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Take a book.

Saw him last week in Brisbane. Went by myself. Spoke to his bassist during the support acts.

They were great. Distinct absence of a breakdown, and Ariel seemed really genial. Played a few properly new songs which went down really well. Had a good time all round.

this isn't so bad as the venue is opposite my house so I'll just pop in and out as I please

is fantastic.

I've never felt self-conscious. To be honest I don't think it’s obvious to other people that you're on your own anyway. I always drink too much though. That's probably down to the absence of my wife's moderating influence (she's my normal gig companion.)

It's not bad. You'll still enjoy it, just talk to other people there. I've usually found they'll be impressed that you've been so committed to go alone. But if you don't want to speak then, like Joseph_SP says, it's not really that obvious you're alone.

Or you could take Mark Corrigan's advice: "You're never alone with a phone"

It's certainly not as fun, but still enjoyable. Those 20 minutes between bands are like a life time with nothing to do...

It's a lot like going to the cinema really - I'm going to see the band rather than a have a chat with mates so it doesn't make a lot of difference. On my own I might not necessarily bother with some gigs I'm sort of half interested in goint to but for someone I really wanted to see I'm perfectly happy to go on my own.

Can sometimes a bit boring if you end up with a long wait before/between bands or excessive travel. I'd probably be less likely to turn up early to catch unspecified support acts though, it's more of a case of turning up in time to see the main act then heading home.

so I was studying at Perth (I'm Indonesian), and I went to some of my first gigs there alone. So there I was, an awkward and lonely asian kid sitting / standing close to the stage (IMO people tend to leave others alone closer to the stage).

after a couple of times, I could not bear the loneliness and awkwardness anymore and brought myself to make random acquaintances at the bar (and i'm happier ever since ahoi).

the main one is getting to the night and not being bothered and going to the pub with your mates instead. Without a companion to tell you off, this is a massive risk. I have missed loads like this (inc the DiS Gold Panda/Three Trapped Tigers gig which I'm really annoyed about).

Also as above you risk drinking too much.

BUT I did pull once at a Grandaddy gig on my own, a long time ago. We talked all the way through it which was probably annoying for those around us.

BUT (again) for some gigs you almost HAVE to go alone. I did Tim Hecker at the church solo and that was perfect. And I often see my favourite most noisy bands (like Godflesh) on my own, mainly because no one else I know likes them but also because they're devotional emotional times for me, and I wouldn't want any of my idiotic friends making stupid comments all the way through.

Fortunately bumped in to some guys from Brum who I met at Phoenix, unfortunately I forgot where I parked the car and got lost for about an two hours after the gig looking for the fucker.

We both turned up quite early, started chatting, stayed in touch afterwards, got together a while later. That was about 3 years ago. So I'd say its worth going to gigs on your own!

If you don't feel like chatting, take a good book.

The worst thing is getting through the shit support acts and not having anyone to talk to before and after the gig. I throw myself into the gig itself so I never see people I go with for the duration of the sets anyway.
I do drink more though, that's definitely a drawback

take a book.. drink a beer. Not sure why some people are scared of talking to people they dont know though.. its great fun. smoking can be good for this, as can having a bit of confidence.

Seeing Mangum tonight alone too.
Sometimes I chat to people, sometimes I don't. It's not really an issue for me (single child, happy in own company etc). Would be nice if my girlfriend gave a shit about obscure indie rock Wednesday night gigs, but alas she does not.

It was at KoKo's in Camden.

I was gutted though, because I completely forgot about the gig, and had arranged to meet a friend in Farringdon. As I was waiting fro my friend to turn up, I was looking at Dis and I saw a thread about the gig. I didn't think that it would matter, because it was only about 6pm in the evening, so I thought that I had a couple of hours. But when I got to KoKo's, Pink was already playing....I asked someone standing next to me how long he'd been playing, and he said "about an hour".

:(

Mogwai and The Spinto Band spring to mind. it was fine.

Just go and enjoy it, don't worry about what other people think.

Don't turn up too early otherwise you will be standing around in an empty room on your own. I tend not to bother with the support unless I am really interested, then I just load up on beers and have a whale of a time. You can't talk to anyone while the band is playing anyway.

