Giving concert tickets as a gift is a great way to share an experience with someone you care about. Concerts create lasting memories, and being able to attend one together makes for a thoughtful present. However, buying tickets for someone else comes with some unique considerations. You want to make sure you get seats your gift recipient will love in a smooth, stress-free process. Follow this guide to learn how to purchase concert tickets as a gift with confidence.
Step 1: Pick the Perfect Show
The first step is choosing an event you think your gift recipient will enjoy. Here are some tips:
- Consider their favorite artists and genres of music. An ideal show will feature a performer they already love and adore.
- Think about shows coming to your local area. It’s often easiest to choose a concert in a venue close to home.
- Browse upcoming tours and festivals. Big multi-act productions like Lollapalooza or Austin City Limits offer diverse lineups. There may be a performer your recipient wants to see.
- Check the event calendar at your local theater or arena. You can often find concerts by legacy artists like The Rolling Stones or Elton John at these larger venues.
- Don’t forget about smaller clubs and listening rooms. For music fans, an intimate show at a beloved indie venue can be just as exciting as an arena spectacle.
You know your gift recipient best. Select a concert you think they’ll be excited about, even if the artist or genre isn’t necessarily your personal favorite. This gift is all about them!
Step 2: Purchase the Tickets
Once you’ve chosen the perfect concert, it’s time to actually buy the tickets. Here are some tips for stress-free purchasing:
- Buy early. Purchase tickets as soon as you realistically can. Shows can sell out quickly, especially ones featuring major touring acts. Popular concerts in smaller venues will also go fast. Buying early ensures you lock in seats.
- Avoid resale sites. Third party ticket sites tend to charge high fees and fees. When possible, purchase directly through the venue’s box office or the concert promoter.
- Join fan clubs. Some bands offer pre-sale ticket access to fan club members. This lets you buy tickets before the general public.
- Check venue pre-sales. Major theaters and arenas sometimes do pre-sales for newsletter subscribers or social media followers.
- Use presale codes. Presale tickets go on sale before the general public. Search for the presale password online.
- Choose a section and price point. Look at the venue seating chart and pick seats in your desired section and price range.
Following these tips will help you safely and successfully purchase concert tickets even if the show is in high demand. Avoid the stress of sold out events and inflated resale prices!
Step 3: Give the Gift
You scored the perfect tickets, now it’s time to give them to your recipient! Here are some presentation ideas:
- Put tickets in a greeting card. Write a heartfelt message about enjoying the show together.
- Create a custom poster or collage featuring images of the band. Attach the concert tickets or put them in an envelope.
- For a show still months away, package tickets with a T-shirt or other band merch.
- Present tickets in a small box or gift bag along with snacks for the show like candy or popcorn.
- Have tickets delivered to their home in a creative way like sending flowers or cookies along with.
- For a birthday or holiday gift, make tickets the big reveal by hiding them at the bottom of gift bags.
However you decide to present the tickets, make the giftgiving an experience in itself. Let your recipient know how excited you are to see this show together!
Buying Tips for Common Concert Ticket Scenarios
There are some special circumstances that require additional consideration when buying concert tickets as a gift. Here are tips for a few common scenarios:
Gift for a Child
Kids and teens often love going to concerts as much as adults. When purchasing tickets for a younger gift recipient, keep these guidelines in mind:
- Check age policies. Some venues have strict age minimums, especially for late evening shows.
- Buy adjacent seats. Purchase a ticket for each adult who will chaperone the child so you can sit together.
- Avoid general admission. Reserved seats are safer for children.
- Consider ear protection. Ear plugs help prevent damage from loud music.
- Bring snacks and games. Having extra entertainment will keep kids happy if they lose interest.
Giving the gift of concert tickets to a child can create wonderful memories. Just be sure to account for their age and shorter attention span.
Gift for a Group
Seeing a concert together is a fun bonding experience. When gifting tickets to a group like family or friends:
- Buy tickets all together. Try to purchase seats that are close together or at least in the same section.
- Consider VIP packages. Many concerts offer special upgraded experiences that groups will love.
- See if you can buy a discounted group rate. Some shows and ticketing platforms offer group deals.
- Book transportation together. Rent a party bus or large van to travel to the concert venue in style!
Giving tickets to a group is great for birthdays, college reunions, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and more. Enjoy the show together!
Gift for a Long-Distance Person
You don’t have to live near someone to give them tickets to a great show. When gifting long-distance:
- Make sure they can make the date. Confirm they will be available to travel to the concert location.
- Offer to pay for some of their travel expenses. Help cover the cost of flights, hotel rooms, etc.
- Give an e-ticket. It’s easy to transfer digital tickets if you won’t be able to deliver paper passes in person.
- Suggest fun local activities. Give them ideas of other fun things to do in the concert city while they are visiting.
Giving someone far away tickets to see their favorite band can make for an incredibly thoughtful gift. It provides a great excuse to visit each other!
Most Thoughtful Concerts to Gift Tickets For
Some types of concerts tend to make better gifts than others. If you’re unsure what show to gift tickets for, consider these failsafes:
Nostalgic Acts
Seeing bands from their youth will fill gift recipients with nostalgia. Great nostalgic concert options include:
- Reunions – Bands like New Kids on the Block or Backstreet Boys touring together again.
- Comebacks – Artists like Aerosmith or Guns N’ Roses returning from hiatus.
- Legacy Rock Artists – Rolling Stones, Elton John, Paul McCartney, etc.
- Throwback Pop Stars – New Kids, Britney Spears, Boyz II Men.
- 90s Acts – Smash Mouth, Third Eye Blind, Matchbox Twenty.
The wave of nostalgia hearing favorite old songs live provides is priceless. Try gifting tickets to a reunion or throwback act.
