Going to shows by yourself

LukinFan
LukinFan Florida Posts: 29,127
edited August 2008 in Given To Fly (live)
Another thread reminded me of this. I guess I'm at a point in my life where the majority of my friends don't want to go to shows any more- which sucks. My wife doesn't even like the small club in door ones because the smoke really bothers here, which I completely understand.

Live concerts are my drugs. They are a way to relive stress from work- just a great way to rock out. So, when I really want to see a band, I'll venture off to the show by myself. I've only done this three times in my life and they are all in the past year and a half.

The three are...

1. Pearl Jam in West Palm Beach- my boy backed out at the last minute, but it was okay beacuse I met Release30 there tailgating and he rocks so I had a blast!

2. Nonpoint w/ Drowning Pool and Egypt Central- Nonpoint is one of my favorite bands. I've seen them a ton of times, but it had been awhile. After the show I got my pic taken with the drummer and he got the entire band to sign my show poster.

3. Blind Melon- Not a huge fan, but I used to really be into them- had a great time. They blew me away.


So anyone else go to shows by themselves? Any good experiences? Any bad ones? Any funny ones?
www.RLMcDaniel.com

1996: Ft Lauderdale
1998: Birmingham
2000: Charlotte, Tampa
2003: Tampa, Atlanta, Phoenix
2004: Kissimmee
2008: West Palm Beach, Bonnaroo, Columbia
2010: MSG2
2012: Music Midtown
2014: Memphis
2016: Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Jacksonville, JazzFest
2018: Wrigley 1, Fenway 1
2022: Nashville
2023: Ft. Worth II
2024: Baltimore
2025: Hollywood II
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Comments

  • norm
    norm Posts: 31,146
    went by myself to rem this year at hollywood bowl....besides the ridiculous twats sitting around me it was a great time :)

    kinda went to vh1 honors alone....my buddy was there but in different seats so it was kinda like going alone ;):D
  • MikeLammi23
    MikeLammi23 Posts: 109
    I'm going to the EV show on Friday, and I will be going alone. It will be my first time going to any concert by myself, but I have no worries. Especially in this type of setting.

    I really don't see how the experience can be bad, but it is always better to have a friend there to share the experience with. Hopefully I don't have any bad stories to tell after Friday.
    10c #TBD

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  • jimed14
    jimed14 Posts: 9,488
    I live in the city ... my girl lives in the east bay (WAY out there), so, it's tough for her to come into the city all the time on weekdays. I've got friends that like the occasional show, but, they're usually into the arena type acts and they get tired of the amount of shows I like to attend (30-40 a year, or more).

    So, with 2-3 really nice venues within walking distance (bars/clubs >250-300 attendance or so), I've taken in several shows on my own.

    I've actually chatted with quite a few different band members this way, easier to chat them up if you're not in a group of people.
    "You're one of the few Red Sox fans I don't mind." - Newch91

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  • gobrowns19
    gobrowns19 Posts: 1,447
    Haven't really gone to a show by myself, but the 3 other friends I went with to see Neil Young in Detroit weren't able to sit together and I felt alone. I still had a good time, but I felt like I would have had even more fun with one of them by me.
    Happiness is only real when shared
  • Tone
    Tone Posts: 1,206
    I've seen PJ 3 times by myself... all of them in Toronto... once in '05 and twice in '06. Missing those shows just wasn't an option and finding someone to go with me was just more trouble than I wanted to deal with, so I just bought myself a single ticket each time. I also saw John Mayer by myself in Toronto in '04.

    I don't have a problem going by myself, if it's a band I care about, there's no way I'm missing it (especially in the case of PJ). I would rather go by myself than go with someone who was only there for the hell of it, not cause they really wanted to be there.

    At one of the PJ shows a guy next to me chewed my ear off ALOT, I had to keep telling him to zip it cause, I'm sorry, no-one talks when Ed does and certainly not when they're performing songs like Sad!!!

    PJ fans are great, so you always have people to chat to around you and once they're on the stage, it doesn't matter... you're not talking anyway, so that initial awkwardness, you might feel, disappears. I would see PJ by myself anytime :) After all, the alternative is just not even worth considering!

