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Attending Your First Gig - Wondering how to attend your first gig in Notts? Here is what
ATTENDING YOUR FIRST GIG
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Locked down for weeks doing uni work, not being able to see friends and not being able to go out. But do not despair, for many of you reading this you will have just arrived at NTU as a fresher ready to embark on a new chapter in your life. University is not an easy step for all of us and settling in can sometimes be a challenge, but as weeks go by, you’ll soon find new friends and friends with similar interests and for many people that interest can be the wonderful world of music. Nottingham has a fantastic live music scene that has been growing over the past few years with artists such as Jake Bugg and London Grammar all originating from the city. With all this great music on offer, how does one enjoy it live? How do I go about attending my first gig?
The Venues: Where To Go and Why.
There are numerous venues across the city that host various gigs, each of which offering a different style of music. Nottingham is of course home to the famous Rock City and is a fantastic venue for a gig. The lower rooms of Rock City host more intimate gigs with upcoming artists whereas the main room upstairs hosts more well-known musicians. In the past year Lewis Capaldi, Krept and Konan, Mabel, GIGGS (would recommend) and many other big names have all performed at the venue. The gig guide on their website breaks down all of their upcoming events with a huge variety of genres from rap to indie rock. There really is something for everyone here. A gig at Rock City is a must for any NTU student and whether you are seeing a famous artist or a smaller band you’ve followed for many years, to experience them live at an intimate venue like this is unforgettable.
Rock City is not the only best place for a gig, however. The Bodega and Rescue Rooms often feature some great artists and have more of an intimate feel. I watched an Icelandic rock band called The Vintage Caravan at Rescue Rooms and I can honestly say it was one of the best gigs I have attended. The smaller venue and the less ominous crowd of people made for an excellent experience so do not be afraid to try a smaller venue.
If indie music is your thing and you want a more chilled atmosphere, then The Chameleon is an excellent setting for a bit of live music. Here you will experience younger, upcoming bands and artists that may one day find themselves in the main room of Rock City.
Money, Money, Money.
Ticket prices vary depending on the artist, but do not worry about destroying your student bank account. Rock City is often very good value, for example, I watched GIGGS for £25 and Australian rock band Airbourne for £16 and both gigs were superb. For smaller venues such as The Bodega, Rescue Rooms and Alberts, ticket prices are cheaper as they are smaller events.
Some venues offer you the opportunity to purchase ticket protection. This is a form of insurance that covers the cost of your ticket if you are unable to attend for various reasons and adds only a few extra pounds to the cost of your ticket. I would suggest opting to purchase ticket protection if you spend £20- £30 on a ticket, do not worry too much about this for smaller gigs as it probably isn’t necessary. Words of Gig-Going Wisdom. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get to a gig. Queues to get into venues can often be pretty big due to security checks on doors and ticket scanning so arrive early. If you do arrive early this will give you the opportunity to choose where you want to stand. If you are attending your first gig, do not feel under pressure to go right to the front where the potential for mosh pits can occur. From my own personal experience, it really is dependent on who you are going to watch, but mix things up. If you are feeling confident then head straight to the front, here you will get the best view possible, although have some earplugs on hand as it can be hellishly loud. If you want to test the waters, then stand at the side or back then move forward if you feel up to it. Most artists who perform will often be selling merchandise so be sure to take a bit more cash.
The opportunity to experience live music in Nottingham is endless. With gigs popping up almost every night at various venues across the city centre you will be spoilt for choice. Whether you are watching a big name in the main room at Rock City or an upcoming band at The Bodega, live gigs are seriously enjoyable. So what are you waiting for? Book yourself some tickets and head off on a night of infectious musical joy.
Writer : Sam Phillips Designer : Jezzie Hill
