I’d like to consider myself a concert fanatic. I love the atmosphere. I love the culture. I love the outfits. And most of all, I love the music. I’ve been to around seven concerts in the past couple of years, and I think I was quite prepared for each one of them. Being an avid concert-goer qualifies me to share mine and other Tolog’s essentials with specific musicians. 

Some general essentials that I typically bring to every concert would be my phone, two sticks of gum, my wallet and a water bottle (if the venue permits it). Some Tologs have a must-wear as opposed to a must-bring to concerts.

“I always wear platform shoes to every concert I go to because I’m short and need to be able to look over peoples’ heads,” Mia Murillo ‘23 said.

American indie rock musician Phoebe Bridgers has an unmatched ability to create the most gut-wrenching music you will ever hear. When I went to her concert, I left with a soaking wet sleeve from wiping my tears throughout her entire performance. Next time, I’ll bring some tissues for myself and bring extra for the people seated next to me. 

I don’t have too much advice regarding what to bring to a Harry Styles concert, but I can tell you exactly what not to get: those wretched feather boas. As a super fan of Harry Styles, I have been to three of his performances and always see pink, red and purple boas littered in the streets post-concert. Might I say, they are not very environmentally friendly! I, too, was once tempted to buy one from a vendor in front of the Forum but I stayed strong, and I know you can too. 

Some Tologs have differing opinions from mine regarding essentials. Elle Gilhooly ‘23 has seen Harry Styles in concert twice this year, and five times total. Given this, she might know a bit more about what to bring to his show than I do.   

“My essentials for a Harry [Styles] concert, specifically, would definitely be to dress up and bring accessories. I have sunglasses I like to bring and everyone wears boas and sparkles,” Gilhooly said. “I also have to bring a portable charger because I take videos of all of his songs.”

Sophia Durand ‘24 will be going to see Måneskin: a popular rock band from Italy that gained traction through the international song contest Eurovision in 2021. If I were to go to their concert, hopefully, my 67-day streak of Italian on Duolingo will pay off.

“For Måneskin I would just try to bring my Italian skills, ” Durand said. “For the Måneskin one the first time I saw them they were at the Palladium which is a really small venue. So, I got to see them from the front row. Now they’re at the Forum, which is gigantic, and it’s really cool to see the band grow.”

As Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour begins, the concert craze has permeated social media everywhere. Considering floor seats for a Taylor Swift concert ticket are over $1,000, I’d recommend investing in a good pair of binoculars. Jokes aside, I think that even the nosebleeds at the Taylor Swift concert will be worth every penny. Julia Krider ‘23 is planning on going to her concert this upcoming August. 

“I love going to concerts because they help me feel more connected to both the artist and the fans. I love how electric the atmosphere of concerts always is. For the Taylor Swift concert, I saw that some people are bringing friendship bracelets to the concert to trade with other people there. I think it’s so sweet and that it’s something that really unites the fans,” Krider said.