I love attending concerts and getting my dance on. But the problem I often face is they always go pretty late, and typically take place during the week.

And frequently when I’m attending concerts, it’s with friends who want to get a few drinks in…or shots…or more.

As I’ve gotten older, I find it’s no longer very sustainable for me to party it up in the same way that I used to.

That being said, I still do want to enjoy a couple of drinks when I’m out, but I’ve started practicing more mindful drinking habits for when I’m attending a concert, so that I can feel a little bit more relaxed, while waking up energized and ready to work the next day. 

What exactly is Mindful Drinking?

The term mindful drinking has nothing to do with completely cutting out alcohol from your life, and everything to do with being aware of what you’re consuming, how quickly you’re consuming it, and how you’re feeling after each drink. Ultimately, to be a mindful drinker is to recognize your relationship with alcohol and to understand your triggers for drinking. In turn, you become more cognizant of the effect that drinking has on your mental and physical well-being.

So in a nutshell, the goal of being more mindful is centered around building healthier habits, improving sleep quality, saving money and calories, and ultimately to enjoy social drinking more, but maybe a bit less frequently. 

Let’s jump into some mindful drinking best practices that you can try out the next time you feel the urge to get sloppy at a concert. 

  1. Skip out on the pre-drinking

It’s common to want to pre-drink a little bit before attending a concert. And sure, it might save you a few dollars at the actual venue, but the costs on your general well-being the next morning will likely be impacted.

Instead, skip out on the pre-drinking and wait until you get to the venue. Start with a drink that might take you a bit of time to actually finish off, so that you aren’t as inclined to go after another one to quickly. Some good options are:

  • A light beer in a tallboy
  • A hard seltzer 
  • A mixed drink (like a gin and tonic, or rum and coke)

Ultimately, try to avoid any drinks like shots if you can. And if you’re really inclined to do one with your friends, opt for a lower alcohol by volume shooter, or even ask the bartender to prepare you a non-alcoholic shooter option.

  1. Rotate with water

If you do find that you want to drink a little bit more, try rotating with some water in between. For every standard drink you have, take a breather and rehydrate with a big glass of water. 

Standard drink sizes vary depending on the type of alcohol you are consuming, but here’s a quick breakdown for you:

  • Beer: 12 fluid ounces of a lager or ale at about 5% ABV is considered one standard drink. So keep in mind, that is the size of a bottle, not a tall boy or a pint.
  • Strong beer: 8-9 fluid ounces at about 7% ABV is considered one standard drink for fortified beers, malt liquors and even some IPAs. That’s just over a standard cup measurement, so choose your poison carefully.
  • Wine size: For wine at 12% ABV, 5 fluid ounces is the standard size. So when asked if you want the 9 oz option, keep in mind that this is a lot closer to 2 glasses.
  • Distilled spirits size: Hard liquor like vodka, rum, tequila, gin etc at 40% ABV, 1.5 fluid ounces is considered one standard drink. In many concert venues however, the bartenders will point 1oz into a mixed drink. So try to avoid the shots if you can, and perhaps opt for something that will last a little longer.

Alcohol dehydrates you and that is one of the common causes of a hangover. By drinking water in between, you’re being mindful of how you will feel the next morning.

  1. Try low alcohol, or non-alcoholic options

For many people, drinking at a concert has a lot to do with social pressure rather than actually wanting to get drunk. Afterall, if you’re too wasted, you probably won’t even enjoy the music that much.

So when you feel a little pressured to be holding a drink in hand, try opting for a low-alcohol drink or a non-alcoholic drink. Most of these lower-alcohol content options are also a lot lower in calories. So you’ll not only be mindful of what you’re drinking, but also how it will affect your overall health and wellness.

There are a lot of great non-alcoholic liquor, wine and beer replacements that exist. Companies like Ritual, Athletic Brewing and Surely are just a couple of non-alcoholic drink options that taste great!

Most venues now carry a number of options for the mindful drinker. Just ask your bartender for some of the more popular options. 

  1. Take it slow

Lastly, be sure to take it slow. Alcohol usually metabolizes over the course of an hour. Try to drink slowly and not pound back too many cocktails or beers within a short period of time. 

The slower you drink, the less of a headache you’ll likely experience the next morning. Plus if you yourself are a musician, it’s important to recognize the impact that heavy drinking can have on your brain function, your concentration and your vocal chords. 

Fizzier drinks like prosecco, champagne and some hard coolers also enter your bloodstream faster due to the bubbles in them. So if those are your go to options, sip nice and slow to skip out on the after effects the next day. 

Enjoying Your Concert Experience More Mindfully

Whether you’re attending a concert, or performing, ideally you want to have the best and most memorable experience. By drinking more mindfully and practicing some of the suggestions above, you’ll not only enjoy your evening more, but also the morning after.