Our Top 5 Concert Essentials

Live music is our lifeblood, so here's our Top 5 Concert Essentials to help you make the most out of any concert.

CAYSN at Sok Hop Live! Photo by Hyaden Lee

Dancing Shoes (and Clothes)

Corbino's dancing shoes Photo by Merrick Webb

Putting together an outfit for a concert is always exciting. The anticipation for the night rushing through you while you judge different combinations.

Dressing for the vibe of the show is an obvious must, but making sure that you can comfortably mosh your heart out is just as important. Picking clothes and shoes that allow you to dance and move can make or break a show.

Try doing a mosh test before you leave for the venue! Turn on your favorite song and dance around to make sure nothing that you're wearing will leave you hurting after the show.

Layers

Riley and Lizzy's Emo Night fits Photo courtesy of Lizzy Walter

Speaking of clothes, another thing to consider when packing up for a concert is the temperature. Indoor concerts tend to get warm and outdoor concerts tend to get cold as the night goes one.

Packing some layers that you can easily put on and take off can make the whole experience a lot more comfortable.

Water

Moshing and NOT Passing Out Photo by Merrick Webb

Being dehydrated is bad all around, but especially at a concert. Adding dehydration to a tight crowd with overwhelming lights and sounds can often cause audience members to pass out.

While a lot of venues don't allow water bottles inside (instead offering capless plastic water bottles), hydrating before the show and having a water bottle ready to go for after the show are both things that future you will thank you for.

Luckily, at Sok Hop we do allow water bottles! So if you want to bring one, feel free. Just don't forget to take it back home with you!

Signs or Notes

Coby Kap and friends Photo courtesy of Coby Kap

If you're going to see a band or artist that you're a big fan of, and will be close to the stage, think about bringing a sign or note to the show!

Signs and notes can show artists your appreciation and hype them up for the show. At smaller venues especially, like Sok Hop wink wink, artists will sometimes stick around after their set to talk to the audience, so bringing a sign or note can help you connect with them by showing your support.

If you're looking to bring a sign or note with you to an upcoming concert, just make sure that you are respectful to the people around you. Don't block anyone's view or push people around to get an artist's attention.

Ear Plugs

Village Monster's drummer wearing in-ear monitors Photo by Merrick Webb

Our last, and arguably most important, concert essential is ear plugs.

Did you know that once you lose some of your hearing, you can never get it back? We're not saying this to scare you but hopefully you see just how important it is to preserve your hearing, especially as an avid concert goer.

High fidelity ear plugs, like these, can help filter out damaging sound frequencies without decreasing the sound quality. These ones even come with a keychain carrying case for easy access.

Those are our top essentials for concerts! Being prepared can make any show a lot more fun. Did we miss any concert essentials? Let us know in the comments!