My first time traveling to see music was February 2001, when A Perfect Circle's Mer de Noms tour came to Florida and the easier access Orlando show sold out before I got tickets. At the time, I was barely three months into my 21st year, recently single, and so fiercely infatuated with APC that I went ahead and planned a road trip to see them in Ft. Lauderdale, convinced I could talk a few other adventurous friends into making the overnight jaunt with me.
Problem was, the three who joined me — two of my girlfriends and a hottie musician I was unsuccessfully courting — were unemployed, so the jaunt ended up being a 100-percent Leilani-sponsored affair. Worst of all, my crush turned out to be a royal pain in the ass; in less than 24 hours, I had not only lost interest, I could no longer stand the sound of his voice.
Luckily, both the music and vacation parts were fabulous. But I learned much from that trip and the numerous trips that followed. Here's some wisdom I've gained over the years.
Favorite band not coming near you? Go to them.
Atlanta is an easy 8-hour drive, Athens a tedious 9, Asheville a scenic 11, New Orleans a long 12 to 13, but all four cities are road trip-worthy, and habitual stops for tours that don't reach Florida. If the band you love isn't playing anywhere near you, check their weekend dates. Then, start looking for a cheap flight; if you happen to find seats priced so low they seem too good to be true, and you know for sure you want to go, get off your thumb and buy! And don't confine yourself to TIA; consider flights leaving from St. Petersburg, Sarasota and even Orlando. The extra driving may save you money in the end.
Never underestimate the power of preparation.
If you aren't familiar with the city you're visiting, do your research. Without it, you could end up at a hotel in a nasty neighborhood, or you could rent a car and then leave it parked in a garage the entire time 'cause you wind up walking everywhere, or you could pack for a balmy weekend only to land in a late-season cold front. We have the internet, so for Pete's sake, people, use it! Also, don't scoff at checklists — they are surprisingly helpful — and always bring earplugs and/or headphones and a music listening device; you never know when you're gonna need them.
Don't do it alone.
As Phish likes to say, "It's not an experience unless you bring someone along," and it's true. Music excursions are best when shared with friends.
But make sure to choose your travel companions wisely.
Don't travel with anyone you don't know very well, or someone you're crushing on — chances are they'll annoy you and/or disappoint you (see above). If you invite friends and share expenses and possibly a room, make sure they are financially reliable, and that you can trust them alone with your stuff — that's a biggie.
If the show's sold out, avoid scalpers at all costs.
I know you may be desperate, that you HAVE to see Phish in Asheville because there are only 7,500 seats, and it's the smallest venue they've played since 1996, and all your friends are going. But please, for the love of God, don't stoop to scalpers. A) You could buy a fake and then you're out hundreds, or B) The ticket could be real, but then you're out hundreds. Either way, you're encouraging an ugly, illegal business. And FYI, if you're trying to score tickets outside the venue, have scoured the parking lot and found no one with an extra, and then miraculously, 30 minutes before the show, a man materializes with two tickets for just the amount of money you have — run for the hills. If your gut says "Don't do it," listen to that damn thing. It knows.
Be careful of the lure of festivals.
Don't hit a festival because one or two bands appeal to you — you'll be let down, as fest sets tend to be shorter, less inspired and far less intimate than a show pretty much anywhere else. But fests can be a blast if you know what you're getting into. Just make sure to find out: How many bands are scheduled to play on how many stages over how many days? How many of those bands do you really want to see? How long are the sets? How many people will be between you and the stage at any given moment? How much are tickets and does the price include camping? If not, how much out-of-pocket will it you cost to stay nearby? What other friends are of yours are going?
Hotels aren't always the answer.
Most cities have short-term vacation rentals, condos or houses that are rented out for spans ranging from a night to a month. Vacation rentals are convenient if you're traveling with a party of more than four, since they're often the same price or cheaper than a hotel room, provide more space, and allow you to cook up family-style meals so you don't waste money eating out every night. I suggest checking vacationrentals.com or vrbo.com for listings. Hotwire is a great resource for cheap, quality hotels if you don't mind not knowing where you're staying. And don't disregard the ultimate money-saver: a campground.
Just because you have plans to see music doesn't mean you can't make plans to do other things, too.
You are on vacation, after all.
This article appears in May 20-26, 2009.