Being on Time
You have to arrive on time. If you are late, you won't be allowed in until there's a pause in the music.
Even more important, if you rush in late you'll be in no condition to settle down to the task of listening to the music. Get there early enough to enjoy the atmosphere, to look at the theater, and to find your seat and get ready for the music.
If you do arrive late, an usher will help you get to your seat at an appropriate time.
Finding the Theater
If you haven't been to the theater before, leave lots of extra time to find it. The season brochure may have a map. If not, call the office for directions. (Check a city map before you go, though. Sometimes the people in the office, who have been to the concert hall a zillion times, forget what it's like to be a first-timer.)
Public transportation often serves concert halls very well. Just be sure that the buses or trains will be running when the concert is over.
If you drive, remember that urban concert halls can be hidden in a maze of one-way streets. Allow extra time for solving the maze!
Parking
Parking can be expensive -- sometimes parking the car costs more than the concert! Parking can be scarce, especially at small recital halls and alternative spaces like art galleries and dance studios. Parking can be distant, especially at universities, where walking from the parking structure to the concert can feel like going on safari.
Check the season brochure for parking information; there might also be a map showing where to park. Or call the office. Don't be shy; they get lots of calls about this sort of thing. It's part of their job to help you, the valued concertgoer, find a place to park.
Allow some extra time for parking, and bring some extra money to pay for it. After the concert, don't be in a hurry to get home afterward. When an entire audience is trying to exit a parking lot at one time, it's not a pretty sight. Be patient.
The Box Office
If you don't have your ticket yet, you will need to find the box office. Usually it's in front of the theater or in the lobby, but at some theaters the box office is cleverly hidden by the architect. Just ask where it is, and try to enjoy the adventure of finding it.
The box office may have several different windows. If your ticket is being held for you, go to the "Will Call" window. To buy a ticket, look for a window that says something like "This Performance."
Finding Your Seat
Your ticket will admit you to the concert hall, and, if seating is reserved, it also indicates where you are to sit. Show your ticket to an usher, who will help you find your seat.
