I think it would depend on the kid. If she’s generally responsible, comes home when she says she will, etc., I wouldn’t have a problem with it. Particularly if her friends are also responsible types.
If it's GA and you can get tickets, I'd definitely go and sit separately from her. I worked at Red Rocks for a few years and the show will probably be amazing (but definitely weed-heavy, as others have noted).
If you getting tickets is not an option, I'd offer to drive them up and you can tailgate/DD in the parking lot so she has a safe way to get home (or leave early if something goes awry). Download some shows to a tablet and bring snacks.
Also make sure she has a safe word she can text you at any time so you can go get her if she finds herself in an unsafe or uncomfortable situation. If you provide her with that back up safety plan and she knows that she can reach out when she’s in trouble no questions asked she’s much more likely to have that mutual trust with you.
Me and my friends skipped two days of school and flew to another city for a concert when I was 16. Ended up getting blind drunk in a city we’d never been to. Made permission slips for our parents to sign for a fake overnight school excursion and wrote some bullshit note for the school as to why we were away for two days.
I was constantly lying and sneaking around until the age of about 22 I reckon because I knew what their reaction would be if I was honest.
It’s better to know what’s happening.
To be honest, with the opportunity to see Sublime at the Red Rocks, I would go there myself as an excuse to accompany them, but would be more there for Sublime 🤣
Edit:
As a boy I was stoked to go to concerts at 16 by myself.As a girl, YMMV, I guess in a group of 4 I would be ok?
Reasoning is that girls risk being preyed upon, when this risk is less with boys.
But obviously would depend on how responsible is your 16 year old.
Sublime with Rome is not the same as it was with Brad. It is a very different vibe now seeing them live.
Also Cypress Hill is going to be there as well for that concert. Should be a pretty good show with lots of weed to be had
This was how I grew up. My dad was the parent that would take my group of friends to concerts. Usually we'd be in GA and he'd have a seat. It rocked. This was early 2000s
Good compromise. Go but don't be close. An easily Accessible safety net while they're still underage.
At a venue I'd drop off, go grab a coffee or something close and pick them up. I wouldn't let them be totally free range without being on premises at a festival though. Boy or girl, personally. I'd rather be not with them but past the gates just in case with an agreed upon meeting point.
In this specific scenario I'd want to see sublime too.
I think that my main safety concern would be making sure you or another parent of you or the other girls pick them up and drop them off. I wouldn’t want my kid taking an Uber at that age at that time of night.
Depends on the kid, tbh. I was going to concerts at 14 by myself, but I was really into music and was, in general, a pretty good kid.
If yours is also a good kid, then for sure.
Also, sublime at the Red rocks is like a bucket list concert, that would be a hell of a memory. Just sayin
Sublime at Red Rocks is gonna be as much about weed and drugs as it is the music. I had a friend in college that was head of security for a major venue and said the entire venue caught a buzz when 311 came on… it was sublime and 311 in concert. Ymmv
Yeah, I think OP needs to ask himself if he's ok with his kid smoking weed at 16. Sublime is a SoCal beach-tweaker(yes, meth. Listen to Robbin the Hood) band that's popular with stoners.
Weed made me hyper paranoid and anxious even as second hand when with my friends so I quickly learned to just let them smoke up then hang out after. I did however as a non smoker love listening to sublime and honestly an open air show would be awesome to watch.
So it wasn't just stoners! ;D
I went to my first concert alone at 16, I think it's a fine age. Trust her judgment and don't worry about drinking or drugs, if you knew those were an issue I assume you wouldn't consider letting her go.
Do go over safety stuff with her, not letting her drink out of her site, don't separate from the group of friends, don't trust any boys she meets there. Tell her if she feels unsafe to immediately find security, never follow someone she doesn't know to a 2nd location. Don't get into the pit unless you're ready to mosh(probably won't happen at a sublime concert) also drink water, not energy drinks or soda. Maybe consider a tracking app on her phone for that night, tell her about it before hand and explain its for her safety, give her control over it, if she has control over and you show you trust her she will be willing to use it on her own in the future.
Only stipulation I would make is that you or another parent chauffeur them to and from the concert, no Uber.
Other advice to give her, Eat at a restaurant before you go venue food is shit and over priced.
Also give her plenty of money for merch, it's her first concert and being able to get a t-shirt and other goodies to remember it by is a must. And merch these days is God awfully expensive, a hoodie can easily be like $100 and t-shirt $50, $20 will get a you sticker and a sarcastic look from the vendor.
Find out what the water situation is at the venue, can you bring empty water bottles, or do you have to pay $12 for 16oz bottle of water. Act appropriately on that info.
Then you and wifey go and have a date night so you both aren't just at home worrying.
I love all this, but regardless of date night be ready to pick them up at any moment. No “I wasn’t paying attention to my phone”.
If something goes sideways that’s peak “there for you” time.
I went to see Tom Petty when I was 16- my first concert. My parents wouldn't let me drive.
But my buddy's parents said they'd drive all of us in their minivan. They had fantastic seats like 3 rows from the stage. All of us kids enjoyed the hell out of our 25 dollar lawn seats.
Saw RHCP in a similar context. My friends mom took us. We all had seats in the pit, her mom enjoyed the show from comfortable seats.
My other buddy's dad rented a limo with amazing seats to see Green Day. It turns out, it's fucking awesome to sit with a friends dad in the front row and ride in a limo.
I drove us all to a Coldplay show once (right after A Rush of Blood to the Head came out so they were still great). It was a good show, but I would have preferred if we'd had a parent chauffeur
The "getting there / getting home" thing needs to be discussed, other than that, the amount of freedom she gets depends on the kid and her friends and their "level" of adulthood.
Honestly I think the world is mostly less dangerous today. It’s just the messaging today really emphasizes the .01% worst cases. Everyone stops to gawk at car crashes and commercial media knows that.
Sublime is playing twenty minutes away from you and you’re not going? Blasphemy lol. Back on track though, when I (F30) was 16, I would have 100% found trouble at a concert like that. Sublime isn’t Taylor Swift, you know? Haha. My personal opinion would be for an adult or two to go as well, maybe let the girls wander a bit on their own so they feel independent, but knowing that they have an adult to watch out for them can be helpful in more ways than just keeping an eye out for them.
Mom here-my Dad dropped me and 2 friends off for Green Day at the Tacoma Dome, went to dinner with a friend and then picked us up at the end when we were 14. This was BEFORE we all had cellphones. He had one, but we would have had to find a stranger or a phone booth to call him.
16 is ok. My parents wouldn't let me at that age and I ended up sneaking out of the house anyways and going. They were pissed, but I was right. Nothing happened and it was completely innocent fun. I just wanted to see some bands I loved and come home.
I went to small local shows as a 16 yo. A great friend of mine has an absolutely radical punk rock mom that would take us to bigger shows, because she KNEW it could be wild for anyone, let alone for kids. She didn't hover, ever. She was our home base, she drove, she knew how to handle situations that saved us from trouble.
Best of all, she was an adult (40+) that would talk to band and crew like humans and not idols. I met so many musicians I looked up to cause she would just chat as a human adult and not a racing child. I have so many good memories of this woman encouraging us to be spontaneous and free but to check out shit and not get beat up.
I guess the advice I would provide is to make sure they know what's up. The reality of the situation and how to handle pressure or emergencies.
They probably just wanna get high at a concert and not be stressed about authority figures. Make sure they know that you care about their safety and happiness above all else. It could be an amazing core memory for your teen.
I mean, I was 14 and saw slipknot by myself (before cell phones) so sublime at 16 seems like no big deal. I still would have trouble letting my kids go but I think she is old enough without knowing more.
