You find yourself at the Volume Music Festival. Achievement unlocked.
But if you're a novice — and, honestly, even if you've been around the block a few times — there are some things they don't tell you when you leave the house for a festival. You need to keep your own personal comfort a priority. Otherwise you won't have any fun.
So here are five tips to make your Volume experience as pleasurable as possible. These might seem like no-brainers, but you'd be surprised how many seasoned festival goers forget these essentials.
Wear sensible shoes.
We've all been there. You leave the house for a night on the town, and five blocks from your front door, you realize your dogs are barking. You're going to be standing and walking a whole lot if you're really doing Volume right — even if you take our convenient buses — so you should consider putting on some sensible loafers. Make your outrageous fashion statements elsewhere on your body. Keep your feet happy, and you'll be happy.
Hydrate.
Imbibing a little bit while you're out on the Volume trail makes it all the more enjoyable, especially if you're knocking back our sponsored No-Li and Rainier beers. But consider alternating every alcoholic drink with a glass of water: It'll keep your energy from flagging, and it'll save you from suffering through a hangover on day two, a rookie mistake. And if you plan on staying at the River City Brewing outdoor stage, don't forget sunscreen.
Bring earplugs.
If you've never been to Volume, you know that we like to get loud. I mean, it's kind of in our name. The best seat in the house for any show is front and center, and being down by stacks of amps, with all those decibels beaming right into your ear canals, might result in some hearing loss come Sunday morning. Grab a pair of those foam earplugs you can buy at any convenience store; something makeshift, like cotton or paper towels, should work in a pinch.
Pick a designated meet-up point.
It happens: You meet up with all your music-loving friends, you compare notes about which artists you're dying to see, you head off in the direction of a venue. And then inevitably you break off into subgroups without even realizing it. Turns out Jeff wandered over to Browne's Addition without telling anyone, Annie's in line for the bathrooms at Baby Bar, and Troy — well, nobody's totally sure where Troy is. Pick a designated landmark and time, set an alarm on everyone's phones, and plan to meet there at a specific time on each given night. It'll make getting home a whole lot easier. (And charge your phone before you leave!)
Pace yourself.
Take in as much music as you can, but don't overextend yourself. Write out your itinerary — either on this guide itself or in the Notes app on your phone — and try to stick to it, but keep in mind how much effort it's going to take to move from venue to venue. If you'd prefer to stay in one location, don't feel bad about it; you'll still hear great bands. And don't forget to take breaks in between sets. After all, dancing is exercise!