    By comparison, the John Mayer crowd wasn't at all chatty... mostly boyfriends with their girlfriends and no-one friendly around me. Meh.
    Glaciers melting in the dead of night and the superstars sucked into the supermassive.
  • wolfbear
    wolfbear Posts: 3,965
    I was going to go to the Gorge by myself but I ended up going with another pit member. PJ is probably the only band I would go alone for, but I know so many people now it wouldn't feel like going alone. :)
    "I'd rather be with an animal." "Those that can be trusted can change their mind." "The in between is mine." "If I don't lose control, explore and not explode, a preternatural other plane with the power to maintain." "Yeh this is living." "Life is what you make it."
  • hiding103006
    hiding103006 Posts: 452
    well first let me say that i wouldn't go to any show besides pearl jam by myself. i don't know - i haven't tried it - but i wouldn't want to to a concert alone. and even if it were pearl jam i wouldn't travel too far to do it...
    Camden 7-5-2003, Camden 7-6-2003, Hershey 7-12-2003, Camden 5-27-2006, Camden 5-28-2006, Lollapalooza 8-5-2007, Camden 6-19-2008, Camden 6-20-2008, New York 6-24-2008, New York 6-25-2008, Mansfield 6-28-2008, Mansfield 6-30-2008
  • wagm
    wagm Posts: 40
    I prefer to go to shows by myself.
    When I have gone with others, there have been distractions, friends wanting to talk, do other things, etc.
    I find that when I am solo, I can totally focus on the band and the music.
  • 5882300
    5882300 Posts: 813
    Yep, I have gone to several by myself. At first I felt kind of akward but after you get used to it, it's actually kind of fun. I don't like to be bothered during the show anyway. Plus the fact you meet a lot of interesting people. I am all for going by yourself.
  • Capstoner
    Capstoner Posts: 727
    I ended up going to Columbia by myself after some friends backed out on me. I met some cool people and had a great time.
    Atlanta 92
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  • I went to Ed's solo show in Santa Barbara with four of my friends, but none of our seats were together. I ended up sitting with some real diehard fans & had a blast. I got to concentrate more on the show & Ed's funny little stories. There were no distractions from friends talking & such. The only distraction was some bimbo screaming "I love you Eddie" several times, she came in about 3 songs into Ed's set, I might add. The guy sitting to my right kept tapping her and telling her to shut up. She just turned around gave him a "fuck you" look. Eventually, there were 2 or 3 of us shooshing her. Finally, an usher came to our rescue and showed the girl to her seat......way down front near Charlise Theron.
    I wish I were the verb "to trust" and never let you down
  • release30
    release30 Posts: 2,051
    I don't mind going to shows alone..I always meet up with great people when I do...
    Conversations getting dull
    There's a constant ringing in my ears
    Sense of humor's void and numb
    And I'm bored to tears.......
  • SENROCK
    SENROCK Posts: 10,736
    LukinFan wrote:
    So anyone else go to shows by themselves? Any good experiences? Any bad ones? Any funny ones?
    I went to see Kid Rock earlier this year ALONE. I hadd a friend with me but we wont go there. Once I was by the stage amongst other Kid Rock fans, i felt GREAT!!! I hadd the best time ever ANNNND.......i got to be near him at his after party. :cool: Its great going to shows with other people but sometimes u gotta do what ya gotta DO!!!
    ~~~~~~ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD TIME~~~~~~
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  • Brainofdz
    Brainofdz Posts: 1,617
    I do it all the time. It's great. It forces you to meet new people. I like to go to at least 2 shows a month, so my friends are worn out. Especially for a GA show, its absolutely not a problem.
    "Stunned by my own reflection, It's looking back, sees me too clearly and I swore I'd never go there again, Not unlike a friend that politely drags you down,down,down"

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  • JordyWordy
    JordyWordy Posts: 2,261
    at festivals over the past 6/7 years ive always gone to see certain bands on my own (when my friends didnt want to come)...saw Audioslave, Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Massive Attack, Interpol, The Streets, MMJ, Patrick Watson.....all cool shows. u meet & chat to lots of cool new people