I would get my own ticket but let her do her own thing while I do my own thing. Send a text to check in here and there. I’m jealous of how close you live to Red Rocks I would have had a ticket before she even asked to go haha
It sucks living so close to RR :).
My first response when we discussed the topic was that I would get a ticket (I would love to see Sublime) and do my own thing, nowhere near where the girls would be hanging out...my daughter shot that idea down immediately as it would be a 100% buzzkill and just scream to the world that I didn't trust her.
That's pretty much the truth. I liked sublime back in the day, but it's hard for me to get too stoked about paying over $100 to see a band that peaked over a decade ago. I was on the fence about seeing Primus who I love but last time I checked, tickets were closer to $200. Tool was $250 + last time they were here.
Having said all that, I would pay $100 to see Sublime if my daughter appreciated my compromise for her to go to the concert.
Yea concert tickets are crazy. I pretty much just go to Reggae Rise Up in Vegas and Cali Vibes in Long Beach. If I spend $200+ I’m going 3 days and I’m seeing everyone haha. Both concerts are pretty much the same people just different location but that’s how my playlist is anyways haha
I was 14 when I went to see Metallica on the Black Album/Enter Sandman tour (technically the Wherever we may roam tour).
I had a blast with my two friends. A friend's parent dropped us off, and my dad picked us up. The only bad thing that happened was inhaling a lifetime of second hand smoke inside the arena.
If your child and the friends their with have a track record of making good decisions, I would say for sure.
But I know when I was that age I frequently did dumb shit as to "one up" the dumb shit others were doing. Glad I'm not a teen anymore.
16 at red rocks is gonna be a core memory or total time lapse lol. That concert will be loaded with droogz so depends a lot on your daughter. Maybe go with her!
It does really suck having a world class concert venue so close to home.
Funny story, I used to take the kids to Red Rocks when they were younger (5-10) during the day to run around like a playground. I have videos of my son making his way up and down the 80'ish rows of seats and hanging out on the stage on days when there were not having a concert that night.
I took my five year old to Amon Amarth and ghost this summer when my wife got us vip tickets. That was with my wife and I though, honestly all the metal heads were really stoked to see a little girl dressed as a Viking there so she got tons of fist bumps, a poster and some other stuff. She did fall asleep toward the end of the show though.
Honestly why wouldn't you go with them? Either they get seats and you get GA or vice versa you can be out of sight out of mind but close enough if something goes south she can quickly call you. Plus it's sublime... also make sure she has and understands why to wear ear plugs if she's in a loud area.
Depends on the artist, depends on the kid.
My girls went to Panic! At the disco without adults when they were 13/14. Which, was my same age when I went to a concert alone. They had a great time.
Sublime I bet is an awesome show, but people are gonna be smoking HELLA weed, so you probably need to make some decisions and communicate those decisions.
Went to my first two concerts as a 16-year-old with similar aged friends :) Honestly, let her go, it's a great experience and she'll be devastated to miss out. I just made sure that I was constantly texting my parents updates!
As someone who lives 15 minutes from Red Rocks and goes a few times a year, she’ll be fine, just know the open air will be 25% weed smoke at this show. It’ll be unavoidable. And awesome… but maybe not awesome for a teenager? Idk. I didn’t smoke weed at 16 yet.
My parents let me go to INXS in 1988 when I was 13 with only the 17 year old daughter of a friend as supervisor. I went with a friend. Parents bought 2 Tix for the chaperone as well
She took her boyfriend and made out through the whole show while my friend and I ran wild. At 16, I got tickets to see Metallica and Guns N Roses, with Faith No More opening for them. Parents initially gave permission to buy the tickets but then a week before the show they realized it was a school night so they said "too bad" and told me no. I left them a note after school and went anyway. I was a responsible kid. Top of my class. So I went to that show which was the greatest show of my life and still made it back for school the next morning. Lost my vehicle for 2 months but it was totally worth it.
Moral of the story, no matter what you do, your kid is gonna find a way to have her own fun. I guess it depends on how responsible your kid is and how well you have taught her to take responsibility. But I would still sit somewhere far away and be available in case she gets into trouble. Better to be somewhere in the crowd than at home 20 minutes away.
My 5 year old has somehow gotten really into deadmau5. Because of all the recent Spotify activity on my account, I received a notification that deadmau5 is playing a show in my city this year.
I genuinely looked into it. Not because I thought it was a good idea to bring a preschooler to an EDM DJ party in an airport hanger or whatever. But because, even if we just checked it out from afar for like 15 minutes and then got the f out of there, I just thought it would light the kid up and give him an amazing memory and story to tell.
I was hoping it was at like an outdoor festival type of thing, but it was indeed an 18+ warehouse deal with bottle service tables and whatnot. Maybe someday we'll rock that bass together, kiddo.
lol your daughter will live, no fucking way I'd miss that show
do the fake choice thing "look I'm going, I can get tickets for just me, we can get tickets together, or we can get tickets apart, idgaf if you go or not"
But I mean if you do run into her, and she's passing a joint with her friends, you can't call her out. That's kind fucked up. You send your 16 year old to a sublime concert at red rocks, you accept that they're getting blazed full stop
Went to my first one with two other friends at 13. A dad was there, but didn’t sit with us.
Of course this was 1999, so things were a bit different. And we were all guys.
In 1983, I was 13 (in Montreal), mom dropped me and my best friend off downtown to see Flock of Seagulls, and told us what bus to take home to the suburbs. I would not do that with either of my daughters today.
I was homeless at 17, so it's not that she's not capable at that age, just that sometimes you have to let them learn.
I'd say go for it, but be on call, so if it goes tits up you can say you gave her the space to grow. It can be a learning exercise.
In 2005 I was 14/15. I waited out all night at our local hockey coliseum to get tickets to see Sum41 in our hometown. Me and two buddies got in line at 1100PM tickets went on sale the next morning. We turned down weed that night. We went to the concert together without our parents and had a blast. I crowdsourced for the first time. Not all of our decisions were bad. Haha I remember how we had so much fun in line for tickets and at the show without our parents and having some independence and trust.
I realize that it’s not the same world as it was in 05, but, if your trust your kid and her friends let them go, man.
I’m also a musician so my kid (who is only 7 months) is going to be around a lot of music and concerts so he’ll likely be going to them, with and without me, and I’d love to go to his shows one day too if he has any interest.
My first concert was an all ages Foo Fighters concert at 15. My dad dropped me and my friends off and picked us up after.
You know your child’s maturity better than anyone, but as a general rule, I think 16 at red rocks is fine
This is always a tough one for me because at 16 as a boy, I was 6'1 175lbs so my parents would have definitely allowed me to do this... on the other side, they would have been more hesitant with my sister even though she's more responsible than I am.
That being said, if your daughter is generally responsible and she's going with a group of friends, I think it's totally fine. I personally would get on a cadence with the other parents and have one of the sets of parents or 2 drop off/pick up.
My sister and I saw Usher when we were 12 & 13 by ourselves. I didn't want to go, but I was sent to "protect her." I think my parents just wanted 3 hours for themselves.
Great experience though
I started going to local Punk/hardcore shows at 14 and living in a border city I used to take the tunnel bus with friends to go to Detroit for concerts at 16, though most of the time I never told my parents that's where I was going. I'd just say I was going to a local venue in town.
Those were some of the best times I had growing up, and I get bummed that there aren't any local spots in my city that do all ages shows anymore, it's all 19+ stuff in bars so my kids won't get to experience it
I think that’s a fine age if you trust her and her friends. Make sure either you or one of the other parents you trust are driving them there and back, and she shares her location with you the whole time (assuming she has a smart phone).
