Have you ever wanted to give someone tickets to see their favorite musician or band perform live, but struggled with how to gift concert tickets in a memorable way? Concert tickets make for an exceptional present – offering not just a fun night out but the chance to create lifelong memories seeing artists that move and inspire us.
This guide will outline 15 creative ideas to give the gift of concert tickets to your friends, family, coworkers or loved ones. We cover everything from getting to know the recipient’s tastes, coordinating dates and upgrades, gifting memorabilia and keepsakes along with the tickets, and even throwing a customize concert ticket as part of the surprise.
Let’s dive in to these memorable ideas for how to wow your loved ones with the gift of live entertainment!
Research the Recipient’s Favorite Bands and Musical Acts
The first step is to get to know what music and artists truly resonate for whoever you’ll be gifting tickets to. Do they constantly play indie folk playlists? Have a soft spot for pop punk bands from the early 2000s? Never miss a chance to see the hometown symphony?
You probably have a sense already from riding along on road trips, listening to songs on their social media or seeing concer t-shirts they wear often. But if not, you can discretely figure out their tastes by:
- Asking what they’ve been listening to lately or any recent favorite albums
- Scanning their music streamer profile if you’re connected
- Noticing posters, stubs and merch they display
- Enlisting someone close to them to share intel on favorite genres or bands
Use these clues guide you to artists that you just know will excite them. Get to know tour schedules, top songs and discographies so you can be in-the-know when they undoubtedly want to relive the experience afterwards!
Double Check Dates and Locations to Avoid Scheduling Snags
So you found the perfect concert to gift tickets to. But before rushing to purchase them online or snag extras your coworker offered from the pre-sale, be absolutely certain of:
- The exact date and time of the event
- The concert venue location
- Any existing commitments or trips that could conflict on that day for your intended ticket recipient
The last thing you want is to proudly present an enthusiastic “You’re going to see Imagine Dragons!” only to learn they’ll be at their grandma’s 80th birthday party that night. Or to realize the city showing is a 6 hour drive from where they live. Doh!
Save yourself the awkward backtracking by discreetly double checking their calendar and locations logistics first. If everything aligns, go forth with your ticket mission!
Purchase Tickets and Upgrades to Deliver a Complete VIP Experience
Once the perfect concert aligns with schedules, it’s time to covertly secure those coveted tickets! Check official band websites and ticket seller platforms first before resorting to secondary markets to find deals.
As you purchase tickets, consider upgrading the experience with add-ons like:
- VIP or early access for exclusive merch shopping and front-of-stage access
- Parking passes so they avoid hastily hunting for lots day-of
- Hotel or dining packages that turn the show into a complete evening or weekend escape!
Use your payment details but request tickets under your recipient’s name when prompted. This assigns them as the ticket owner for venue records.
Psst…save that confirmation email too. You may need the order number later for some extra surprise delivery tactics.
Reveal Tickets Via Fun clues or Scavenger Hunts to Build Anticipation
You found the dream tickets. You made the purchase. Now comes the fun part – creatively gifting them for a true surprise!
A memorable concert ticket reveal builds anticipation and excitement before the show itself. Plus it provides two joyous moments instead of just one if directly handing over the PDFs.
Some ideas to pleasantly shock them with the concert news:
- Craft a scavenger hunt with clues inspired by the band’s song lyrics or linking to special locations until the tickets are finally discovered
- Place tickets somewhere visible like on their desk or car dash for a shocking random surprise
- Hide printed tickets inside a gift basket or box filled with themed goodies like band t-shirts, autographed CDs and guitar picks for them to uncover
- Construct a piece of paper or digital playlist with a track order that secretly spells out the band, date location and have them try to solve it
However you opt to creatively stage the surprise ticket presentation, take a pic of their pure excited reaction for extra memory keeping!
