Your ultimate guide to getting concert tickets
Photo by Anthony DELANOIX on Unsplash
Eyeing any upcoming concerts but worried you can’t secure the tickets? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Lyfeportal came up with the ultimate (comprehensive) guide to securing your desired concert tickets. The post might be a little lengthy but these tips are gathered from our writer’s personal experience of going to multiple concerts over the years.
Photo from ticketmaster
1. Based on the seating plan and ticket prices, come up with a list of the categories and sections in order of preference
Ticket prices exclude booking fees, which are $4 for tickets above $30.
There is a limit to how many tickets you can purchase in a transaction usually up to 4/6/8 depending on the concert.
If you’re going in a group, it might be better to split up as the chances of getting 1 or 2 tickets is much higher.
Photo from ticketmaster
2. Check if there are any early bird sales or pre-sales for the concert
We suggest joining the pre-sales as there are higher chances of getting better tickets and there are still general sales if you don’t manage to get the ticket.
Live Nation pre-sales: Register for a FREE membership with Live Nation. Log in to your account during the pre-sale period and when the tickets are available on the event page, the “Set Reminder” will change to “Buy Tickets” which redirects you to the ticketing platform.
PayPal pre-sales: You will need an active PayPal account with a verified card to purchase the tickets. There is no special login or code, but you can only make payment through PayPal. No explicit fees according to their FAQs but there may be processing fees.
(K-Pop concerts) Weverse Official Fanclub pre-sales: Using BlackPink’s Blink Member Pre-sale as a reference, there is a pre-sale registration period (before the pre-sales) where you have to register to gain access to the pre-sale. According to Weverse (as of Nov 22) the membership price is 23USDwhich is around 32SGD using the current exchange rate. Each code entitles you to 2 tickets. Find out more details here!
Photo by Bob Coyne on Unsplash
3. Decide if you are buying tickets online, through their hotline or at physical ticketing outlets
Decide if you prefer a print-at-home e-ticket or a physical ticket.
Ticketmaster’s ticket delivery options & charges can be found here.
If you’re getting your tickets online, you can use a few devices to see which has a better queue number but having too many devices can slow down your internet connection. The most important factor to get a good queue number is internet speed.
Pre-sale tickets are usually only available online.
Tip: Although not guaranteed, it seems people usually get better tickets by queueing physically at SingPost outlets, and we think it is worth a try if you have time. Do your research on the opening hours and which SingPost outlet is less crowded. Would be best to also get someone to try online for you just in case.
4. Set a reminder for the ticket sales date and time (some tickets are sold way before the concert date) wouldn’t want to miss it!
5. Create an account on the ticketing platform, fill in all your address and details in advance for faster checkout (Yes, there is usually a 10-min time limit to cart out).
6. Enter the queue area at least 15mins before the start of the ticket sales and ensure you are logged in to your account on the ticketing platform.
7. DO NOT refresh the page while queueing and make sure you have ample time to wait as high demand concerts ticketing can sometimes take up to a few hours.
Photo by Danny Howe onUnsplash
Other things to note:
Each concert is different so check out all the VIP packages or other benefits like access to soundcheck, exclusive merch and of course the seat map (including whether there is an extended stage etc.) before making an informed choice.
You will queue up according to your ticket numbers for standing pen tickets and going earlier does not give you access to an earlier entry. There is no designated area inside, we recommend having a rough idea of where you prefer to stand in the pen.
We still recommend reaching at least a few hours before the concert time (do also take note of the queue start and cut-off time).
Photo by Noiseporn on Unsplash
Additional Tips:
Can’t decide between standing or seating cat? Other than the obvious price differences, here are some deciding factors.
Benefits of standing pen:
Much closer to the performer
Suitable for energetic people with great stamina (added advantage if you’re tall), it is really tiring to stand for a few hours and if you’re taking videos/photos your arms may get really sore
Overall vibe is very special and definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, especially when you get to see your idol up close, the feeling is just surreal
Cons of standing pen:
Squeezy and many people might push around and step on you
Your experience is largely dependent on luck (whether the performer goes near your section)
Videos and photos are closed up, view is often from the side and for some pens you can only see the main stage
Have to queue earlier and if you reach after the queue cut-off timing you will be automatically at the back (your ticket queue number is forfeited)
No space for your belongings so you’ll have to carry your bag or put it on the floor and risk people stepping all over it and even potentially losing your stuff
Benefits of seating pen:
Not stressful, you can really enjoy the concert
Full view of the performance for the whole concert
You can choose to show up right before the doors opening time since seats are allocated
Ample space to put your belongings, there is no need to pack light
Cons of seating pen:
Seats are far away from the stage, you may barely be able to see the artiste
If your seats are not elevated you may not be able to see the artiste at all for some duration of the concert
The concert vibes are determined by the people around you (e.g. whether they are hype)
May not be able to enjoy the concert fully if the quality of the sound system or screen is poor
Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash
If you really can’t decide which section to buy, watch your favourite live concert performance online and see where the performer is or if it’s a group, where your favourite member is usually standing.
Listen to the concert playlist usually found online (e.g. Spotify) before the concert! It’s always more fun to vibe to songs that you already know, so familiarise yourself with all the songs.
If you really want to go for the concert but you’re not confident of getting the tickets (especially for high demand concerts) there is also a ‘help to buy’ option. For some concerts, there may be ‘help to buy’ services on platforms like Carousell or Twitter. However, this method is not recommended as there is a risk of being scammed and even if the tickets are not secured, you will still have to pay the commission fee.
If all else fails and your last resort is to buy resale tickets from platforms like carousell, we recommend buying from people who have physical tickets instead of e-tickets. Look out for tickets from fans that can’t make it to the concert, especially nearer to the concert date where people may have last minute plans. They will usually have a few tickets and are much more reliable than sellers that claim they have many tickets. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. There have been many scams so be discerning, purchase at your own risk and spend your money wisely!
Look out for any credit card promotions or discount codes to save some money.
We can’t guarantee every tip will work but we hope you will pick up a trick or two! We hope that this guide will help you in making your choice - and good luck with buying the tickets! Most importantly, enjoy the concert, have no regrets and make your money worth.