By Chen Ying (25A01C), Qiu Bixin (25A01B) and Keng Yi, Nicole (25S03S)
Everyone seems to be making a stop in Singapore nowadays, from Taylor Swift to the Pope. With every new enticing artist announcing their global tour, thousands flock to venues around Singapore; concert-going is now no longer just a hobby, but a way of life.
For the uninitiated, such uncharted waters may be terrifying. Barriers to entry, such as knowing what to bring, where to queue, or even how to navigate the cruel social experiment that is Ticketmaster may seem too daunting to overcome.
If these struggles sound familiar, this is the guide for you. We’ll cover everything: from preparations, to maximising your concert experience, to etiquette tips to shield you from the wrath of angry Singaporean Tiktokers.
Ticketing and Seat Selection
More often than not, ticketing will be done online on the Ticketmaster website. Preparation is crucial here; check the website early and mark the date and time on your calendar.
Certain concerts may have presales preceding the general sale of tickets. This is where being prepared pays off, as you may need to register early or meet certain criteria to be eligible for some presales. For popular artists, presales give you multiple chances to try your luck at ticketing, so make the most of them lest you regret it later.
The ticketing process itself goes roughly like this: you join the waiting room (ideally at least a few minutes before actual ticketing begins), are assigned a queue number, and when you make it to the end of the queue, are redirected to a page where you can choose your seat category and input your payment details.
Most core aspects of ticketing revolve around getting the lowest queue number possible. For example, you should have a good internet connection at the time of ticketing. For the day of reckoning (ticketing), you may also want to recruit some of your friends.
Each device will be able to generate a unique queue number, and so the more devices you have, the higher the chances of getting a lower queue number. This may bring to mind images of your friends frantically signalling numbers at you in the middle of Physics class, but such is the spirit of ticketing.
Depending on the venue, you can ascertain which queue numbers are worth holding on to. For example, the National Stadium has a capacity of 55,000. 10,000 would be shockingly good, 100,000 would be mediocre but still plausible, and 300,000 and above would be quite unlucky. However, don’t give up hope just yet — people ahead of you in the queue may cancel their spot, so you still stand a chance. Just be warned that such high queue numbers may take upwards of hours to reach the seat selection page. At least you have your friends to entertain you.
Before the actual ticketing day, you should be sure of which seats you want. Consider creating a ranking of the different seating categories and sections by preference and distributing it to whoever is helping you to ensure efficiency. As you only have 10 minutes to checkout once you reach the end of the queue, time is of the essence.
How exactly do you know which seats you want? Well, especially for concert venues like the National Stadium or Indoor Stadium, you can likely find pictures of the view from almost every seat on social media (especially TikTok). Note that the most expensive seats may not always have the best view.
Apart from this, check the Ticketmaster website to find out more about inclusions different categories might have, such as meet-and-greets or merchandise for VIP ticket holders. Consider also your comfort level with sitting or standing the entire concert, and of course, your budget constraints.
Ticketing is arguably the most important part of the entire concert-going process; after all, without tickets you cannot legally attend the concert. Choosing the best seats for you can also make or break your entire experience.
However, ticketing can also be one of the most fun parts of the entire process—holding hands with your friends around laptops in a prayer circle, the exhilaration of getting a good queue number. So just be prepared, say an invocation, and (hopefully) everything will turn out alright.
A Guide to Queuing
After months of eager anticipation, the day of the concert is finally here! But, your concert experience does not start during the concert itself—it starts before, when you’re queuing for the concert. So, without further ado, here are some tips for queuing!
First things first, you will need to arrive earlier depending on whether you booked a spot in the standing pit/VIP section or a seat.
If you picked a standing pit, do keep in mind that you usually need to arrive a couple of hours earlier to get a good view. Some hardcore fans even start queuing in the morning for a concert in the evening!
But, what exactly is a good view? Usually, assuming that the standing pit is right in front of the stage, you should aim to be in the first two rows if you are hoping for an interaction or if you would like to be close to the artist. This is extremely necessary if you are vertically challenged, as you tend to get blocked by everybody filming the artist once you’re in the third row onwards.
That being said, if you fail to secure a spot in the first two rows, another option is the very back of the standing pit. While this might sound counterintuitive, everybody tends to crowd towards the front of the standing pit, which means the back of the pit will guarantee a pretty clear view (unobstructed by outstretched, filming arms) of the artist, though this does come at the expense of being further away from them.
However, do note that different concerts have different arrangements regarding whether there is a starting time for queuing to enter the standing pit/VIP section (meaning that arriving hours earlier to queue might not guarantee a good spot).