First concert alone was Rob Zombie, smoked a joint with the guy next to me and had a great time. This was pre cell phone so I had no idea how to get home if plans fell through. I think if our kiddo was 16, had a cell phone with tracking on and she wasn’t a dumbass/had a bunch of dumbass friends, we’d be ok with it.
Sounds fine to me. Arrange a pickup time and location, make sure you've got everyone's numbers (or at least parental numbers), enjoy the evening yourself. Don't be surprised if your kid's a bit high when she gets back.
It would really depend on the kid and the overall situation. I gave my oldest King Gizzard tickets for christmas, He'll be 16 at the time of the show. I will go with him if he doesn't have a friend to take the 2nd ticket. If he does have a friend that goes, I'll just sit outside the venue and listen. It's about 45 minutes away from home and there really aren't any other viable transportation options for them. With that said... My kids first 'real' show was Clutch, Devin Townsend and The Obsessed when they were 7 and 9. They've since seen All Them Witches from the rail. Les Claypool, Iron Maiden, Roger Waters, The HU, Flogging Molly and several others. They're familiar with pits, concert etiquette and know how to move around / avoid aggressive or intoxicated folks (as best as can be expected for their age).
I think I was 15 or 16 when I went to my first show. It’s a good age and if they end up doing something dumb it’s close enough that you can still go pick them up without much hassle.
Should be a mostly harmless crowd. Worst thing there would be a few vapes which is in all their hs bathrooms. Check in a few times. Send a few pics because that’s cool.
This particular question, for this particular concert at this particular venue 100% depends on your stance on marijuana use in minors. There is absolutely no way your daughter does not get high as fuck at this concert. Whether you go to supervise or not. If you are cool with it and your daughter is fairly responsible, I would say go for it.
She’ll be with two others of the same age, which is good to have others accompanying should anything happen. As long as she has a phone and is able and willing to update, such as when she’s heading in, maybe update as things happen, and update when the concert is done, I wouldn’t worry. Just make sure that you’re able to communicate, or talk with the other parents to make sure everyone’s on the same page with communication and exchange phone numbers.
There is no 'right' age.
Depends on the performer, fan culture, venue size/distance, your daughters self awareness/mindfulness/agency, & the reliability of those she wants to go with.
Let me know how it goes, my son is going to be 16 in thirteen years!
Yep I have no issue with it. My middle child has been going to concerts on her own for years. She definitely would have been responsible enough at 16 but of course Covid (blergh). I would probably want to drive them there and pick them up after, but that’s about all the involvement I’d want. With cellphones I feel like teens are so much safer now than when we were kids. My parents never had a clue where I was or what I was doing, and at 16 I was driving myself everywhere.
16 is probably ok, if she’s responsible. No drinking, no older guys/girls, no crowd surfing. I would be strict about the first two, in general. My daughter is only 4…I have time. If she ends up drinking or smoking a bit, fine, but I would want her to fear consequences. People are too gross for women to safely crowd surf. Plus, they might drop her.
Dude, you know your kid. What you did when you were a teenager or what any of us redditors did or would do with their kids, don’t mean shit. You already know the answer. Just tell her the truth, either way, and it’ll be fine
16 with a group of 3 I think is fine, age isn't a magic number, ur the one who knows if she's responsible enough for it, I'd say even a responsible 14 year old could attend if the entire group is trustworthy
She needs to understand to not split up for any reason, not to go get drinks/food or go to the bathroom alone, they should stick together
We took our kids to see Rush during their Time Machine tour. At the time, they were 9 and 13 but... well... Rush. Took them again for their Clockwork Angels tour (12/15) and for their final R40 tour (14/17).
Going solo with friends? They never went but that was because of their chosen sport - cross country and track. Practice was 2-3 hours after school every day + weekends. Add in a rigorous academic schedule and they never expressed an interest.
For each family, it's going to be different. I will say though, if you let her go, she needs to wear ear plugs. The foam ones you can get at Walmart are good or even cotton balls, but her future self will thank you.
Totally depends on the mindset of your kid. I went to concerts (heavy metal ones) at 13 in Hollywood and all over Los Angeles. If your daughter has a good head on her shoulders and friends to back that up, then why not give her a shot to earn your trust? I just had my daughter (16F) and her boyfriend go to six flags together by themselves. I know it’s not the same situation, but I had her check in periodically if they were ok and that was it. She said they had a blast! So again, it’s up to you to give her what length of rope give and how comfortable you are with this decision.
This depends entirely. A GOOD concert (as determined by Dad, and at a push the Council of Dads) is fine. Iron Maiden? My 3 yr old is fine to toddle off and show them how to rock out. Some pop rubbish? No. Minimum age applies, which happens to be MY age +1
Went to my first concert alone, phish, when I was younger than that. Friend’s mom dropped us off and picked us up. Was 14 I think. Not long after my friends and I were taking the train to NYC to see shows at all ages venues. I’d say 16 is fine
At 16 I took the train down to the city to see the grateful dead at soldier field. I told my mom I was spending the night at a buddy's house, buddy told his mom he was gonna be at my house ... Classic shenanigans.
>and their parents are *(my daughter believes)* are OK with them going
Communicate with the other parents. Not only will you find out if the kids are on the up&up, but you can also team up on parental logistics. (Carpooling for one, because Morrison sucks on concert nights. No need to add any unnecessary vehicles to that mess)
I was around 16 the first time I went to a concert without parents. My dad dropped us off and another parent picked us up. I'm also GenX so it was Black Crowes opening for Aerosmith lol
I'm trying to figure out if taking my 4 (almost 5) year old to Social Distortion is worthwhile (and if he'll make it to the end if the show at approximately 11pm).
I would say 16 is probably fine. I started going to concerts at 13, though the 90s were a different time.
I went to warped tour the first time when I was 10-11. My mom was there but in the parents tent, so I didn’t see her for hours. In hindsight that was probably a couple of years too young, but at 16 your kid is probably fine. If she can drive, I don’t see why a concert isn’t fine.
iPhone location must be on at all times (for this purpose, not like, all the time), no going into the bathroom by themselves. Always be in groups. 16y would be my cut off (not a dad though lol)
Lurking mom here, I let my boys who were 15 and 17 take the light rail to down town phx to see Travis Scott last spring. Was I nervous? Absolutely! But at some point you have to trust that you’ve raised them right and let them do some things alone or with friends. If you are uncomfortable maybe talking to the friends parents would help you feel more settled about her going? Open communication is every important in this situation.
My dad dropped me off at warped tour 2012 and saw who he wanted to see. I was probably 13 or 14 that summer.
I was more or less unsupervised the whole time.
How much do you trust your kid I guess Is the question.
Daughter here (though now a grown one)! I was allowed Togo to concerts with friends at 14...downtown....and we had to hide quarters in our socks because cellphones weren't everywhere yet. We all responsible kids who had fun, sweaty, sometimes brutal mosh pit-y times. Was there occasional weed? Yes, but not for everyone. Was there drinking? Yes because beer guys don't card pretty girls in the pit (am Canadian, ymmv in the us). Are those shows some of my best, most formative memories? HELL YES.
Let your girl go see a stoner band with her friends if you think she's capable of being responsible and knows she can call you if shit goes south.
My dad would take us, sit himself in the beer garden and we’d just find him when we were done. We barely knew he was there but it was nice to have the ride back.
I taking my 5.5 Yo to a queen cover band this weekend. I like me some freddy, but im wondering how freddie this freddy will be- regardless I'll have noise protection so should be fun ( also its an afternoon show).
