If you’re a single ticket holder and feeling a few jitters about heading to gigs on your own this summer – you’re not alone. New research reveals three in five (62%) Britons have never been to a show on their own, while more than three-quarters of fans who have attended a gig solo admitted to feeling nervous during their first time (77%), according to ticket marketplace viagogo.¹

To help beat pre-gig butterflies, viagogo is debuting their first ‘Solo Socials’ event ahead of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour shows in London. The night is specially designed to boost confidence, bringing like-minded fans together so they can make incredible memories before the tour. The ticketing platform is even teaming up with a NHS doctor and gig-going aficionado, both armed with expert tips and tricks to empower hesitant fans before one of eight big nights at Wembley. The thoughtful initiative was born out of new data revealing that fans were too anxious to go to major concerts without a friend and were tragically choosing to miss out.

The survey of 2,000 gig-going Brits was commissioned by viagogo to uncover their attitudes towards attending music concerts on their own. The data reveals almost a quarter of fans said they lacked confidence in their own company (24%), wouldn’t feel safe (24%) or feel ‘far too anxious’ (22%) to go solo. One in five (17%) confessed to feeling uneasy about travelling alone to a show, whilst a further one in seven (13%) said they’d feel ‘judged’ by others for enjoying an act by themselves.
The gender divide is evident when it comes to solo gig-goers, with half of men (50%) revealing they had been to a show on their own, compared to only a quarter of women (27%). In fact, women are twice as likely to avoid heading to a show solo because of anxiety compared to men (30% women: 14% men).

Women are almost three times more likely not to feel confident (13% :35%) and unsafe (11%:36%) about attending a gig on their own when compared to men. Unforeseen circumstances such as ‘being stood up by a friend or family member’ have meant that one in fourteen Brits made the choice to attend a gig alone anyway.

Despite just over a third of Brits having attended a concert alone in their lives (38%), almost two in five (39%) plan to do so in the near future. Solo-gig goers want to see live music on their terms – as the top reason why Brits venture out by themselves is to feel a greater sense of freedom (36%). More fans want better ‘control over the acts they see at festivals’ (27%) avoiding group arguments and compromises based on their artist preferences whilst some fans are keen to make new friends with other concertgoers (23%).
Interestingly, for those who faced their fears – over a third (38%) of Brits stated they felt more ‘self-confident’ feeling ‘less anxious’ (20%) and happier (20%) after attending a gig alone.

There is also a role for music venues to play in attracting solo gig-goers to their shows, with over a third (36%) of Brits in favour of venues introducing ‘safe areas’ to improve confidence levels amongst people on their own. Those surveyed also suggested venues should create meet-up groups (22%) or employ a taxi service (17%) as it would encourage them to venture to a show alone.
When quizzed on the artist that would inspire them to take the solo-gig-going plunge, one in seven Brits (16%) claimed that Taylor Swift would be their favourite pick out of 25 artists. The songwriter beat out a string of other global acts like Coldplay (14%) , Lady Gaga (13%), Beyonce (12%) and Bruce Springsteen (12%).

According to viagogo’s fan demand data , Taylor Swift is the number one most-viewed artist globally on the platform and has retained that title since the Eras Tour was first announced in November 2022. Since that time, over a quarter (28%) of Eras Tour transactions have been for a single ticket2 indicating a healthy number of solo fans for the event.

Geared towards empowering fans and helping them finally embrace the solo gig experience, viagogo’s initiative is encouraging concert goers to confidently attend the upcoming Eras Tour solo3.

DR ALLY JAFFEE / SOLO GIG GOING GUIDE
To further support Tay-Tay fans and wider music lovers who are looking at attending gigs and festivals yet are worried about venturing out on their own, viagogo has partnered with NHS doctor Dr Ally Jaffee who specialises in psychiatry to provide a solo gig-going guide to help nervous fans feel safer and more confident.