On the other hand, if you have booked a seat, arriving one hour prior to the start of the concert will usually be enough. If you plan to purchase artist merchandise before the concert, you will also need to account for queuing time for that, and come even earlier!
Queuing Must-Haves
Next, some must-have products to pass those long, tedious hours while you wait to see your artist.
- Portable fans/Cooling wipes
Since queuing often occurs outdoors in the hot and humid Singaporean weather, it is advisable to bring along a portable fan for when things get sweaty (and stinky), as well as a pack of cooling wet wipes to freshen up. These wipes contain menthol which create a cooling sensation when applied to one’s skin, and can be purchased online, or in person at Guardian, Watsons, Daiso, or Don Don Donki. In particular, consider the brands Biore and Gatsby for their cooling wet wipes! - Entertainment
Furthermore, in order to pass the long hours in line, prepare some entertainment. Be it downloading your favorite KDrama on Netflix or bringing homework so that you can #lockin while queuing, these will be essential to help time feel like it’s moving faster, even when the queue is barely moving. If you forget either and you feel like being sociable, you can even befriend the people queuing in front/behind of you! - Powerbank
As important as it is to stave off boredom, it is crucial to ensure that your phone is still alive so that you can record all the memories from the concert and immortalise it within your gallery. Thus, do make sure to bring a small power bank to keep your essential devices charged. - Water
Lastly, it is important to stay hydrated while queuing, lest you pass out from heat stroke before even seeing the artist you paid so much to watch. However, do note that various venues have different stipulations regarding water bottles. For example, the National Stadium and the Singapore Indoor Stadium forbid bottled water but allow the bringing in of empty water bottles that you fill up inside the venue, while the Star Theatre broadly states that outside food and beverages are not allowed. Since there are bag checks before you are granted entry, it is better to be safe than sorry regarding this to prevent the disposal of a perfectly good water bottle.
Concert Etiquette
Now, you’ve gotten to your seat/spot and you’re all geared up to enjoy the concert to the fullest. But before that, there are more things you should take note of to ensure a terrific concert experience for both you, and those around you.
First of all, don’t bring cameras or phone attachment lenses when you’re going to a concert (among other more obvious objects, say, weapons). You might be confused—why exactly aren’t cameras allowed in? Cameras, or phone attachment lenses, can produce high-quality images that could be used in ways that violate the artist’s copyright, for example, in advertisements for products the artist did not endorse.
In general, for a smoother bag-check experience for everyone, make sure to look up the restrictions while packing for concerts, and don’t bring in anything you’re not allowed to.
Secondly, research on interaction segments before going to a concert. Usually, every artist will have one or two interaction segments in the middle of their concert to liven up the atmosphere, and concert-goers upload videos of these experiences on platforms like YouTube or TikTok. Doing this research ensures that you’re not confused during such segments, and that you’re having the best time during every part of the concert.
A TikTok of the interaction segment at Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet” tour
Next, while you’re for sure excited to be at your favourite artist’s concert, don’t get too carried away screaming along to their songs and sing at an appropriate volume. Imagine you’re rewatching your concert videos, and throughout each video, you just hear someone’s (probably off-tune) screaming in the background—doesn’t that just ruin every single video? Don’t be this person for other concert-goers, and sing at an appropriate volume! (Unless everybody else is also screaming their lungs out—if so, scream ahead.)
Now, some (basic) etiquette if you’ve got a standing pit ticket. Please don’t shove someone out of their spot even if you desperately want to stand there, as is the fate of a standing pit ticketholder. This shouldn’t need further explanation, it’s just basic manners.
Next, don’t hold any big signs above your head. Now, this goes for seated audience members as well, but this is particularly important for those standing, as everyone around you is about the same height. If you hold anything above your head, the chances of you blocking another person’s view and taking away from their concert experience are 100%, especially if you’re holding a massive sign.
As for those of you sitting, know when to stand and sit. You probably should be sitting for most of the concert, but the artist might ask the audience to stand up for certain songs. That’s the only appropriate time for you to stand during the concert. If you decide to stand up during any other song while everyone else is sitting down, you’re just inconsiderately blocking everyone else’s view of the stage for no good reason.
Conclusion
And… there you have it! A complete, comprehensive concert guide that covers everything from ticketing all the way to the concert itself. At the same time, do take note that the advice given in this guide is quite general, and different artists have specific requirements. So, the most important thing is to do your research, and make sure you’re clear about what each artist prefers or requires. Now, you’re all set to have the time of your life at the concert!