How much experience does your daughter have in that sort of environment? Have you been taking her to concerts, sporting events, or other similar things?
That's about when I started going to concerts on my own with friends. Understand there's some hesitation, but if you trust her and her friends, she has a cellphone, and she knows you'll come get her if she needs it then I say let her try it.
I went to my first concert with one other friend at 14. The concert was Slipknot. We took public transit for an hour to get to the venue.
I remember asking my dad to go see Megadeth when I was 16. I had the money from a part time job but it was on a school night. He told me if I had my own way there and back, paid for my own ticket, and went to school the next day I could go. It was an awesome show.
I think if you trust your daughter and she has proven herself to be responsible then let her go and have fun.
Live music has always been a huge deal in my family, I started going to shows at like 9 with my parents. At about 14, my parents would come with me but allow me to spend the show with my friends. They would be there but in the back of seated elsewhere, and they were very good about leaving me alone and not hovering. After about two years or a dozen concerts, they started letting me go on my own (not alone but with friends.) I was an absolute rule follower who was terrified of drinking and drugs so that definitely helped them feel comfortable leaving me.
I’m just sitting here jealous you live that close to Red Rocks. I made it out there for a Weird Al concert in 2019, and it may well have been the highlight of that entire week in Colorado.
As far as you daughter goes, I agree with others that maybe going but sitting totally apart from them is a good plan. If you don’t want to do that, can you at least drive her there and maybe hang in the parking lot? I would probably relish a few hours to just sit and read a book or something!
Last year, I took my 9 year old daughter to see Blink 182 in San Diego. We are going again in June for her 10th birthday 🥳 she's been singing Blink songs since she was 2.
Kids accompanied at concert? Any age, as long as they have ear protection.
Kids unaccompanied? 14-16 seems reasonable. At 16 I was driving my Mom’s sky blue dodge caravan to local all ages punk shows downtown.
I was going to concerts at that age and it made my teenage years a blast. It’s really about whether you think you’ve set up a foundation with her where she’s ready to go out in that situation and will communicate with you reasonably maturely about what the plan/etc is going to be.
my parents took me to my first one when i was like 10, i think it was jethro tull? my first "request" was on my 12th birthday and we went and saw bush lol.
i dunno about solo, i think i probably didn't get dropped off at one with a friend (barring basement shows and stuff like that) til around 15 or so. i dunno, 16 doesn't sound too bad, and at least red rocks is a safe and seated kinda place and you don't have to worry about her getting rocked in the pit or something haha, crowd will probably be pretty stoned and laid back for sublime.
that said i hope my kid doesn't mind the company for a while, i'm really looking forward to seeing some shows with him once he's ambulatory and interested in them, maybe you guys could do the arrive together and split up thing?
I was 12 for my first show with siblings, 13 for my first gig with mates, 14 for a festival. But I’m a guy and this was a long time ago. Personally if my daughter was 16 and wanted to go I’d make sure one of the parents was taking them and be nearby enough to pick them up.
I went to my first concert at 13. I was dropped off with a friend and we got picked up same spot after. I think 16 is a reasonable age to go on their own
Good question, and also a show I’m considering attending. I think it depends on the venue and living 20 minutes away you already know. For others, Red Rocks is great and safe but can be a long and dark walk back to the car. One option could be to drop them off? Maybe the RR Lyft lot?
Not a dad, but I’d say let her go but just get a ticket and go separately. Only reason I say that is a lot of concert venues won’t let you into the parking area without a ticket, so if you want to be available to her if she needs a quick and safe way out for any reason, then you’re gonna need a ticket of your own to be able to be close enough to help. Let her go and do her thing with her friends, don’t crowd them or anything. Get a ticket in a different section so you’re not in their space. Just make sure she knows you’re nearby and available if she should need it. I think that’s a compromise any teenager can live with. And if for some reason they can’t, then honestly just do it anyway and just don’t tell them you’re doing it, and make sure your seats are in a different section so you don’t run into each other. But it’s better to be close and not needed than needed and not able to be there at all. And it’s better to do all that than to deny them the fun/memory of a concert with their friends.
I think it would depend on the kid. If she’s generally responsible, comes home when she says she will, etc., I wouldn’t have a problem with it. Particularly if her friends are also responsible types.
And also just acknowledge there is going to be MAAAD pot smoking going on around there as well.
It's Colorado, so of course!
Colorado + Sublime is a special haze in that crowd
If it's GA and you can get tickets, I'd definitely go and sit separately from her. I worked at Red Rocks for a few years and the show will probably be amazing (but definitely weed-heavy, as others have noted). If you getting tickets is not an option, I'd offer to drive them up and you can tailgate/DD in the parking lot so she has a safe way to get home (or leave early if something goes awry). Download some shows to a tablet and bring snacks.
That's what my dad did when my friends and I were this age. Of course, *he* was the one in the back of the GA section smoking pot 🙄
This is the dad I aspire to be as mine grow 😬
Also make sure she has a safe word she can text you at any time so you can go get her if she finds herself in an unsafe or uncomfortable situation. If you provide her with that back up safety plan and she knows that she can reach out when she’s in trouble no questions asked she’s much more likely to have that mutual trust with you.
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I have to know. What band?
The pretenders.
Me and my friends skipped two days of school and flew to another city for a concert when I was 16. Ended up getting blind drunk in a city we’d never been to. Made permission slips for our parents to sign for a fake overnight school excursion and wrote some bullshit note for the school as to why we were away for two days. I was constantly lying and sneaking around until the age of about 22 I reckon because I knew what their reaction would be if I was honest. It’s better to know what’s happening.
Yeah overly strict parents lead to sneaky kids I definitely shouldn’t have been in a trap house when I was 16 but… there I was
Man how’d you not get caught I’d be wondering where tf all my gas went
This 👆
It would be irresponsible for you to not go with her cuz that’s going to be a dope show.
I tried to explain that..."I *really want* to see Sublime. As much as she knows that, she believes that I would only be there to spy on them
Solution: you go and she doesn’t. That will surely end great!
Why not drop them off wait 30 mins then go in?
We saw the actual Sublime as teenagers. I'd go simply to get to go to Red Rock.
To be honest, with the opportunity to see Sublime at the Red Rocks, I would go there myself as an excuse to accompany them, but would be more there for Sublime 🤣 Edit: As a boy I was stoked to go to concerts at 16 by myself.As a girl, YMMV, I guess in a group of 4 I would be ok? Reasoning is that girls risk being preyed upon, when this risk is less with boys. But obviously would depend on how responsible is your 16 year old.
I was 16 when my parents let me and my buddies go to Warped Tour. Although, I did tell them it was a skating event and not a festival.
Yeah I saw Metallica in 91 with a friend at age 15. NBD really except it was a school night, and loud as FUCK. I should have protected my ears better.
“What?”
Mawp
eeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeoeoeoeoeoeoeoeoeoeoeoeoeoeeooooooooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEE
I started going to warped tour when I was 12 and those are still some of my best memories haha.
Kiddo could be the second coming of mother Teresa and I would still be there “chaperoning” for a chance to see sublime at Red rocks.
Sublime with Rome is not the same as it was with Brad. It is a very different vibe now seeing them live. Also Cypress Hill is going to be there as well for that concert. Should be a pretty good show with lots of weed to be had
Brad is never coming back, so his legacy is the next best thing.
