How to Find Cheap Concert Tickets

Live music is loved by many, especially when you get to listen to your favorite band, surrounded by people who love them just as much as you do. Concert tickets can be expensive, but they don't have to be. You just need to know where to find tickets, the venues that are best, and the kind of bands you should live more often.

Choosing the band you want to see if half the battle. If you're into pop music, it's going to be significantly harder to find inexpensive tickets because you're not battling against supply and demand. If there's an enormous demand (such as demand for a Lady Gaga concert), you'll probably have to pay whatever price you're asked to. However, if you search out music that isn't in the mainstream, even if the artist still has a major following, tickets will be incredibly cheap. Here's an example: I once paid $65 to see John Mayer in concert (before I realized all tickets weren't that expensive) and I ended up sitting way up in the nosebleeds watching a tiny little man jam on stage. In contrast, I've never paid more than $25 for any other concert and I've seen bands such as The Streets, Lady Sovereign, Ratatat, Janelle Monae, Matisyahu, Of Montreal, Skrillex, and Parliament. This isn't just because I've learned to broaden my music taste past mainstream, it's also because I know which venues to choose.

As a rule, I generally don't attend concerts held at really huge venues. To me, part of the experience is being right there with the band, being able to see them, and not just the back of people's heads. So I look around at different music venues then pick out my favorites. An example of a great small venue would be Stubbs in Austin, TX. It's awesome, because no matter where you stand, the band is always in view. It's also good because they are a common venue for traveling bands, so instead of having to keep up with each individual band, I can simply go to their website and see who's going to be playing in the next few months. Some other good venues for Austin, TX are Mohawk and East Side Drive-In, where Janelle Monae and Of Montreal played. Austin isn't the only place that has these small venues, other cities such as Portland and San Francisco also have them, you just have to find them.

Another aspect to finding cheap tickets is getting them ASAP after they go on sale. You can do this by liking your favorite bands on Facebook, so you can get an invite to their next show, or by joining a website like Hype Machine (www.hypem.com). Once you like bands on Hype Machine, there will be a list on the side that tells you when people will be playing near you. You can also utilize your favorite ticket purchasing website such as Transmission Entertainment. Keep up to date with who is touring in your state, and you'll be the first to buy the cheapest tickets available.