When I’m attending a general admission concert, it puts a lot of pressure on me. Making sure all of my food, drinks, portable chargers, and wallet are all with me.

Waiting over ten hours for a show, I must be prepared. Why do I wait hours for a show? The main goal is to be front row – that’s usually everyone’s goal.

My typical concert day starts off at 4 a.m., where I must be dressed before my dad wakes up. He usually drives me to my venues where I wait online until it is time to go in. I typically arrive at the venue at 6 a.m. or a bit earlier. There are times when I am the one who starts the line or there is a line already started by the time I get there. If there is a line, I just hope that I am the fifth or sixth person on line, where I know I am guaranteed the front row spot.

As the day progresses, I take a nap which is definitely needed when waiting over ten hours for a concert.

Some may call it crazy, but I usually say that it’s all in the experience of attending a concert.

Knowing the area of the venue is always a plus because if you need a bathroom break, you know where to go. Around 10 a.m,, others start joining the line and even try cutting it. People at the venue start getting annoyed with the crowd for creating a line so early that they have to start putting up barricades for us. Why barricades? To be “organized” since it creates chaos for the ones that have been waiting longer than others.

At this point, people start trying to cut the line. That’s when I start getting annoyed because the people behind me pretend they know someone in front of them so they can try to cut the line. Once the barricades go up, you are basically on your feet until the show is over. How long you may ask? It can be from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., when the show is over.

Right before the show, usually the people that work at the venues can be nice or extremely rude to you. I have lost count of how many times security was rude to me. There were other times when they were friendly and would hold my spot for when I ran off to use the restroom. Usually before it’s time to go into the venue, everyone decides to push their way up to the front. Then there’s people like myself who have waited over 12 hours just waiting in line. I then, start to get angry.

Why shouldn’t I get angry? The answer is, I have waited a fairly long time to be up front for the show.

When this happens, there’s usually yelling and pushing going on.

The workers always yell, “no running!” But do you really think anyone is going to listen? Obviously not.

There comes a point where the workers try threatening to kick you out. That’s when I know for a fact, everyone including myself, start to pay attention.

Once you get in and your front row, everything else before that does not matter. Who cares if I waited ten plus hours on line with a bunch of strangers whom I have never seen. Or people I have met at other shows where they will have your back when waiting on line for a show.

The show typically starts around 8 p.m. with the opening acts. I typically never listen to the opening acts because they never sound as great as the people I am going to see.

There are times when the opening act decides on jumping into the crowd which allows me to make a spilt decision. Should I par take in this or should I stay put?

At this point, I usually stay put and not allow anyone push through. The crowd usually calms down before the main act comes on, but in the back of my mind, I know that I am going to have to make this spilt decision again when the main act comes on.

Depending on where I am standing by the barricade, I get pushed all way up due to others pushing from the back trying to get to the front. At times, the artist that is performing tells the crowd to move back which never happens anyway.

The crowd does calm down at some point during the concert and everyone has a great time until the show comes to an end.

Is it usually worth the ten plus hours of waiting? It sure is!