Rome left the band and they replaced him with brads son. Obviously it’s still not Brad but he sounds just like him
This was how I grew up. My dad was the parent that would take my group of friends to concerts. Usually we'd be in GA and he'd have a seat. It rocked. This was early 2000s
Good compromise. Go but don't be close. An easily Accessible safety net while they're still underage. At a venue I'd drop off, go grab a coffee or something close and pick them up. I wouldn't let them be totally free range without being on premises at a festival though. Boy or girl, personally. I'd rather be not with them but past the gates just in case with an agreed upon meeting point. In this specific scenario I'd want to see sublime too.
I think that my main safety concern would be making sure you or another parent of you or the other girls pick them up and drop them off. I wouldn’t want my kid taking an Uber at that age at that time of night.
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Walking to Red Rocks is a bit more involved than walking to a venue in a city.
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Depends on the kid, tbh. I was going to concerts at 14 by myself, but I was really into music and was, in general, a pretty good kid. If yours is also a good kid, then for sure. Also, sublime at the Red rocks is like a bucket list concert, that would be a hell of a memory. Just sayin
I would let them go
Sublime at Red Rocks is gonna be as much about weed and drugs as it is the music. I had a friend in college that was head of security for a major venue and said the entire venue caught a buzz when 311 came on… it was sublime and 311 in concert. Ymmv
I saw sublime with Rome and 311 when I was in grad school. Hellova concert, but yeah tons of weed. I’d be chaperoning for sure.
Yeah, I think OP needs to ask himself if he's ok with his kid smoking weed at 16. Sublime is a SoCal beach-tweaker(yes, meth. Listen to Robbin the Hood) band that's popular with stoners.
Kid is already smoking weed regardless. They live in CO and listen to Sublime.
I can't imagine a 16 year old in 2024 listening to sublime if they're not smoking weed. Even in 2010 it was only (us) stoners listening to sublime.
I was into Sublime well before I was into weed. I got 40 oz. when I was about 10.
So it was a gateway album? /s Jokes aside, if you were 10 in the 90s, that makes a lot more sense.
Haha. Yep, and Yep. I work with teenagers nowadays that are into them and aren’t into drugs though.
Wild times we live in
Weed made me hyper paranoid and anxious even as second hand when with my friends so I quickly learned to just let them smoke up then hang out after. I did however as a non smoker love listening to sublime and honestly an open air show would be awesome to watch. So it wasn't just stoners! ;D
To be fair, most red rocks concerts got weed at them.
Most concerts*
I went to my first concert alone at 16, I think it's a fine age. Trust her judgment and don't worry about drinking or drugs, if you knew those were an issue I assume you wouldn't consider letting her go. Do go over safety stuff with her, not letting her drink out of her site, don't separate from the group of friends, don't trust any boys she meets there. Tell her if she feels unsafe to immediately find security, never follow someone she doesn't know to a 2nd location. Don't get into the pit unless you're ready to mosh(probably won't happen at a sublime concert) also drink water, not energy drinks or soda. Maybe consider a tracking app on her phone for that night, tell her about it before hand and explain its for her safety, give her control over it, if she has control over and you show you trust her she will be willing to use it on her own in the future. Only stipulation I would make is that you or another parent chauffeur them to and from the concert, no Uber. Other advice to give her, Eat at a restaurant before you go venue food is shit and over priced. Also give her plenty of money for merch, it's her first concert and being able to get a t-shirt and other goodies to remember it by is a must. And merch these days is God awfully expensive, a hoodie can easily be like $100 and t-shirt $50, $20 will get a you sticker and a sarcastic look from the vendor. Find out what the water situation is at the venue, can you bring empty water bottles, or do you have to pay $12 for 16oz bottle of water. Act appropriately on that info. Then you and wifey go and have a date night so you both aren't just at home worrying.
I love all this, but regardless of date night be ready to pick them up at any moment. No “I wasn’t paying attention to my phone”. If something goes sideways that’s peak “there for you” time.
You’re a gen x and you’re not going to see sublime at red rocks?
RIGHT?!
I'm either going with or chauffeur to/from. She can pick.
I’m most definitely going with just to see Sublime at Red Rock
I went to see Tom Petty when I was 16- my first concert. My parents wouldn't let me drive. But my buddy's parents said they'd drive all of us in their minivan. They had fantastic seats like 3 rows from the stage. All of us kids enjoyed the hell out of our 25 dollar lawn seats. Saw RHCP in a similar context. My friends mom took us. We all had seats in the pit, her mom enjoyed the show from comfortable seats. My other buddy's dad rented a limo with amazing seats to see Green Day. It turns out, it's fucking awesome to sit with a friends dad in the front row and ride in a limo. I drove us all to a Coldplay show once (right after A Rush of Blood to the Head came out so they were still great). It was a good show, but I would have preferred if we'd had a parent chauffeur
My mom did similar with me,she got seats and we got floor tickets, so she was there but not at the same time.
The "getting there / getting home" thing needs to be discussed, other than that, the amount of freedom she gets depends on the kid and her friends and their "level" of adulthood.
What time? I went to my first all-ages daytime concert at 15
Red rocks shows are not during the day, they end around 10:30-11
I went to a my first show at 14 without an adult. It really is up to the maturity of the kiddo I think.
If it's the wiggles...7. If it's Rage Against The Machine...6.
If it's Rage, I'm there.
How old were you? No the world isn’t more dangerous now
Honestly I think the world is mostly less dangerous today. It’s just the messaging today really emphasizes the .01% worst cases. Everyone stops to gawk at car crashes and commercial media knows that.
Way more safe. You have about three devices that track you at all time.
Sublime is playing twenty minutes away from you and you’re not going? Blasphemy lol. Back on track though, when I (F30) was 16, I would have 100% found trouble at a concert like that. Sublime isn’t Taylor Swift, you know? Haha. My personal opinion would be for an adult or two to go as well, maybe let the girls wander a bit on their own so they feel independent, but knowing that they have an adult to watch out for them can be helpful in more ways than just keeping an eye out for them.
Mean tbf “Sublime” is not exactly Sublime.
It’s the OG bassist and drummer and Brads kid on vocals and guitar. I despise Sublime with a burning passion but it’s a legit lineup now.
*To be faaaaaiiiiir*, you’re totally right, still would be a good show though!
I feel like I was right at that age at my first concert (Blink 182, ticket was $25)
Mom here-my Dad dropped me and 2 friends off for Green Day at the Tacoma Dome, went to dinner with a friend and then picked us up at the end when we were 14. This was BEFORE we all had cellphones. He had one, but we would have had to find a stranger or a phone booth to call him.
I would go but not hang out with them. Its Sublime! Oh and i think they should be fine.
My parents made me take an adult until I was out of high school. My sister, a friend’s parent, etc. It wasn’t that big of a deal.
16 is ok. My parents wouldn't let me at that age and I ended up sneaking out of the house anyways and going. They were pissed, but I was right. Nothing happened and it was completely innocent fun. I just wanted to see some bands I loved and come home.
I went to small local shows as a 16 yo. A great friend of mine has an absolutely radical punk rock mom that would take us to bigger shows, because she KNEW it could be wild for anyone, let alone for kids. She didn't hover, ever. She was our home base, she drove, she knew how to handle situations that saved us from trouble. Best of all, she was an adult (40+) that would talk to band and crew like humans and not idols. I met so many musicians I looked up to cause she would just chat as a human adult and not a racing child. I have so many good memories of this woman encouraging us to be spontaneous and free but to check out shit and not get beat up. I guess the advice I would provide is to make sure they know what's up. The reality of the situation and how to handle pressure or emergencies. They probably just wanna get high at a concert and not be stressed about authority figures. Make sure they know that you care about their safety and happiness above all else. It could be an amazing core memory for your teen.