    Going to my first club show alone tonight. Daniel Johnston, should be great!
  • Pearl moon
    Pearl moon East Coast Posts: 9
    Hi!I'm new to posting,and I'm glad this thread was here.I'm going to the Aug1st Ed show in Boston alone.I got a ticket given to me and had already bought one on my own.Does anyone need an extra ticket?I'm so psyched for the show but a bit nervous about going alone.Is there anything going on beforehand that anyone knows about?
  • hinx
    hinx Posts: 416
    I'm the only serious Pearl Jam fan among my friends so last tour (2006) when I decided I wanted to travel and do multiple shows, I knew I was going to be doing it alone.

    Sometimes I met up with people I knew it other cities, sometimes it was completely solo. I always feel a little awkward before the show, sitting in a seat alone, haha...but once the shows starts it doesn't matter. Definitely worth it.
  • gregkitefan
    gregkitefan Posts: 1,122
    I went to several Pearl Jam shows by myself.

    Mansfield 2 - 2000

    Mansfield 2 - 2003

    Boston 2 - 2004

    Philadelphia 2005 - flew from Boston by myself

    East Rutherford 2 - 2006 - driving home 4 hours right after the show was tough - drank 2 Monster energy drinks to stay awake

    San Fran 3 - 2006 - my girlfriend went shopping - she went to the first 2

    My buddies are usually good for 1 show. 2 is asking a lot since most of them have several children and wives that are not welcome to the idea of their husband leaving for more than 1 day.
    38
  • LukinFan
    LukinFan Florida Posts: 29,127
    Pearl moon wrote:
    Hi!I'm new to posting,and I'm glad this thread was here.I'm going to the Aug1st Ed show in Boston alone.I got a ticket given to me and had already bought one on my own.Does anyone need an extra ticket?I'm so psyched for the show but a bit nervous about going alone.Is there anything going on beforehand that anyone knows about?
    Welcome to the board- start a thread stating that you have an extra and it will be gone before you know it. Good luck!
    www.RLMcDaniel.com

    1996: Ft Lauderdale
    1998: Birmingham
    2000: Charlotte, Tampa
    2003: Tampa, Atlanta, Phoenix
    2004: Kissimmee
    2008: West Palm Beach, Bonnaroo, Columbia
    2010: MSG2
    2012: Music Midtown
    2014: Memphis
    2016: Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Jacksonville, JazzFest
    2018: Wrigley 1, Fenway 1
    2022: Nashville
    2023: Ft. Worth II
    2024: Baltimore
    2025: Hollywood II
  • CityMouse
    CityMouse Posts: 1,010
    LukinFan wrote:
    Another thread reminded me of this. I guess I'm at a point in my life where the majority of my friends don't want to go to shows any more- which sucks. My wife doesn't even like the small club in door ones because the smoke really bothers here, which I completely understand.

    Live concerts are my drugs. They are a way to relive stress from work- just a great way to rock out. So, when I really want to see a band, I'll venture off to the show by myself. I've only done this three times in my life and they are all in the past year and a half.

    The three are...

    1. Pearl Jam in West Palm Beach- my boy backed out at the last minute, but it was okay beacuse I met Release30 there tailgating and he rocks so I had a blast!

    2. Nonpoint w/ Drowning Pool and Egypt Central- Nonpoint is one of my favorite bands. I've seen them a ton of times, but it had been awhile. After the show I got my pic taken with the drummer and he got the entire band to sign my show poster.

    3. Blind Melon- Not a huge fan, but I used to really be into them- had a great time. They blew me away.


    So anyone else go to shows by themselves? Any good experiences? Any bad ones? Any funny ones?

    I've been going to shows of all sizes by my self forever. I've gone to PJ shows, I've gone small club shows...there are no more good/bad experiences than if you go with other people. If you really want to see the band in question, you just go. it's pretty much exactly the same. I've never understood why people are so hesitant to go places by themselves.