If you are a frequent visitor to gayinthecle.com, you know that I am a GenXer and love the 80s. You will also know that I LOVE music, it is my escape from the world and is the soundtrack to my life. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t have music on, somewhere. With all of that said, you would think I have been going to concerts since I was old enough to find a fake ID. The truth is, until about two years ago I had probably only been to a total of four concerts – in my WHOLE LIFE!! I know, I know, call me a poser.
Within the last two years, I have been to some truly amazing concerts and even managed to get a couple bucket list items checked off. I have had to learn many hard lessons about concerts. Some of them have to do, directly, with age. Today, I want to share with you Top Six Must Haves for a Concert.
Am I too old for concerts
Above, I mentioned that I started going to concerts, frequently, about two years ago. Karl, my boyfriend, spent a lot of his time following his favorite band, The Birthday Massacre, but stepped away from it before we met. He would tell me about all the concerts he went to and I felt a longing to have stories like that. I always wanted to go to concerts, but never really had anyone to go with and was too self conscious to go by myself. Since then, I just felt like maybe I was too old to start going. But with all of my health changes, I decided there is no time like the present to experience what I have been missing.
In those two years, we have seen quite a few concerts across the United States and Canada. We have seen some amazing shows, great openers, and plenty of wtf moments. Here is a short list of who we have seen
- The Birthday Massacre/JulienK/Man1k1N/Korine
- Psyclon Nine/Corvin’s Breed/Clockwork Echo
- Aesthetic Perfection/Josie Pace
- A Primitive Evolution
- KMFDM/Chant
- Front Line Assembly/Gary Numan/Ministry
- Rabbit Junk
- Health
We followed The Birthday Massacre on two of their headlining tours across North America. In their headlining tour I think we saw ten stops. Their shows gave us the ability to meet them and talk with them. Truly amazing band who love their fans. They also had some amazing groups helping them out along the way. We saw JulienK with them. If you aren’t familiar, Julien K is made up of two of the biggest names of the band Orgy, Ryan Shuck and Amir Derain. We also heard two amazing bands, Man1kin and Korine. Man1k1n is a two man band from Massachusetts and Korine hails from Philadelphia.
Karl introduced me to Psyclon Nine and at first, I was unsure who I felt about them. Seeing them live changed my opinion. They definitely put on a great show. What was an added awesomeness was in their second tour, they were joined by two bands Corvin’s Breed and Clockwork Echo. Corvin’s Breed is more akin to the style of Psyclon Nine. Clockwork Echo has an old industrial feel more like Front Line Assembly or Genitorturers.
Aesthetic Perfection was an unbelievable show. It is rare that you meet performers who truly love their fans and make sure they enjoy the show. Daniel, frontman of AP, is just the sweetheart of a guy who embraces all the issues he has and relates them in his music. He had Joe Letz as his drummer and that was a bucket list item I didn’t even know I had to check off. A fairly new comer toured with them, Josie Pace. Her set was incredible. I have heard a lot of opener bands and most don’t sound that well, but she was on point. If you have not heard of her, check her out now. Just do it!!
A Primitive Evolution is a side project from the bassist of The Birthday Massacre, Brett Carruthers. He is truly an amazing bassist and his band A.P.E. Is no different. It consists of Brett, Steph Seki (Brett’s wife) on bass, and Stu Dead on drums.
KMFDM was a bucket list concert for me. I have wanted to see them live since I first heard them back in the late 80s/early 90s. The show did not disappoint. Seeing Lucia predator stance all over the stage made my experience.
Front Line Assembly/Gary Numan/Ministry was, sort of, the godfathers of industrial tour. To be fair, Ministry first planned a Godfathers of Industrial Tour shortly before Covid hit. That forced them to cancel the show. They talked of redoing it afterwards and it didn’t solidify until this year. Seeing some of the earliest influencers of industrial was amazing. Both Ministry and Front Line Assembly are the grandfathers of American Industrial, Gary Numan would be more the grandfather of European Industrial.
Rabbit Junk was a great show at a really cool goth/industrial festival, Darkforce Fest. We got to see a few really cool bands there. A tribute band to Type O Negative that actually sounded a lot like them, Josie Pace and Psyclon Nine were there. We also got to get a taste of what Health was like in concert.