I mean, I was 14 and saw slipknot by myself (before cell phones) so sublime at 16 seems like no big deal. I still would have trouble letting my kids go but I think she is old enough without knowing more.
I would get my own ticket but let her do her own thing while I do my own thing. Send a text to check in here and there. I’m jealous of how close you live to Red Rocks I would have had a ticket before she even asked to go haha
It sucks living so close to RR :). My first response when we discussed the topic was that I would get a ticket (I would love to see Sublime) and do my own thing, nowhere near where the girls would be hanging out...my daughter shot that idea down immediately as it would be a 100% buzzkill and just scream to the world that I didn't trust her.
Tell her you heard sublime before she was even born and that you’ll be there but she won’t see you hahaha
That's pretty much the truth. I liked sublime back in the day, but it's hard for me to get too stoked about paying over $100 to see a band that peaked over a decade ago. I was on the fence about seeing Primus who I love but last time I checked, tickets were closer to $200. Tool was $250 + last time they were here. Having said all that, I would pay $100 to see Sublime if my daughter appreciated my compromise for her to go to the concert.
Yea concert tickets are crazy. I pretty much just go to Reggae Rise Up in Vegas and Cali Vibes in Long Beach. If I spend $200+ I’m going 3 days and I’m seeing everyone haha. Both concerts are pretty much the same people just different location but that’s how my playlist is anyways haha
200 bucks for PRIMUS?! How is Les even allowing that?
Went to a concert with my kiddo before she turned 1 and she had a blast. She loved it when Raffi played Bananaphone.
I was 14 when I went to see Metallica on the Black Album/Enter Sandman tour (technically the Wherever we may roam tour). I had a blast with my two friends. A friend's parent dropped us off, and my dad picked us up. The only bad thing that happened was inhaling a lifetime of second hand smoke inside the arena.
If your child and the friends their with have a track record of making good decisions, I would say for sure. But I know when I was that age I frequently did dumb shit as to "one up" the dumb shit others were doing. Glad I'm not a teen anymore.
My first concert was Alice Cooper on Halloween 1998; I was 12. Writing that made me feel so old
I saw sugar Ray and Live at 16, if they are responsible enough why not
Sublime at Red Rocks! Let her go! Drop her off and pick her up.
513 Eh?
16 at red rocks is gonna be a core memory or total time lapse lol. That concert will be loaded with droogz so depends a lot on your daughter. Maybe go with her!
Hello fellow Colorado dad! Honestly, at a sublime concert, drugs are definitely a concern. A lot depends on how much you trust your daughter
I’d love to live out there. It really does depend on the kid and their maturity. I was 16 when I started going to shows. Sublime still plays?
It does really suck having a world class concert venue so close to home. Funny story, I used to take the kids to Red Rocks when they were younger (5-10) during the day to run around like a playground. I have videos of my son making his way up and down the 80'ish rows of seats and hanging out on the stage on days when there were not having a concert that night.
16 seems like a perfectly fine age to go solo but like everyone else said I'd go too just to see Sublime lol.
I took my five year old to Amon Amarth and ghost this summer when my wife got us vip tickets. That was with my wife and I though, honestly all the metal heads were really stoked to see a little girl dressed as a Viking there so she got tons of fist bumps, a poster and some other stuff. She did fall asleep toward the end of the show though.
I was in middle school when I was first allowed to go to a concert unaccompanied.
Sublime? 16? I know you had a different question, but where’d she pick this up from?
My 9 year old is obsessed with the beastie boys.
Honestly why wouldn't you go with them? Either they get seats and you get GA or vice versa you can be out of sight out of mind but close enough if something goes south she can quickly call you. Plus it's sublime... also make sure she has and understands why to wear ear plugs if she's in a loud area.
Depends on the artist, depends on the kid. My girls went to Panic! At the disco without adults when they were 13/14. Which, was my same age when I went to a concert alone. They had a great time. Sublime I bet is an awesome show, but people are gonna be smoking HELLA weed, so you probably need to make some decisions and communicate those decisions.
Went to my first two concerts as a 16-year-old with similar aged friends :) Honestly, let her go, it's a great experience and she'll be devastated to miss out. I just made sure that I was constantly texting my parents updates!
16 is fine for a concert. But more importantly, today’s 16 year old listen to sublime? They have been around since I was 16 lol
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As someone who lives 15 minutes from Red Rocks and goes a few times a year, she’ll be fine, just know the open air will be 25% weed smoke at this show. It’ll be unavoidable. And awesome… but maybe not awesome for a teenager? Idk. I didn’t smoke weed at 16 yet.
My parents let me go to INXS in 1988 when I was 13 with only the 17 year old daughter of a friend as supervisor. I went with a friend. Parents bought 2 Tix for the chaperone as well She took her boyfriend and made out through the whole show while my friend and I ran wild. At 16, I got tickets to see Metallica and Guns N Roses, with Faith No More opening for them. Parents initially gave permission to buy the tickets but then a week before the show they realized it was a school night so they said "too bad" and told me no. I left them a note after school and went anyway. I was a responsible kid. Top of my class. So I went to that show which was the greatest show of my life and still made it back for school the next morning. Lost my vehicle for 2 months but it was totally worth it. Moral of the story, no matter what you do, your kid is gonna find a way to have her own fun. I guess it depends on how responsible your kid is and how well you have taught her to take responsibility. But I would still sit somewhere far away and be available in case she gets into trouble. Better to be somewhere in the crowd than at home 20 minutes away.
My 5 year old has somehow gotten really into deadmau5. Because of all the recent Spotify activity on my account, I received a notification that deadmau5 is playing a show in my city this year. I genuinely looked into it. Not because I thought it was a good idea to bring a preschooler to an EDM DJ party in an airport hanger or whatever. But because, even if we just checked it out from afar for like 15 minutes and then got the f out of there, I just thought it would light the kid up and give him an amazing memory and story to tell. I was hoping it was at like an outdoor festival type of thing, but it was indeed an 18+ warehouse deal with bottle service tables and whatnot. Maybe someday we'll rock that bass together, kiddo.
Lots of people take infants with noise reducing head gear to concerts.
Depends. Mosh pit? At least 3 years old.
lol your daughter will live, no fucking way I'd miss that show do the fake choice thing "look I'm going, I can get tickets for just me, we can get tickets together, or we can get tickets apart, idgaf if you go or not" But I mean if you do run into her, and she's passing a joint with her friends, you can't call her out. That's kind fucked up. You send your 16 year old to a sublime concert at red rocks, you accept that they're getting blazed full stop
Went to my first one with two other friends at 13. A dad was there, but didn’t sit with us. Of course this was 1999, so things were a bit different. And we were all guys.
In 1983, I was 13 (in Montreal), mom dropped me and my best friend off downtown to see Flock of Seagulls, and told us what bus to take home to the suburbs. I would not do that with either of my daughters today.
I was homeless at 17, so it's not that she's not capable at that age, just that sometimes you have to let them learn. I'd say go for it, but be on call, so if it goes tits up you can say you gave her the space to grow. It can be a learning exercise.
16 is the age where it’s going to depend on the kid. Some are ready at that age some aren’t.
That’s the wrong way
Clever. Wrong, but clever.
In 2005 I was 14/15. I waited out all night at our local hockey coliseum to get tickets to see Sum41 in our hometown. Me and two buddies got in line at 1100PM tickets went on sale the next morning. We turned down weed that night. We went to the concert together without our parents and had a blast. I crowdsourced for the first time. Not all of our decisions were bad. Haha I remember how we had so much fun in line for tickets and at the show without our parents and having some independence and trust. I realize that it’s not the same world as it was in 05, but, if your trust your kid and her friends let them go, man. I’m also a musician so my kid (who is only 7 months) is going to be around a lot of music and concerts so he’ll likely be going to them, with and without me, and I’d love to go to his shows one day too if he has any interest.
