For years I won my way into concerts, music festivals, and private events to see some of my favorite artists live. In fact, it’s a running joke with my friends that I am the luckiest person they know. From winning meet and greets for artists like Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and the Jonas Brothers to scoring lower than face-value priced tickets to Dan & Shay’s sold-out show at the Fillmore, I’ve managed to luck out and save tons of money!
I like to think that my contest-winning and ticket-buying aren’t necessarily all luck. So without further ado, it’s what you’ve all been waiting for. I’m spilling my top secrets of how to get into your favorite concerts and music festivals without going broke.
How to See Your Favorite Artists for Free Ninety-Nine:
1. Tune into your local radio stations
Radio stations host various contests for their loyal listeners. They typically giveaway tickets, meet & greets, and sometimes big prizes like flyaway contests to see artists in a different state. Whether it’s call-in contests, online sweepstakes, radio pop-up events at local stores, or social media contests, you have numerous ways to win your way into a show from your local radio stations. Pro-tip: Check out your local college radio stations because they also host ticket giveaways!
2. Volunteer at an event
You can volunteer to work at shows and festivals with companies like REVERB or Headcount. You can help take action to save the planet or help register voters when you assist these amazing organizations with outreach efforts. As a volunteer, you typically receive a custom volunteer t-shirt and a general admission pass for the headlining act(s). Some artists these organizations have partnered with include Ariana Grande, Bassnectar, Shawn Mendes, Dead & Company, Dave Matthews Band, and Harry Styles. My friend Courtney and I volunteered with Reverb back in 2015 and got to attend Maroon 5’s sold-out show on Labor Day in New Orleans!
3. Your local newspaper or news stations
Radio stations aren’t the only media outlets that hold giveaways. Your local news stations and newspapers sometimes host contests. For example, News With A Twist gave away eight pairs of tickets to the 2019 Voodoo Music + Arts Experience.
4. Check Chegg
Work hard and play hard. You may know Chegg as a go-to site for saving money on textbooks or getting solutions for your homework but did you know they host ticket giveaways? I scored a free pair of tickets to see Hunter Hayes along with Dan & Shay at the UNO Lakefront Arena back in 2014 from Chegg. And yes, no purchase was necessary. You can scope out sites like Chegg to win tickets to shows such as Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift.
5. Become a seat filler
Companies like 1iota allow fans to attend shows, premieres, and special events like iHeart Radio Music Awards, Good Morning America’s Concert Series, and more for free! For example, during NBA All-Star Weekend 2017, 1iota gave away tickets that allowed fans to be front row for Travis Scott’s show at Champions Square!
6. Join a street team
Earn free tickets while promoting your favorite brands. As a street team member, you’ll be assigned to flyer events, put up promotional posters around town, and spread the word on social media about upcoming shows. In exchange for your work, you’ll gain access to shows. Local venues, promotion companies, and music festivals have street teams and accept new members once or twice a year. Note that being on a street team is typically a volunteer-based position. Your hard work gets you rewarded with free tickets to most shows but it’s usually on a first-come, first-serve basis.
7. Referral Programs
You can sign up to become an ambassador for music festivals for free! After you sign up, they’ll create a custom link for you to share with your friends, family, and followers. The more people who purchase passes using your link, the more your earn. You can earn GA tickets, VIP upgrades, and more! Some music festivals that have ambassador programs are Bonnaroo and Imagine.
8. Following NOLA Concerts
Look out for contests or giveaways on social media. I share ticket giveaways on my Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages. You can enter for free and often more than once! You can also subscribe to my email list to get contests sent straight to your inbox.
Ways to Save on Concert Tickets:
Feeling unlucky? Your next best option is to score cheap/face-value tickets! Scoring them is simply a matter of knowing where to find them.
1. Discount Codes
I’ve got you covered. Use my code “TERRELL” for $20 off your first SeatGeek order! Or you can get $10 off your first order with TickPick!
2. Take advantage of presales
If you’re trying to see a popular artist like Beyonce, Harry Styles, or P!nk, don’t wait until the last minute to purchase your tickets. Beat the resales and platinum-priced seats by buying your tickets during presale when they’re being sold at standard prices. Subscribe to the following email lists to get presale codes straight to your inbox: your local venue, the artist, and your local music news outlet(s).
3. Check Groupon & Living Social for discounts and deals on tickets
Both Groupon and LivingSocial are websites that help you save money through virtual coupons. Most people know them as places to go for two-for-one dinner offers or discounts on tourist attractions but Groupon and LivingSocial are hidden gems for discounted concert tickets! You can save up to 50% on tickets to shows. I recommend subscribing to their email list and you’ll receive daily deals straight to your inbox. You can also visit their websites to find local event deals near you.
4. Join Live Nation’s Sound Board
Live Nation Sound Board is an exclusive online community comprised of thousands of live music enthusiasts. Live Nation sends surveys, polls, and discussion topics to their community of music fans. The fans then provide real-time insight on a variety of topics to earn points. Those points can be traded in for Ticketmaster cash! I’ve earned over $50 in Ticketmaster cash in the last year through Live Nation’s Sound Board.
5. Turn on price alerts
It can be a pain having to search the ticket sites every day especially when you’re looking for seats that fit your budget. Have no fear because price alerts are here. You can set price alerts for concert tickets via StubHub! You get to choose the events you want to see and their prices. As soon as those tickets become available, you’ll receive notifications via the app or to your email inbox.
6. Ticket Lotteries
Some venues run online lotteries that give fans a chance to win tickets to a show at an affordable price. Recently, I’ve seen this more so for plays than concerts. For example, shows like Hamilton and Wicked run lotteries for every performance that offers winners the opportunity to buy a maximum of two tickets for less than face value!
I hope you found these tips helpful. If you have any additional tips and tricks for scoring free tickets or locating tickets deals, leave a reply below!
What’s better than buying a concert ticket? Winning free tickets! Follow NOLA Concerts for ticket giveaways and more concert tips and tricks like how to get the best tickets and what to bring to a show!
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