Live music concert at a stadium or arena for a 12 year old?
My child would like us to take them to a concert later this year. Neither I nor my partner have ever been to a gigantic concert (the Chase Center or the Oracle Park type venue) or a professional sporting event, so we have no idea what to expect at these venues. The crowd level looks intimidating. Obviously, we won't be in the mosh pit. The band is known to drop f bombs on stage and I'm sure there will be drunk / high people.
Have you taken your kid(s) to a huge concert at the age range of 11 - 13? We are open to the idea but don't know what to expect. If we get seats in the back, is it worth it? The band will be the size of tiny gnats, but I understand that there will be jumbotrons. If you went, did you stay for the full 3 - 4 hours of the show including opening acts (this sounds exhausting)?
I'd love to hear your experiences and any tips on what to expect / how to prepare. Thank you.
Parent Replies
You absolutely should take your 12 year old to a concert. How wonderful that they are developing their own taste in music. It's an important job of parents of teens to support their kids' interests, and learn about them. I took my kids to concerts many times starting at a younger age than 12. I learned a lot about their music, which I still enjoy listening to. And my kids were open to listening to music that I like too. As young adults, some of their best memories are concerts they got to attend back in the day when they were young teens. And even better, we have many musical loves in common and we attend musical events together as adults now, including the opera!
A place like the Chase Center is huge but it's easy to navigate and you are not going to be in any sort of danger. There will be many other 12 year olds (and younger!) with their parents in attendance, you can count on that, because the Bay Area is a music-loving place. If you are averse to being in big crowds maybe you should designate another adult to take them. Regarding choice of seats, I personally do not like sitting in the nosebleed seats, especially if it's a performer I really love, but I did it when I didn't have any money, and I still had a fantastic time with many fond memories. But now I'm on mailing lists so I can get good seats. I would recommend upgrading your seats if you can afford it and if better seats are available, especially since it's your child's first live concert. But if not, just being there surrounded by other fans is pretty fun too, and like you said, Jumbotron.
Have fun!
No, we haven't done this yet but got tix to Green Day at Oracle Park in September intending to take our 13 & 15 year olds. I also feel like I have aged out of big concerts, not that I was ever a huge music lover - but shoutout to the Beastie Boys in Oakland circa 1998 - but felt like for whatever reason, I am more comfortable with a venue that is both outside and seated in chairs. I wouldn't do GA or lawn seating with teens. Personally I would also be ok with telling a 12 year old, nope, you are not ready for this experience, let's see who's touring next year/year after. In the meantime you could try a smaller/chiller venue such as a winery (some places and some shows allow minors) or a potentially intense but closer to home concert experience like 924 Gilman.
The band/artist also matters obviously. The Olivia Rodrigo audience is different from Ozzfest. LOL.
How meaningful that your child asked you and that you're considering! I encourage you to go for it (assuming according to your family values that the band's music is appropriate for your child).
I started taking my now 21-y-o to concerts when she was 11. I'm not comfortable in large crowds nor with loud sounds, and I didn't like the music of the artist she was desperate to see. She so badly wanted to go that she was entering every ticket contest she could find. So, I bucked up and got a pair of tickets as her birthday present. Long story short, we had a wonderful time and have since been to several concerts together. It's been a way for her to let me into her world as she matures. I've come to enjoy the music she listens to and wants to share with me. All in all, it's a positive and connecting experience.
That said, here's what I'd suggest:
Spend what you can to get decent seats in the mid to lower seating levels with a clear view of the stage. Crowd will not be any more intense than in the nosebleed section, and you'll feel more in it. Older fans with more disposable income tend to get seats in these sections.
Go early. Stand in the merch line. Get over-prices snacks. People watch. Listen to the opening act. Take it all in!
There likely will be people visibly drunk and high. There likely will be a pervasive odor of weed. Talk to your child before you go and share your attitudes on it. Encourage, and directly answer, any questions they have. (By 12, they've likely already been around it anyway.) A concert is an opportunity to begin a conversation about substance use, if you haven't already. And if you haven't, Partnership to End Addiction has some helpful resources on how to talk to tweens and teens about substance use.
Most of all, have fun! Enjoy it while your child wants to share an interest of theirs with you.
We took our daughters to see Pink at Chase Center last year for our older daughter's 11th bday. We were in the nosebleeds but it was great! I was pleasantly surprised by how well run the venue is, as I haven't made it to a Warriors game yet, so this was my first visit. The upper sections are quite steep, but once you're seated it's fine. There were good food options inside too. We parked in once of the open air lots and walked from there. My daughter was so excited, and later, so proud to have gone. It felt like a rite of passage.
I don’t have any advice but we are taking our 12 year old to Green Day at Oracle this September. I’ve only been to one huge stadium concert before in my life but I think it will be a lot of fun!
We took our son to Ringo Starr at the Masonic last year and it was an absolute blast. Smaller venue and non rowdy crowd so a different thing.