LIVEFOOTSTEPS.ORG/USER/?USR=435
Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
LIVEFOOTSTEPS.ORG/USER/?USR=435
2003-06-16 St. Paul
2006-06-26 St. Paul
2007-08-05 Chicago
2009-08-23 Chicago
2009-08-28 San Francisco
2010-05-01 NOLA (Jazz Fest)
2011-07-02 EV Minneapolis
2011-09-03 PJ20
2011-09-04 PJ20
2011-09-17 Winnipeg
2012-06-26 Amsterdam
2012-06-27 Amsterdam
2013-07-19 Wrigley
2013-11-21 San Diego
2013-11-23 Los Angeles
2013-11-24 Los Angeles
2014-07-08 Leeds, UK
2014-07-11 Milton Keynes, UK
2014-10-09 Lincoln
2014-10-19 St. Paul
2014-10-20 Milwaukee
2016-08-20 Wrigley 1
2016-08-22 Wrigley 2
2018-06-18 London 1
2018-08-18 Wrigley 1
2018-08-20 Wrigley 2
2022-09-16 Nashville
2023-08-31 St. Paul
2023-09-02 St. Paul
2023-09-05 Chicago 1
2023-08-31 Wrigley 2
2023-09-15 Fenway 1
I'm assuming the results of this poll may or may not be used as leverage towards convincing your parents to let you go alone...?
- Christopher McCandless
FYI your cell phone battery drains like crazy at Wrigley. Bring a back up charger with.
'13: 10/27 Baltimore
'15: 9/26 New York City
'16: 4/16 Greenville (VS!), 4/26 Lexington, 4/28 Philly, 8/20 Wrigley
'18: 9/02 Fenway
'22: 9/16 Nashville
’24: 8/26 Noblesville, 9/12 Baltimore