Health was introduced to me at Darkforce Fest. I had listened to a couple of his songs that have ended up in industrial or cyberpunk playlists I have from Spotify. This were not the best way to be introduced to them. Seeing them live allowed me to appreciate how the aggressive and raw sound pairs with the falsetto tones of his voice. It simply creates a velvety, crunchy sound that I just fell for.
What I learned at concerts
My first show as a Birthday Massacre show and I went in vastly unprepared, mostly. I knew the lyrics to my favorite songs and thankfully some of them were played. I did not take into account how loud the music will be. (Did I really just say that? How old I am). I realized that I would need earplugs if I was going to continue this. Sadly, I forgot my plugs more than I remembered them. It wasn’t until we saw A Primitive Evolution in Toronto that I knew I couldn’t keep forgetting them. Standing too close to a speaker with loud, wailing guitars had an effect on my hearing that has not fully recovered. The joys of getting old.
I also learned that no matter how cool you want to look for the show, it is best to think about comfortable shoes. It is a guarantee that if you go to a concert that you will be standing for at least a few hours, not counting outside time to get in. So, being comfortable is a must.
While it is important to stay hydrated, consider where you want to be before you go all hardcore with your drinking/hydration. If you are like us and prefer to be upfront, having to push through a crowd to hit the bathroom gets old quickly.
I decided to make this a bit easier by sharing my Top Six Things To Bring To A Concert. Use this list so you don’t have to over think what you need to take with you, to your next concert.
Top Six Things to bring to a concert
6. Comfortable shoes
I cannot stress this one enough. Sure, you want to wear footwear that matches your super cute concert attire, but remember that you will be standing in mostly one place for a few hours. Your feet are going to get tired. Something light weight with good padding will help relieve tension in your back and legs and allow you to last longer.
5. Cash/Money
You got tickets to the show you have been wanting to see. You will remember standing in there and yelling the lyrics of your favorite song to the band and you hope that feeling will last, in you memories, for all time. The sad part is that your memory of it will fade over time. Make sure you bring cash to pick up some concert memorabilia. That way you don’t have to rely solely on your memory.
4. A light jacket or poncho
You already know you will be standing on your feet for three hours to see your favorite band but did you think about standing outside waiting to get in? It never hurts to pack a small portable poncho or a light jacket for those times. There is nothing worse than standing outside in freezing temperatures wearing only what you want to show off at the concert. It is better to be comfortable and healthy than it is to be cute and sick.Â
3. A small bag/fanny pack
This small bag is meant for carrying the things listed here and a few additional items. You can have a small phone charger in there so you don’t run out of battery while snapping pics or videos of the show. Plus you have a place to keep your jacket/poncho or at least your phone so it stays safe. Remember to lock it or keep it where you can watch it.
2. Your Tickets
You would think this would be a given but in modern times we often forget to make sure we saved our precious tickets to our phones or printed them out. There are still a few places that don’t fully use electronic methods of ticket access. After all, if you don’t have these, then you won’t see the show.
1. Earplugs
This, while the most important thing, should be a given. Your hearing is one of the few things you can’t replace to its original state. Once you start losing your hearing, that’s it, nothing can replace it easily. There are a host of ear plugs out there. Make sure you find a pair that is considered high fidelity. That means they will lower the decibels of what you are hearing but not ruin the overall sound quality. Amazon has a good pair that you can find here MUDEELA Ear Plugs, High Fidelity Concerts Earplugs 3 Pair Noise Reduction Festival Earplugs, 23db Protection, Musicians Earplugs for Concert, DJ, Motorcycle, Loud Music, invisible ear plugs. I use these for all of my concert hearing needs.
Don’t make concert whoas into concert woes
Attending a concert can be a thrilling and unforgettable experience, but it can also be a bit overwhelming if you’re not prepared. By packing the right concert essentials, you can ensure that you have a comfortable and safe experience while enjoying your favorite music. Remember to pack items such as earplugs, a portable charger, and a water bottle to keep hydrated. Additionally, consider dressing appropriately for the weather and venue, and make sure to check the event’s rules and regulations beforehand to avoid any unexpected surprises.
What have been some of your most memorable concerts? What things did you wish you had taken to them? Are there things you think I missed in this list or aren’t that important? Let me know in the comments below. Especially if you have bands you think I should catch live. Thanks for reading and remember if you found this article even a little helpful, remember to share the link on your social media.
Gay in the CLE 