When it comes to buying concert tickets, fans usually want to know: Which shows are worthwhile seeing? Where can I get the best seats? Is it safe to buy tickets online?
The short answer is: It depends on what you want. If you’re looking for a family-friendly show, you might want to check out the LEGO Batman tour.
On the other hand, if you want to see a huge band like U2, you might have to look into a different arena. The good news for fans is that if you buy tickets to an event like this one, you get a complete circuit of entertainment for your money. There will be lots of artists performing, and you will have the chance to see most of them.
The Brief History Of Concerts
Concerts have been around for centuries, with the very first ones taking place in London in 1762. (Well, sort of. The exact dates of these concerts aren’t known, so they could take place even earlier.) These were performed by famous composers and musicians, and were originally meant to be heard only by the elite.
The first rock concerts took place in the 1950s, and were mostly driven by youth culture. They were presented in various forms including plays and festivals. (Check out the Monterey Pop Festival for the first mass-scale festival, featuring the very first performances by the likes of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Janis Joplin.)
Over the last few decades, concerts have become a part of everyone’s life. Especially since the invention of YouTube, people can find all kinds of musicians and performers they might like and follow, creating a global community of fans.
Concert Series Vs Single-Dance Sets
The line between a concert series and a standalone concert has blurred. Especially since music festivals and tours have become so popular. (See: Bonnaroo, Coachella, and more.) These festivals feature lots of smaller shows by different artists, often over the course of a day, with no set times for when the performances will happen.
While single-dance sets still exist, these days they’re more common at fundraisers and private parties than at music festivals. The point of these sets is to have one massive performance by a popular band or singer. This is meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the fans who attend, so they can relive the performance over and over again. (Check out Luciano’s NYCB Theater Company production of Billy Elliot for a great example of a single-dance set.)
Full Circles & Partial Circles
In a full circle, you have a band or singer touring the country, with shows in major cities and small towns alike. This type of show might last for weeks, with the band playing several shows per day, sometimes all night long. (Check out U2’s 360° tour, for example.)
A partial circle is when a band or artist does a show in one city, then travels to another nearby town for a second show. This is meant to be a step down from a full circle, with fewer performances and less travel. These shows are similar to what you might see in a smaller venue, with the band playing for an intimate audience of about 300 people.
One-day Tours & Staggered Shows
When an artist or band is on a one-day tour, they will play a show in the morning, then travel to the next city for another show in the afternoon. These shows are meant to be quick stops on the way to the next city. (Check out Arcade Fire’s The Reflektor Tour for a great example of a one-day tour.)
If you see an afternoon show, it might be because the morning show was postponed due to bad weather or a technical issue. In these cases, you will either have to wait until the next day to see the show you’ve paid for or find alternative tickets from the box office. (Check out the U2 360° tour, where fans had to wait over an hour for a refund before their seats could be released.)
As the popularity of live music grows, so does the number of options available for fans. From full circlws to one-day tours, fans can find what they’re looking for when it comes to buying concert tickets.