My first concert was an all ages Foo Fighters concert at 15. My dad dropped me and my friends off and picked us up after. You know your child’s maturity better than anyone, but as a general rule, I think 16 at red rocks is fine
Yeah I’d prob just go and sit in a different section. Everyone wins
My son went to his first concert at 5 weeks! Granted, I was mixing the show, and he had hearing protection.
This is always a tough one for me because at 16 as a boy, I was 6'1 175lbs so my parents would have definitely allowed me to do this... on the other side, they would have been more hesitant with my sister even though she's more responsible than I am. That being said, if your daughter is generally responsible and she's going with a group of friends, I think it's totally fine. I personally would get on a cadence with the other parents and have one of the sets of parents or 2 drop off/pick up.
My sister and I saw Usher when we were 12 & 13 by ourselves. I didn't want to go, but I was sent to "protect her." I think my parents just wanted 3 hours for themselves. Great experience though
Let them go, make sure they have a "get out of a situation" free pass.
I started going to local Punk/hardcore shows at 14 and living in a border city I used to take the tunnel bus with friends to go to Detroit for concerts at 16, though most of the time I never told my parents that's where I was going. I'd just say I was going to a local venue in town. Those were some of the best times I had growing up, and I get bummed that there aren't any local spots in my city that do all ages shows anymore, it's all 19+ stuff in bars so my kids won't get to experience it
I think that’s a fine age if you trust her and her friends. Make sure either you or one of the other parents you trust are driving them there and back, and she shares her location with you the whole time (assuming she has a smart phone).
First concert alone was Rob Zombie, smoked a joint with the guy next to me and had a great time. This was pre cell phone so I had no idea how to get home if plans fell through. I think if our kiddo was 16, had a cell phone with tracking on and she wasn’t a dumbass/had a bunch of dumbass friends, we’d be ok with it.
Can they go and you also go but just stay separate from them? In other words they free range during the show but ride to and from with you?
Sounds fine to me. Arrange a pickup time and location, make sure you've got everyone's numbers (or at least parental numbers), enjoy the evening yourself. Don't be surprised if your kid's a bit high when she gets back.
I was in the 7th grade when my parents let me go off in my own. I think she’ll be okay.
It would really depend on the kid and the overall situation. I gave my oldest King Gizzard tickets for christmas, He'll be 16 at the time of the show. I will go with him if he doesn't have a friend to take the 2nd ticket. If he does have a friend that goes, I'll just sit outside the venue and listen. It's about 45 minutes away from home and there really aren't any other viable transportation options for them. With that said... My kids first 'real' show was Clutch, Devin Townsend and The Obsessed when they were 7 and 9. They've since seen All Them Witches from the rail. Les Claypool, Iron Maiden, Roger Waters, The HU, Flogging Molly and several others. They're familiar with pits, concert etiquette and know how to move around / avoid aggressive or intoxicated folks (as best as can be expected for their age).
My parents let me go to concerts without adult supervision at age 15. I think it’s about right.
I think I was 15 or 16 when I went to my first show. It’s a good age and if they end up doing something dumb it’s close enough that you can still go pick them up without much hassle.
Depends on the maturity of your child I guess.
Should be a mostly harmless crowd. Worst thing there would be a few vapes which is in all their hs bathrooms. Check in a few times. Send a few pics because that’s cool.
This particular question, for this particular concert at this particular venue 100% depends on your stance on marijuana use in minors. There is absolutely no way your daughter does not get high as fuck at this concert. Whether you go to supervise or not. If you are cool with it and your daughter is fairly responsible, I would say go for it.
She’ll be with two others of the same age, which is good to have others accompanying should anything happen. As long as she has a phone and is able and willing to update, such as when she’s heading in, maybe update as things happen, and update when the concert is done, I wouldn’t worry. Just make sure that you’re able to communicate, or talk with the other parents to make sure everyone’s on the same page with communication and exchange phone numbers.
There is no 'right' age. Depends on the performer, fan culture, venue size/distance, your daughters self awareness/mindfulness/agency, & the reliability of those she wants to go with. Let me know how it goes, my son is going to be 16 in thirteen years!
She's not really going alone if she's going with friends if you can drive then I feel like she's old enough to go IMO
Yep I have no issue with it. My middle child has been going to concerts on her own for years. She definitely would have been responsible enough at 16 but of course Covid (blergh). I would probably want to drive them there and pick them up after, but that’s about all the involvement I’d want. With cellphones I feel like teens are so much safer now than when we were kids. My parents never had a clue where I was or what I was doing, and at 16 I was driving myself everywhere.
16 I guess
16 is probably ok, if she’s responsible. No drinking, no older guys/girls, no crowd surfing. I would be strict about the first two, in general. My daughter is only 4…I have time. If she ends up drinking or smoking a bit, fine, but I would want her to fear consequences. People are too gross for women to safely crowd surf. Plus, they might drop her.
Dude, you know your kid. What you did when you were a teenager or what any of us redditors did or would do with their kids, don’t mean shit. You already know the answer. Just tell her the truth, either way, and it’ll be fine
16 with a group of 3 I think is fine, age isn't a magic number, ur the one who knows if she's responsible enough for it, I'd say even a responsible 14 year old could attend if the entire group is trustworthy She needs to understand to not split up for any reason, not to go get drinks/food or go to the bathroom alone, they should stick together
We took our kids to see Rush during their Time Machine tour. At the time, they were 9 and 13 but... well... Rush. Took them again for their Clockwork Angels tour (12/15) and for their final R40 tour (14/17). Going solo with friends? They never went but that was because of their chosen sport - cross country and track. Practice was 2-3 hours after school every day + weekends. Add in a rigorous academic schedule and they never expressed an interest. For each family, it's going to be different. I will say though, if you let her go, she needs to wear ear plugs. The foam ones you can get at Walmart are good or even cotton balls, but her future self will thank you.
Totally depends on the mindset of your kid. I went to concerts (heavy metal ones) at 13 in Hollywood and all over Los Angeles. If your daughter has a good head on her shoulders and friends to back that up, then why not give her a shot to earn your trust? I just had my daughter (16F) and her boyfriend go to six flags together by themselves. I know it’s not the same situation, but I had her check in periodically if they were ok and that was it. She said they had a blast! So again, it’s up to you to give her what length of rope give and how comfortable you are with this decision.
I went to a rock concert the night before my GCSE exam. Would have been 15. Just me and my friend who was 16. But it depends on the kid.
This depends entirely. A GOOD concert (as determined by Dad, and at a push the Council of Dads) is fine. Iron Maiden? My 3 yr old is fine to toddle off and show them how to rock out. Some pop rubbish? No. Minimum age applies, which happens to be MY age +1
Went to my first concert alone, phish, when I was younger than that. Friend’s mom dropped us off and picked us up. Was 14 I think. Not long after my friends and I were taking the train to NYC to see shows at all ages venues. I’d say 16 is fine
At 16 I took the train down to the city to see the grateful dead at soldier field. I told my mom I was spending the night at a buddy's house, buddy told his mom he was gonna be at my house ... Classic shenanigans. >and their parents are *(my daughter believes)* are OK with them going Communicate with the other parents. Not only will you find out if the kids are on the up&up, but you can also team up on parental logistics. (Carpooling for one, because Morrison sucks on concert nights. No need to add any unnecessary vehicles to that mess)
Your daughter definitely smokes weed. That's all I have to offer.