It really doesn't bother me at all I meet new people and bump into people I know staff from mono. Kinda shows how much of a hardened music fan you are aswell-respect.
save money not getting wrecked

I used to go quite a bit but have got funny looks from people. My boyfriend reckons its more normal for a guy to go alone. I still think its better to go than to miss out though. At least you don't end up regretting it.

is my ex-gig going partner so I have been going to a few solo recently. It's a mixed experience, sometimes I don't give a shit but at others I can feel very self-conscious. Often depends on the band and therefore the type of audience. It doesn't help that I'm tall either! At Pains of Being Pure At heart I felt like a bit of a dick, at Damien Jurado it was fine. And I tend to drink faster too, psychologically it feels like I am 'keeping busy' and am therefore less conspicuous.

Going alone is better when you love the band you are going to see and will be more engaged in the music.

I do sometimes wonder whether anyone looks at me and thinks I am a complete loser!

Going with friends who are also fans is the best. Shared experience, and mostly the fact that standing around between acts is painfully boring sometimes. Play a game on your phone, or write a letter, or something. Eh.

Noone bats an eyelid. You sometimes see the odd solo gig goer standing looking awkward right in the middle, looking nervous. They stick out like a sore thumb.

the only issue is making sure you get out of the house to actually schlepp over there in the first place (especially if raining etc) rather than being lazy/drinking etc. Once you are there, no problemo

on my phone during the breaks rather than natter to someone else about the band.

I actually went to I'll Be Your Mirror, last year by myself and whilst it might have been enjoyable with someone else I kind of liked having the freedom to dash between stages.

oh and buy Sennheiser earphones.

Just something i've got used to doing as i've got older and more of my mates have either got bored of going to watch live music, got married/bought houses/got boring. It's no biggie, i've got to know plenty of people from around Birmingham where I go to the majority of gigs, so usually there's a few faces I know to chat to

mainly end up smoking and drinking far more than I ordinarily would - especially when the support band is fucking terrible. pretty much always end up hanging around outside chain smoking.

taking a book is a good idea if you know there's a place you can sit and read comfortably

but I spent a whole afternoon and evening at Glastonbury on my own until after the headliners. It was very liberating, I could flit around between stages and not worry about someone else needing a piss or wanting to queue for a burger. I ended up watching the sun go down, and watching Orbital play on the other stage with several beers. It was beautiful.

used to go nearly every week in birmingham to something on my own, found it quite relaxing and enjoyable

but as it was my first proper gig, I did feel a bit self-conscious. I think it depends what band you go to see - if you went to see one where there's a lot of crowd interaction/the audience really gets into it I wouldn't really like being by myself, but if it's one where people stand and admire it'd be fine.

If I saw someone reading a book at a gig I'd think they were fucking odd though

and am 16 and fairly shy. it's fine.

i made a good friend by just striking up a conversation at a Peter Broderick gig.

im going to a gig on Friday.. on my own

Last time i went on my own, i was removed from the building by the bouncers. For trying to have a look at what kinda Fuzz Boxes The Telescopes were using... that sucked.

that will be sad

but a few of the best gigs I've been to have been alone, and like someone rightly said above, if you love the band just go, don't let someone else hold you back

Go it alone

it was to see eels in Glasgow, over an hour gap between the support and main act. I'd driven there too so couldn't drink, mind numbingly tedious just standing there for so long. I'd probably go to gigs more often if it wasn't for all the waiting around.

I seem to drink an awful lot when I do go however.....

It's all good. Normally just browse the net on my phone in between bands, it's fine.

Even been to gigs abroad on my own, Barcelona in the main.

ive always been lucky enough to have struck up a conversation with somebody (as i go to mostly gigs in bristol, its usually stuff about 'big jeff' who relative strangers to bristol gigs notice nodding along like a furious woodpecker)

failing that i usually check twitter / facebook, or make a shopping list using the reminders app on my iphone :(

for what's it worth I ended up having a really good night and even made a friend! Although it wasn't off to a great start when this one guy explained to me how he'd stare into animals eyes when stabbing them and watch the life leave their eyes. He said he wanted to do this to a human. No hint of a joke either. Said he'd kill for $20,000. :(

Last one I went to solo was Whitehouse, pretty sure I was by no means the only creepy loner in the place

i wandered around the States for a few months, and because i didn't know many folk i ended up going to a lot of shows solo...one of which was Ariel Pink actually. Generally found people to talk to or drink with, and weirdly felt even more inclined than usual to dance about like a big tit. This had led to me taking the plunge in recent years of doing festivals solo. Couldn't find anyone keen for Supersonic in '09 so i went on my own (and danced about like a great big tit).

