If you’re a fan of music, or just love high-energy crowds and noise, going to a gig can be a great night out. The shared experience of seeing live music with hundreds, or thousands, of other people is totally unique and unlike anything else.
Gigging can be among the most fun, and memorable, experiences that it’s possible to have on a night out.
However, while plenty of people who go to gigs are there to appreciate the music, dance, and have fun in a crowd, many also associate the event with getting drunk. There is often an assumption that if you’re at a gig, you’re there to drink or take drugs to supplement the experience.
This assumption is incorrect, however, and plenty of people who go to gigs do so completely sober. There are plenty of ways to attend the events without the use of alcohol or drugs – and just because you’re sober doesn’t mean you can’t still have a great time.
Go with friends
Going to a gig by yourself can be a great way to enjoy the music, meet new people with similar interests, and really appreciate the live experience. However, if you’re sober, going alongside a small group of friends can help to relieve any sobriety-related anxiety and ensure that you can spend the night enjoying yourself.
Having a night out at a gig with friends means you’ll be with people whose company you enjoy. Try to make sure that the friends you take along with you are close to you, rather than just acquaintances.
This way, you’ll be more comfortable and won’t find yourself looking to alcohol to diffuse any awkwardness, and with good company you won’t need either alcohol or drugs to supplement your night out.
Disclose your sobriety
If you do choose to go with close friends, you could take the decision to disclose your sobriety to improve your gig experience. Almost everyone who is sober will be able to relate to a time when they felt pressured to drink or take drugs by well-intentioned friends.
However, if you clearly state that you’re not going to be drinking, you’ll find that any peer-pressure will reduce. Instead, your friends will want to help you to have a good time without the use of alcohol or drugs.
Watch your language
You might not always find yourself with your close friends, however, and so it’s useful to have techniques to avoid alcohol or drugs when you’re in the company of people you’re less familiar with.
If your sobriety comes under scrutiny, and you find people telling you to loosen up and having a drink, saying “I don’t drink” rather than “I’m not drinking tonight” can help to ease some pressure.
When they hear this, people will be less likely to try and persuade you to join them knowing that you’re not a drinker, rather than just not drinking for the evening.
Non-alcoholic alternatives
Alternatively, if you don’t want to discuss your sobriety you still have plenty of options to remain sober when going to a gig. Increasingly, most venues serve non-alcoholic beers, cocktails, or other classically boozy drinks, and the quality and taste of the options are improving.
Non-alcoholic alternatives aren’t for everyone, but its important to remember that they exist as an option and they can help avoid questions, or the feeling of being left out.
The benefits of going to a gig sober
While the above options can all help you to enjoy your time at the gig without worrying about alcohol, the most important tip is to is the remember the benefits of sobriety.
Going to a gig sober isn’t about compromising on the amount of fun you’ll have, and it’s always important to remember the positive impact of sobriety, rather than just the negatives of not drinking. This is largely common sense, and you really do not need to attend an alcohol rehab centre to know this.
When you go to a gig sober, you’ll find that the experience improves in a number of ways. Primarily, you’ll be much more able to live in the moment and appreciate everything that’s happening at the gig.
The knock-on effect of this is that you’ll find that you’re able to recall the event much more clearly than if you had been drunk. Being at a gig is great, and being able to remember everything that happened and all the best moments will let the gig stick with you for a lot longer.
On top of being able to recall the event more clearly, if you stay sober, you’ll be able to recover from the night out much more quickly.
Going to a gig is bound to entail dancing, singing, and a late finish. If you add alcohol to the mix then you could find that the night out wrecks your next few days.
No one enjoys a hangover, and staying sober can help you to add more social events (and maybe even more nights out) to your schedule as you can avoid the negative after-effects of a boozy night.
Improve your finances
In addition to a quick recovery, your finances will thank you for staying sober at the gig. Going on a night out can cost a small fortune, and the more drunk you get the harder it is to control and keep track of your spending – and this is no different at a gig.
Alcoholic drinks are expensive, and by staying away from alcohol you can save your money and avoid any nasty surprises when you check your bank account the morning after.
Top tips
Going to a gig while sober isn’t uncommon, and there’s still so much to enjoy about the experience without being drunk or taking drugs.
However, if you find yourself worrying about the experience remember the three main tips.
Remember to go with friends, remember that there are alternative non-alcoholic drinks, and most importantly, remember the many positive impacts that sobriety will have on your experience.
