As Olivia Rodrigo’s No. 1 fan, I have always dreamed of meeting her or at least attending a concert. I have been a fan since her American Girl Doll movie “Grace Stirs Up Success” came out in 2015. This was before she even started releasing music. But after failing to secure tickets for her 2022 SOUR tour and the recent GUTS tour this summer, I lost hope in ever watching her live — until this past August.
As a former Disney Channel star, Rodrigo is among the many popular artists to break the mold after starring in “Bizaardvark” and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.” Her release of the song “drivers license” in 2021 launched her into the music industry limelight after the song went viral because of its relatable themes about relationships. She quickly became a well-known artist, winning three Grammys in 2022 for New Artist, Pop Vocal Album and Pop Solo performance for her debut album “SOUR.” The size of her fanbase — dubbed “Livies” — skyrocketed in under a year, and tickets for her concerts became expensive and difficult to purchase.
When Rodrigo came to San Francisco in early August, I convinced my mom to drive me to Chase Center to at least buy the venue-specific merchandise. As we waited in line, I told my mom about videos I saw on social media about fans camping out the day of the concert and purchasing box-office tickets. My mom decided to look around the venue in search of tickets, while I anxiously waited in line with a small sliver of hope.
When she returned with two $200 floor seat tickets from the box office in her hand, I was beyond excited to finally see my favorite artist.
As I waited for the concert to start at 8:30 p.m., I talked with other ‘Livies’ waiting near me. I met one fan who, by arriving at the box office by 2 a.m., snagged floor seats much closer to the stage than mine.
Another fan I met shared her secret to attending popular concerts: She buys the cheapest ticket possible on resale — which typically prices around $100 — attends the concert with her nosebleed seat. Then, once the concert begins, she waits for two songs to play as she watches the prices drop on resale sites; she then proceeds to purchase a $50 floor seat to enjoy the rest of the show. Thanks to my encounters, I discovered a whole new world of concert-going knowledge before the show even began.
After the concert opened with Rodrigo’s single “bad idea right?” followed by her rock anthem “ballad of a homeschooled girl,” I spent the next two hours dancing and screaming lyrics out-of-tune at the top of my lungs, all in a thrilling blur.
My favorite part of the concert occurred when Rodrigo rose above the audience while on the crescent moon prop onstage and sang my two favorite songs: “logical” and “enough for you.” As she floated a half-circle around the arena, she stopped by the back center floor seats, exactly where I was sitting, and my entire section screamed in pure joy and disbelief.
Olivia Rodrigo smiles down at her fans.
As the crowd sang along to Rodrigo’s viral hit and final song of the concert — “get him back!” — star-shaped confetti fell over the seats. Even as the concert ended, the crowd remained elated. While the end was bittersweet, I felt so happy I was able to experience her concert. It was a night I can never forget. Although Olivia Rodrigo’s was not the very first concert I ever attended, hers was definitely my favorite one.
Olivia Rodrigo performs her song, “lacy” from her newest album “GUTS.”
When I returned home at midnight to eat dinner, I realized just how lucky I was to experience Rodrigo’s concert, especially after struggling and ultimately failing to buy tickets for her first tour. When tickets originally went on sale for the GUTS World Tour, floor seats cost an average of $500 each. When I checked resale sites the day of the concerts, floor seats were $600 each. By comparison, our $200 seats were a bargain.
After doing further research, I learned that Rodrigo purposely doesn’t sell some seats and releases them the day of each concert for sale at the box office. She does this in order to help fans avoid ridiculous Ticketmaster fees, wait times and greedy scalpers — who deliberately purchase as many tickets as possible and resell them for much more than the original price on resale sites.
I had never purchased a box office ticket before this concert, but I learned a lot about the process through this experience. Box office tickets differ drastically from general and presale prices, averaging about $300 less expensive for Rodrigo’s concerts. Although you can camp out at 3 a.m. for tickets, I found 4 p.m. will guarantee you only a marginally worse seat.
I highly advise fans to attempt purchasing box office tickets if they can’t buy tickets initially. While it was a success with Rodrigo’s concert, make sure to research beforehand to check whether or not it is a viable method for other artists.
If I learned anything from this experience, it would be to step out of my comfort zone and maintain a drive for things that I want. My next new goal: Meet Olivia Rodrigo!