I think going to gigs with other people is like ordering at a restaurant...you have to choose the right person. Go with somebody who doesn't share your love or is slightly indifferent can turn an ecstatic, joyous show into a big anti-climax. Going solo...is it fair to compare gigging to masturbation? Have you ever had a bad wank? (forgive me, i actually feel dirty for that comment)

I had to go and see Ariel Pink on my own. None of my friends fancied it and I wasn't going to drag my girlfriend to something I'm 99% sure she would have hated.

Really glad I did go as it was one of the best gigs of that year.

I'd rather go to things with people who are really into it as well obviously but I'd prefer not to drag people who couldn't care less along. Gigs are a largely antisocial pastime anyway as you spend 80% of the time you are there staring at the stage in silence (unless you enjoy being a pain in the a$$)

Loads of folk are saying they'd prefer to go without taking somebody along who don't like the band or couldn't care less about going?

Do you not like the same music as your mates?

I went to Scratch Acid on my own on Monday. I had a good time, but standing up waiting for stuff to happen was a pain in the arse.
Sometimes I do miss the "sharing" aspect you can have with friends. But sometimes they want to stand at the back and talk. I usually leave them to it and move forward. I must admit to sometimes feeling like the "creepy old bloke" though. That Fucking Tank at the Old Blue Last springs to mind.

First was Blood Brothers around 2004/5. The two mates who I went to a lot of stuff with had tickets, but the gig fell on the night before our A-level English coursework was due in, and those guys just weren't as dedicated to the band as I was to stray from the usual routine of doing all your coursework the night before. Wasn't bad, sold their tickets for face value to some guys in the queue, pissing off a tout in the process, and the band were really good.

Second was the Drips. It was billed on their myspace I think as '09/05/2006-- Best of luck to you finding this gig, London'. Turns out it was at the Old Blue Last. Guy on the door was absolutely out of the game. Asked him how much it was for entry. 'Threeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...POUNDS'. I got £3 out. 'But for you, I will do it for two'. Drips played all of their 1st album in order and nothing else. Bought the CD and a t-shirt from the guy who was in the Distillers without realizing it was him.

Third was Springsteen in 2008. Was 21 at the time and simply didn't know anyone else willing to pay £60 for 3 hours of dad rock. Glad I went though, was a great set.

So yeah, it's not bad. I wouldn't make a habit of it though. Someone further up lying to mates who've offered to go with him. That's just mental.

as I'm often reviewing. It's totally fine, you shouldn't be talking during a performance anyway (i'm looking at you; most of London)

that people who spend a lot of time posting on message boards often don't have people to go out to gigs with. SHOCKED and AMAZED.

i go to uni in london and nearly all of the people i've met don't like the same sort of music and me and are never up for going to a live show. it's pretty crap going by yourself as you can't really do anything before or after the gig if you are still by yourself. But when your at the gig its fine most of the time.

It was fucking awesome.

I've only been to 3, maybe 4 gigs on my own but the freedom of not having to stand where the Mrs/friends want to stand, not having to relocate them after a visit to the toilet or bar and being able to squeeze into 1 person spots is brilliant!

as no-one I knew was prepared to travel and pay the money, and its sticks out as one of my favourite gig-going experiences.

You get to really soak in the atmosphere as an observer, you can just be quiet and take in everything. I suppose I didn't say a word all evening but it seemed to enhance the whole experience.

Of course you wouldn't want to do it all the time but its hardly like you've ever thought 'hey that guys on his own what a douche' about anyone in your life is it?

If it's an indoor gig I just assume everyone is looking at me and thinks I'm lame and fat and ageing badly and have no friends. And I know they're right.

but as i've gotten older/needier/bored of gigs i don't really do it anymore unless I HAVE to see that band. I've met people I've ended up 'dating' at gigs when I went alone so it can have its advantages too. People in general should try going out alone in social scenarios more, it's good for you.

Saw Manic Street Preachers in december 2010 in birmingham alone cos my friends pulled out last minute and I was a huge fan by that point. I just went to the middle of the crowd by myself, stood around a bit, and then jumped around/moshed when the band came on, and then left. Having said, that it quite often happens at festivals where I lose people and end up standing on my own like a lemon. I rarely make an attempt at talking to people I don't know though, talking to strangers terrifies me.