Once-in-a-Lifetime Shows
Some tours are rare can’t-miss opportunities for fans. Unique shows that make great gifts include:
- Farewell Tours – Acts like Elton John and Kiss doing final goodbye tours.
- Rare Festival Plays – Bands like Led Zeppelin reuniting at one-off festivals.
- Epic Anniversary Shows – Special concerts celebrating landmark anniversaries.
- Exclusive Residencies – When acts like Adele have a concert series in just one city.
- Buckets List Venues – Shows at iconic venues like Madison Square Garden or Red Rocks.
Gifting a bucket list show creates a special moment they will remember forever. Capitalize on big farewells, rare reunions, and unique events.
Broadway Musicals
For some music lovers, nothing beats seeing a Broadway show live. When gifting musical theater tickets:
- Pick a beloved classic like “Wicked” or “The Lion King.”
- Choose a newer breakout hit like “Hamilton” or “Dear Evan Hansen.”
- See if any movie musicals like “Grease” or “The Bodyguard” are touring nationally.
- Check out Las Vegas residencies by pop singers doing concert versions of musicals.
- Splurge for VIP packages with backstage tours, merch, and premium seats.
The magic of seeing a live musical is an easy crowd-pleaser. Broadway shows make wonderful gifts.
How to Wrap and Present Concert Tickets
Thoughtfully wrapping and presenting the tickets helps make them feel like a true gift. Here are some great ideas:
Creative Wrapping Ideas
- Put tickets in a small box and wrap them up with bows.
- Slip into a greetings card with a thoughtful handwritten message.
- For a birthday or holiday gift, hide them at the bottom of a gift bag under tissue paper.
- Get creative like threading them through a necklace or tieing them around flowers.
- Make them the big reveal by wrapping boxes within increasingly larger boxes.
Element of surprise wrapping builds anticipation and excitement.
Fun Presentation Concepts
- Frame tickets alongside vintage concert posters and photos of the band.
- For a band with albums, do a vinyl theme. Drape tickets over album covers.
- Create a collage board with printed photos of the act performing live.
- Display inside a shadowbox frame along with ticket stubs from past concerts by the same artist.
- For a young child, decorate a small guitar or piano with tickets and images of the performer.
Making a production out of the presentation adds to the overall experience.
Gift Pairing Ideas
- Wrap with a t-shirt or other merch from the band.
- Include snacks to enjoy at the show like candy, popcorn, or baked goods.
- Give a music magazine featuring the artist.
- For a far away show, pair with travel items like neck pillows and luggage tags.
- Create a playlist of the act’s biggest hits.
Pairing complementary gifts makes the tickets feel like part of a complete package.
Best Ways to Keep Tickets Safe Until the Concert
You want to make sure tickets remain pristine until showtime. Here are smart strategies:
Digital Tickets
Many venues now offer digital ticketing through mobile apps. These provide easy access with minimal risk of tickets getting lost or damaged. Have recipients:
- Save the app directly on their smartphone.
- Take a screenshot of the barcode as a backup.
- Store the emailed PDF ticket in multiple places like email, cloud storage, text message, etc.
- Bookmark the ticketing app web page.
Digital tickets make access foolproof. Just keep phones charged!
Paper Tickets
For traditional printed passes:
- Store in a safe, dry location away from pets, young children, etc.
- Slip into a protective plastic sleeve or laminate them.
- Take a picture or photocopy in case tickets are lost or damaged.
- Place in an envelope and seal it shut with a unique stamp or wax seal.
- Hide somewhere clever like a favorite book or framed photo.
Use creative methods to keep paper tickets mint condition.
Hard Stock Tickets
Many major concerts now issue hard stock tickets. These hard plastic credit-card style passes need extra care:
- Keep tickets in the lanyard holder provided.
- Photograph the front and back containing the barcode.
- Carry tickets in a protected place like a badge holder or wallet slot.
- Never hole punch hard stock tickets.
- Email yourself a copy of the online ticket delivery as backup.
Hard stock tickets are damage prone. Handle with care until concert day.
What to Do if Tickets Are Lost, Stolen, or Damaged
Despite your best efforts, mishaps can happen. If tickets are lost, stolen or damaged, stay calm. Here are some options:
Contact the Venue
The venue box office should be your first call. Explain exactly what happened. Possibilities they may offer include:
- Voiding lost or stolen tickets and reissuing replacements.
- Reprinting damaged tickets.
- Issuing new accessible seating if wheelchair/disability access tickets are lost.
- Printouts of digital tickets already accessed through their app.
Venues want to rectify the situation so fans don’t miss the show.
Check Purchase Source
If you purchased from an online ticket broker, call their customer service. Many will replace lost or stolen tickets free or for a reasonable service charge.
Contact Insurance Providers
For high-value tickets, recipients may be able to file claims and receive reimbursement:
- Renters/homeowners insurance – Covers lost or stolen tickets under personal property coverage.
- Credit card purchase protection – Some cards provide reimbursement for damaged or stolen eligible items.
- Ticket insurance providers – Companies like TicketSure and TicketGuardian offer optional insurance.
Review insurance options if the venue or broker cannot assist.
Buy Last Minute Resale Tickets
As a last resort, replacements can be purchased online via resale sites. Prices may be inflated, but it is better than missing the show!
Conclusion
Giving tickets to a beloved concert creates an opportunity to share meaningful memories with someone special. With a bit of planning, you can purchase great seats to a show your recipient will treasure. Present the tickets in a thoughtful way and keep them protected until showtime. If any issues like lost or stolen tickets arise, act quickly to find replacements. Follow these tips to give the foolproof gift of concert tickets! The joy of live music is priceless.