Dr Ally is passionate about youth mental health and has thousands of views on videos linked to helping others manage their mental health. The doctor will be leading one-on-one coaching sessions at the speed-friending event to help shy fans in person.
Taylor Swift fan and NHS Doctor, Dr Ally Jaffee said: “Taylor Swift fans are some of the most passionate in the world, yet the thought of many not going to see the superstar live as they’re worried about being on their own just didn’t sit right with me. Feeling nervous in a big, new environment is natural, studies show that your cortisol levels will begin to spike. However, as the viagogo study shows, leaving your comfort zone can be liberating! Almost two in five (38%) fans noted a rise in self-confidence after their first solo gig – and that could be you.
“To help more fans, I’ve pulled together seven top-tips in an easy acronym for any Swifties heading to Wembley by themselves. They could be the difference between sitting at home and getting FOMO or having the best night of your life”.

Here is Dr Ally Jaffee and viagogo’s Solo Gig Going Guide
Tip 1: Seize the opportunity!
The first step is to pull off the plaster and book the ticket. The viagogo study shows that 77% of UK fans felt nervous on their first solo adventure to a gig – it’s completely natural and those nerves will decrease the more times you do it! If you’re heading to a big gig or festival this summer, maybe head to a smaller live event first to help build up the confidence.
Tip 2: Open up to a new experience.
Part of remaining open to new and daunting experiences is being wary of how you think about them. Any conditional ‘what if’ thoughts that anticipate an event before it has happened in real-time are not rooted in reality, but fear. Stepping into a positive mindset goes a long way and will help you maintain a healthy perspective.
Tip 3: Let family and friends support you!
If you have concerns about travelling solo or feeling lonely during quiet moments at the gig, let family and friends know your plan ahead of time. Share your real-time location during the journey to help you feel safer and share pictures and videos from the gig to make them jealous!
Tip 4: Own it!
Laugh off any awkwardness and use this as an opportunity to learn more about the other fans around you. Ask questions about their top 3 favourite songs and whether they’ve seen the act before. Introducing yourself to others and connecting with like-minded fans is a crucial way to create social togetherness and community. Remember to stay in touch so you can revisit the shared memories!
Tip 5: Get lost in the music!
The best part of going to a gig alone, is that you don’t have to be conscious of your company and existing social ties. Being alone means you can close your eyes, dance, sing off-key and let the music take over. Concerts are emotional events and one in seven (16%) UK adults admit to shedding a tear (or two) in the crowd – this can be really cathartic and a great mood-booster.
Tip 6: Immerse yourself in the crowd.
Recent research shows loneliness and a perceived ‘social stigma or taboo’ have been huge barriers for individuals who want to attend leisure events alone. However, just physically being surrounded by others can trick our brains into feeling less alone. Crowded venues can help reduce the feeling of isolation and naturally help fans become more deeply immersed in the atmosphere and experience.
Tip 7: Get prepared.
If you are very nervous about heading to a large venue, researching breathing exercises, mantras and distraction techniques can put you at ease. Lots of fans also find ways to bond ahead of gigs. Community fan pages on social media, forums and there are lots of fan zone meet-ups which can be a great way to get yourself in the mood and meet someone fun.
SOLO GIG-GOER CASE STUDY – NICOLE ELIZABETH FROM GURL PWR
The night will draw inspiration from solo-gig-going aficionados like Nicole Elizabeth, an electronic artist, and DJ from Southeast London. Nicole is the founder of GURL PWR – a girls-only, speed-friending event designed to bring women together. Nicole has noticed that attendees to her events are heading to more and more gigs by themselves.

Solo gig going enthusiast Nicole Elizabeth said: “I love heading to gigs by myself – I’ve been to see Little Dragon, even the Spice Girls at Wembley! Of course, it’s scary at first but I managed to combat my anxiety once I began making some incredible friends at gigs. I started doing it because I was tired of waiting for others to go out with and now, I see it as a self-care activity. I know that I’m not alone, as during my GURL PWR events, I meet lots of women who regularly go to gigs alone – or wish they had the confidence to”.