Commemorate the Show with Ticket Stubs, Custom Sleeves or Lanyards
After all that excitement upon gifting tickets, don’t let the momentum stop there! Consider supplements that commemorate the entire concert-going experience with memorabilia like:
- Official tour poster with customized matting and frame to proudly display
- Custom lanyard for their tickets created with band imagery or lyrics
- Decorative ticket sleeves – handmade or from sites like Etsy – for unique safekeeping and stubs that stand out in a drawer of keepsakes
This merchandise reminds the recipient just how thoughtful the gift was each time they come across it. Plus, who doesn’t appreciate items that spark nostalgic storytelling when discovered years later?
Craft Surprise Homemade Concert Tickets to Accompany Real Ones
If you want to add an ultra personal DIY touch to your concert ticket gifting, create mock custom tickets to initially surprise them with. You can mimic the look of real venues with details like:
- Realistic holograms, QR codes or barcodes (don’t validly replicate real codes that could cause venue issues)
- Event specifics like fake seat numbers, gate opening time, ticket price sections
- Band imagery and stylized genre artwork
Present the authentic homemade tickets first rolled up with a ribbon or inside a greeting card. Then when curiosity peaks, excitedly reveal the genuine tickets you also purchased for them to actually attend! This two phase tactic doubles the anticipation, thrill and gratitude.
Give the Gift of a Concert Ticket Latch Hook Craft Kit
For musical friends with crafty hobbies, take DIY gifting up another notch by presenting ticket stubs in craft form! Purchase or creatively make concert ticket latch hook kits featuring patterns of:
- Venue seating charts
- Classic gig poster designs
- Band member faces or logos
Assemble the custom kit in a cute gift basket or box, ideally with thehole punch grid, mini hook tool, yarn and instructions for completing their new wall art. You can even include real ticket stubs or announcements for the shows the patterns commemorate!
Hide Printed or Digital Concert Tickets in a Big Box or Gift Bag
The simple act of not just handing over tickets, but actually concealing them within wrapping or packaging heightens the reveal. Apply this concept for easy yet still suspenseful presentation by:
- Wrapping printed ticket stubs to blend in with other gifts before opening
- Securing tickets inside a gift bag or box far larger than needed so they search through tissue paper expecting something else entirely
- Sending digital tickets by text or email blasting “You’re Going to Want to Check Your Inbox!” to cue the search
When the tickets eventually spill out after some unboxing theater, capture another round of shocked and thrilled reactions.
Coordinate Group Ticket Gifting for Shared Concert Experiences
Seeing live music often makes for better memories when shared together. So if you want to gift concert tickets for milestone events, plan crew outings or family occasions, coordinate group gifting by:
- Reaching out privately to other friends, relatives or even coworkers interested in pitching in on a pair of tickets
- Compiling funds through apps like Venmo to split costs for purchasing multiple tickets in one transaction
- Enlisting one artistic contributor to hand-decorate envelopes so digital ticket transfers feel fancier
- Gifting tickets simultaneously (in-person, virtually or by mail) on agreed dates with everyone’s excited reactions caught on camera!
No matter if the group will be 2 or 10 people, this tactic ensures meaningful shared bonding at the big show.
Give Lottery Ticket Scratchers First, Then Surprise with the Real Concert Tickets After
For recipients who love games, prizes and suspense, recreate that lottery ticket thrill at scale by gifting concert tickets this way:
- First, bestow a pack of scratch ticket games giving them time to reveal amounts and build anticipation
- Next, present a final XL novelty sized scratch ticket custom made to tease “You’ve won two tickets to…” with the concert details
- Finally, scratch off the foil on that oversized card to uncover the actual tickets hidden inside to excitedly clinch the experience!
This tactic builds up the stakes in phases so the final surprise feels that much more astonishing and lucky!
Mail Out puzzles Pieces One By One to Slowly Reveal Concert Traction
Everyone appreciates a good puzzle, so turn tickets themselves into one by mailing out individual pieces that form the full picture day after day:
- Carefully cut one ticket into pieces (with a body wave or zig zag so they fit back together later)
- Place each piece into a padded envelope or small box marked with #1, #2 etc
- Time the arrival of the mailers so one shows up per day in the lead up towards the concert date
Watch anticipation and inclination swell as more pieces arrive until finally the ticket stub components can be reassembled. You’ll love hearing “It all makes sense now!” when shown the tickets you already secured.
