Shoutout to all the cool people venturing into New York City to see their favorite artist. I, myself, have had my fair share of concerts in The Big Apple and a lot of them were very interesting…let’s just say I learned a lot. One of my favorite concerts was The 1975 where I was front row at Madison Square Garden, basically having a private concert with vagabond front man, Matty Healy. A few more favs have to be Conan Gray, Lizzy McAlpine, and Mr. Fruit Man (Harry Styles). These shows all had two things in common, some of the best music to ever grace my ears and I was front row at all of them. Between trendy Terminal 5 in Hell’s Kitchen, punk-pulsing Meatlocker in Montclair, NJ, or the Church of Musical Geniuses that is Radio City Music Hall, I have seen a lot! Trust me, going to concerts is my favorite thing to do, but it comes with a lot of work. Trying to give advice on getting front row of every one of these venues might take me about a thousand pages, so I’m here to talk about The Garden. MSG, World’s Greatest Arena. We know it, Billie Joel loves it. I have seen many a show here, some might even say too many! I have been front row at most of the shows I’ve seen at The Garden. Here are 5 tips to secure your spot in the front.
Step 1
So, the first tip might seem a bit too obvious. However, it is vital that you secure a physical ticket. I can only help you find your barricade spot if you have admission to the show. Securing a ticket can be one of the most daunting tasks a young person can face in the free world (I am being dramatic, but you get the point). Keep every notification on when you use your phone or laptop so that you can keep up with what your favorite artist is planning for tour. When I saw Harry Styles nearly two summers ago, I had everyone I know sign up for pre-sale and have their notifications on for his social media. Getting a pre-sale code and signing up about a week earlier than general sale can make the difference between a Pit ticket versus a nose-bleeds. Basically what you need to do is notifications ON, pre-sale code ACQUIRED, hopes high, and circular breathing to avoid passing out from stress (not that I have any experience in that…). Before the now 80s-influenced, nostalgia-pop softboy Texan, Conan Gray, blew up over songs like Heather and People Watching, I saw him front row at Radio City Music Hall during his Kid Krow tour. He was not as big as he is now, but I was in the right place at the right time; I bought front row tickets a week before the show. Overall, get your general admission ticket a good couple of weeks to months before the show; this will save you a lot of stress and worry. I will say, that Conan concert in 2022 was definitely the best show I’ve ever seen. **Insert picture of him and I that we took when he came outside at midnight to greet his fans!**
Step 2
Now that we got that ticket (YAY US), how do we get to the front row?! I got you. This is the crucial time where you need to assess how far you are willing to go. The Garden is big so decide if you want to be in the front. It is totally okay to decide to chill in the back with the seniors and late-comers! Now that you have decided to take this musical leap of faith, time to prep!
Step 3
Now it is time to do the thing! Lace up your boots, grab earplugs, and use the bathroom because you will not see a toilet for hours. My best advice for figuring out what time to start camping out for MSG is to hop on every fangirl’s favorite app, Twitter! All the concert people use Twitter to internally communicate about the conception of the line: length and location. You will know when to arrive by how the Twitter people are chatting. In my experience, I have been there between 4am-6am and secured a good spot. Get on this line, bring your lawn chair, wear comfy clothes, make some friends, and locate your nearest coffee shop because you’ll be here for a while.
Step 4
You have been waiting for a while now and things are happening. Usually around 8am-9am, The Garden’s security and ticket team will guide the fan line to stay right outside of the arena, basically wrapping around the building. After hours and hours of waiting and prepping, you have officially got your MSG wristband. These wristbands are given out with the presence of your ticket and entire party. So if you are saving a spot in line for someone, they MUST be there at this time. Once the ticket person graces your wrist with a wristband, you are free to leave! Go take your shower, grab a bite to eat, or maybe even nap, you earned it. Usually the fans with wristbands are expected to come back around 5pm to line up once again before getting let in earlier than anyone else. During this time, right before you get let in, there is always a chance you will see your fav artist. They might be jumping out of their truck and running into the arena to start getting ready! The possibilities are endless in NYC.
Step 5
HAVE FUN! Once you secure your spot at the front, take your pictures and hug your friends. The challenge of getting front row in The World’s Greatest Arena is not one for the faint of heart. It might have taken you hours, you might have wanted to give up, but you persisted. You and all other fun, insane fans will have the night of your life. Make sure the phone is charged, you ate something yummy, and you have your dancing shoes on!
When all is said and done, going to a concert should be fun. If standing in the pit is not for you, grab your seated ticket and have fun too! I think that everyone should go front row to a show at MSG at least once in their lives. I hope this anecdotal recipe helps you the next time you want to see that special someone on stage. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be standing right next to you!