Waiting in Line for Concerts

What is the longest time you have waited?

Typically, I will wait in line for a show for 1-2 hours. One to two hours to me is nothing and it is the perfect amount of time to get a decent spot for a show.

What can make a difference?

1)    Seats vs. Pit:

If you have seats for a show, it doesn’t matter what time you get there. You can arrive at the show 5 minutes before it starts or an hour before – it won’t make any difference.

2)    Venue:

I’ve been to so many concerts over the years and so many venues. Depending on which venue I am going to, I can determine how long I should wait in line. If I have pit tickets at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, I usually do not show up early. Last time I went there for the Manson & Zombie show, I actually arrived late. The opening band was almost over when I arrived, and I still managed to get a great spot only a few rows back. Some venues the pit doesn’t fill up and you don’t have to worry about standing in long lines to get a good spot.

However, if I am going to the House of Blues in Atlantic City, I will wait in line for at least an hour. This venue always has VIP lines and they are always allowed in first. I usually buy VIP tickets when I attend shows at this venue so I am allowed early entry. However, if I have regular entry, I will usually wait in line for 2 hours so make sure I will be in the first few rows when I enter the venue.

3)   Whoever is attending the show with you:

My ex-boyfriend would always fight with me before shows about the amount of time we should wait in line. I always wanted to wait in line for at least an hour or two and he would argue that this was a waste of time. I don’t remember a show when we didn’t fight about when we should arrive.

When I go to shows with friends, everything is more laid back. My friends don’t really care if we wait or if we arrive on time, or even late. However, if you want to be able to get a good spot and wait in line for a few hours, make sure you don’t invite someone to go with you who is working that day and will not get out of work until an hour before the show. Be smart about planning who you want to go to the show with.

My wait record

The longest I’ve waited in line for a show was about 8-10 hours. This was back in 2008 when I went to Asbury Park, NJ to see my favorite band Staind. They are not heavy metal, but they are my all-time favorite band. I believe the show started around 8 or 9 and I arrived at the boardwalk sometime around 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. I was second in line and I waited in the hot sun for hours and hours that day in July and watched the waves crash on the beach.

Most people told me I was crazy for waiting that long, but it turned out to be the best day of my life. Aaron Lewis, singer from Staind, just happened to be walking the boardwalk during the day with his daughter eating an ice-cream cone and I was able to meet him and get pictures and autographs. The wait did not bother me and in the end it turned out to pay off greatly when I was able to meet my idol. Here is a picture from that day:

Some questions for my readers

·         What is the longest amount of time you have waited in line for a concert?

·         What do you consider to be the perfect amount of time to wait in line?

·         Do you wait in line or show up right on time?