Give a Concert and Hotel Stay Package for a Complete Destination Experience
Elevate the gift’s wow factor by gifting tickets as part of an all-inclusive destination package. Work with hotels near the venue or packaged weekend escapes offered through event promoter sites.
Particularly perfect if the recipient lives out of town, transform the concert into a getaway by gifting:
- Event and room bundles most venues auto-recommend during ticket purchases
- Custom travel voucher itineraries made to look like golden tickets
- Collaged poster boards displaying ticket peeks alongside booked hotel confirmation and nearby attraction highlights
This “$1500 just for you!” level gift guarantees incredible reactions and appreciation at a scale beyond just the concert itself.
Reveal E-Tickets Digitally Through Social Media for Added Fanfare
Instead of simply forwarding confirmation emails, use social media statuses and filters to reveal digital tickets with more public fanfare:
- Go live simultaneously on Instagram or Facebook when transferring tickets to capture that “Wait, WHAT?!” reaction
- Design customized visuals and stickers like “Just Press Play” on Snapchat to cue up a following video ticket reveal
- Record an TikTok dance or YouTube Short linking printed tickets held to popular songs – then text them the video link with no context!
Granting tickets digitally allows flexibility for remote gifting. But extra social declaration adds to shared thrill and viral brag potential amongst their networks.
Give Ticket Gift Cards to Allow Recipients Flexibility in Shows
While gifting tickets to specific concerts feels personal when you know musical tastes, the safest and most flexible route is issuing ticket gift card funds instead.
Many major ticket sellers like Ticketmaster and LiveNation offer voucher values or gift cards redeemable towards broad entertainment events. This allows recipients to select preferences themselves.
Accompany the gift card redemption instructions in creative ways like a custom concert map routing to their nearest live venue box office. Or a playlist with songs titled “Use Your Gift Card To Come See Me Perform Live!” by various artists they love.
Hide Printed or Mobile Ticket Transfers Inside a Decorative Greeting Card
Simply surprising someone with tickets in an embellished Hallmark card ups traditional gifting impact. See their initial thinking it’s merely a $5 birthday pop up transform into astonished exuberance!
Seek out card designs themed to their favorite genre, musician or decade. Opt for large oversized and musical styles easy to creatively stuff real or printed tickets inside.
Digitally transferred tickets can also work with cards featuring animation, light, sound or QR code scanning. Record their reaction going from confusion to sheer glee once the tickets hidden inside are activated or uncovered.
Announce Tickets Through Custom Video Recordings From The Artist or Venue
Thanks to personalized video message services, you can create the illusion of gifting tickets directly from the artist, band or venue itself. Hire cameo artists, impressionists or freelancers on Fiverr to record short shout outs announcing:
- “Hey! NAME is invited to rock out with me in CITY…”
- “This is VENUE arena confirming direct ticket transfers for DATE…”
- Artificial “LiveSTREAM” recordings from the exact tour stop with close ups confirming they’re on the list!
Pair these fake but realistic clips with the real tickets you’ve actually already bought. The combined virtual and physical ticket whammy fosters funny shock and extra exclusive feeling.
Conclusion: Giving Memorable Gifts With Concert Ticket Experiences
Concert tickets rank among the best gifts ever. They grant live entertainment that moves us, lets us bond over beloved songs and creates euphoric memories relived forever.
Yet thoughtfully presenting tickets takes creativity, research and planning to craft a true surprise.
The ideas in this guide aim to help gift givers like yourself impart tickets in more thrilling and personalized ways. From coordinating group gifts to themed ticket reveals, commemorative merch and beyond, options abound to excite recipients.
Gifting tickets becomes less about transactions and more about relationships when you make the reveal and experience personal. So take these tactics and make that Taylor Swift or Trans Siberian Orchestra show someone anticipates even more unforgettable.
The memories forged seeing favored artists and bands last lifetimes. And they’ll think of your thoughtful efforts every time they break out those cherished ticket stubs.