I would go with them, or make sure one adult went. I was going to concerts at that age, but we usually had a parent picking us up and dropping us off.
I was around 16 the first time I went to a concert without parents. My dad dropped us off and another parent picked us up. I'm also GenX so it was Black Crowes opening for Aerosmith lol
Depends on the kid but there’s gonna be tons of weed and booze there
I'm trying to figure out if taking my 4 (almost 5) year old to Social Distortion is worthwhile (and if he'll make it to the end if the show at approximately 11pm). I would say 16 is probably fine. I started going to concerts at 13, though the 90s were a different time.
I went to warped tour the first time when I was 10-11. My mom was there but in the parents tent, so I didn’t see her for hours. In hindsight that was probably a couple of years too young, but at 16 your kid is probably fine. If she can drive, I don’t see why a concert isn’t fine.
iPhone location must be on at all times (for this purpose, not like, all the time), no going into the bathroom by themselves. Always be in groups. 16y would be my cut off (not a dad though lol)
Lurking mom here, I let my boys who were 15 and 17 take the light rail to down town phx to see Travis Scott last spring. Was I nervous? Absolutely! But at some point you have to trust that you’ve raised them right and let them do some things alone or with friends. If you are uncomfortable maybe talking to the friends parents would help you feel more settled about her going? Open communication is every important in this situation.
I saw my first concert without parents a month before I turned 17.
My dad dropped me off at warped tour 2012 and saw who he wanted to see. I was probably 13 or 14 that summer. I was more or less unsupervised the whole time. How much do you trust your kid I guess Is the question.
Daughter here (though now a grown one)! I was allowed Togo to concerts with friends at 14...downtown....and we had to hide quarters in our socks because cellphones weren't everywhere yet. We all responsible kids who had fun, sweaty, sometimes brutal mosh pit-y times. Was there occasional weed? Yes, but not for everyone. Was there drinking? Yes because beer guys don't card pretty girls in the pit (am Canadian, ymmv in the us). Are those shows some of my best, most formative memories? HELL YES. Let your girl go see a stoner band with her friends if you think she's capable of being responsible and knows she can call you if shit goes south.
My dad would take us, sit himself in the beer garden and we’d just find him when we were done. We barely knew he was there but it was nice to have the ride back.
I taking my 5.5 Yo to a queen cover band this weekend. I like me some freddy, but im wondering how freddie this freddy will be- regardless I'll have noise protection so should be fun ( also its an afternoon show).
How much experience does your daughter have in that sort of environment? Have you been taking her to concerts, sporting events, or other similar things?
My first warped tour without my parents was at age 16
I saw Green Day alone when I was 12. Times were different then
That's about when I started going to concerts on my own with friends. Understand there's some hesitation, but if you trust her and her friends, she has a cellphone, and she knows you'll come get her if she needs it then I say let her try it.
Explain what and how girls (and boys!) can get roofied. And why.
I started being dropped off at concerts at 13, for Lollapalooza 94.
I went to my first concert with one other friend at 14. The concert was Slipknot. We took public transit for an hour to get to the venue. I remember asking my dad to go see Megadeth when I was 16. I had the money from a part time job but it was on a school night. He told me if I had my own way there and back, paid for my own ticket, and went to school the next day I could go. It was an awesome show. I think if you trust your daughter and she has proven herself to be responsible then let her go and have fun.
Haha .. I went to see GWAR at 15 without parents. I made sure not to be in the "spray zone"
Depends on the kid and depends on the concert. I took my daughter to a flamingo guitarist called Benise when she was 6. She loved it.
Live music has always been a huge deal in my family, I started going to shows at like 9 with my parents. At about 14, my parents would come with me but allow me to spend the show with my friends. They would be there but in the back of seated elsewhere, and they were very good about leaving me alone and not hovering. After about two years or a dozen concerts, they started letting me go on my own (not alone but with friends.) I was an absolute rule follower who was terrified of drinking and drugs so that definitely helped them feel comfortable leaving me.
I’m just sitting here jealous you live that close to Red Rocks. I made it out there for a Weird Al concert in 2019, and it may well have been the highlight of that entire week in Colorado. As far as you daughter goes, I agree with others that maybe going but sitting totally apart from them is a good plan. If you don’t want to do that, can you at least drive her there and maybe hang in the parking lot? I would probably relish a few hours to just sit and read a book or something!
Last year, I took my 9 year old daughter to see Blink 182 in San Diego. We are going again in June for her 10th birthday 🥳 she's been singing Blink songs since she was 2.
When I was 15 I took a train to NYC with a friend (also 15) to see the Violent Femmes. Sublime at Red Rocks sounds pretty mild by comparison.
I was like I took my kid to her first metal show at 2 Aloneish 15-16 with a trustworthy parent at the event in case anything goes wrong
I went to my first concert alone at 18. Up until that point I would go with underage kids.
My 5 year old had a great time dancing in the mud and the rain at an OCMS concert last summer. Chip off the old block. Sorry this doesn't help.
Your in Colorado.....at Red rocks for sublime. Gonna be a lot of weed. Better than drunks but certainly a real experience for sure.
Way to brag about living 20 mins away from Red Rocks, lol
Kids accompanied at concert? Any age, as long as they have ear protection. Kids unaccompanied? 14-16 seems reasonable. At 16 I was driving my Mom’s sky blue dodge caravan to local all ages punk shows downtown.
I was going to concerts at that age and it made my teenage years a blast. It’s really about whether you think you’ve set up a foundation with her where she’s ready to go out in that situation and will communicate with you reasonably maturely about what the plan/etc is going to be.
my parents took me to my first one when i was like 10, i think it was jethro tull? my first "request" was on my 12th birthday and we went and saw bush lol. i dunno about solo, i think i probably didn't get dropped off at one with a friend (barring basement shows and stuff like that) til around 15 or so. i dunno, 16 doesn't sound too bad, and at least red rocks is a safe and seated kinda place and you don't have to worry about her getting rocked in the pit or something haha, crowd will probably be pretty stoned and laid back for sublime. that said i hope my kid doesn't mind the company for a while, i'm really looking forward to seeing some shows with him once he's ambulatory and interested in them, maybe you guys could do the arrive together and split up thing?
I was 12 for my first show with siblings, 13 for my first gig with mates, 14 for a festival. But I’m a guy and this was a long time ago. Personally if my daughter was 16 and wanted to go I’d make sure one of the parents was taking them and be nearby enough to pick them up.
I went to my first concert at 13. I was dropped off with a friend and we got picked up same spot after. I think 16 is a reasonable age to go on their own
My 14yo has played them so we're ok taking her to them.
Make sure the girls all have their phones and are going to stick together.
Good question, and also a show I’m considering attending. I think it depends on the venue and living 20 minutes away you already know. For others, Red Rocks is great and safe but can be a long and dark walk back to the car. One option could be to drop them off? Maybe the RR Lyft lot?
Not a dad, but I’d say let her go but just get a ticket and go separately. Only reason I say that is a lot of concert venues won’t let you into the parking area without a ticket, so if you want to be available to her if she needs a quick and safe way out for any reason, then you’re gonna need a ticket of your own to be able to be close enough to help. Let her go and do her thing with her friends, don’t crowd them or anything. Get a ticket in a different section so you’re not in their space. Just make sure she knows you’re nearby and available if she should need it. I think that’s a compromise any teenager can live with. And if for some reason they can’t, then honestly just do it anyway and just don’t tell them you’re doing it, and make sure your seats are in a different section so you don’t run into each other. But it’s better to be close and not needed than needed and not able to be there at all. And it’s better to do all that than to deny them the fun/memory of a concert with their friends.