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Music

How To Make The Most of A NYD Festival

The First NYD is only a couple of weeks away, and we want you to have the best sesh possible. Here's 5 tips to start your 2019 right.
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This article was created in partnership with Hardware Presents, who are putting on The First NYD this January. Grab tickets here.

A lot goes into planning for a New Years Day sesh—you have to account for transport, weather, preparation—and that’s even before you start thinking about how to make sure you don’t KO yourself the night before.

The First NYD is a fortnight away and because we know you don’t wanna fuck your whole life up and miss M.I.A., Action Bronson, KiNK Live, The Presets and more, we’ve put together a guide on how to plan your NYD out perfectly.

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Have A Quiet December 31

This sounds like some advice your narc dad might give you, sure, but hear us out: January 1st is a much better day to sesh than December 31st. On December 31st, the crowds are huge and everyone from your boss to your grandma is out on the street. It’s rarely fun, and if it is fun it’s probably only because you’ve imbibed so much booze that you can’t even see the mess unfolding around you.

So, as a counterpoint: why not January 1? The crowds are smaller, the parties are more curated, and you won’t have to deal with the intense pressure of having a wild New Year’s Eve. Starting the year off right isn’t about getting mortalled; wake up fresh on Jan 1st after a good 8 hours and set the tone for the year. So sure, have a drink on NYE but if you want to have a great NYD, maybe have a rest.

Get a Good Crew Together

Partying is no fun alone, and it’s not even that fun with just a couple of people. Bring in the new year how you want the whole of 2019 to look: with all your best mates having a killer time. January 1st is about celebrating the ones you love and all the things you love in life, so there’s no better way to do so than listening to some world class music with some world class mates.

Stay Hydrated

This one’s easy: you won’t be able to handle a whole day of dancing and walking around unless you keep the fluids up. That doesn’t mean ‘lots of beers’—make sure you’ve got an empty bottle that you can keep filling up through the day in addition to your lots of beers. And think about hydrating bevs too—something with soda water will keep you lucid. That way, you’ll be able to make it all the way through the night without passing out face-down in the crowd.

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Keep Some Earplugs on You

Again, another dad suggestion, but if you want to really enjoy live music for the rest of your life, you’re probably gonna want to wear earplugs. Trust us on this one—getting tinnitus is not a pleasant experience, and it could seriously mean that you won’t be going to any gigs for the rest of your life. It may seem dorky, but the tiniest of things can really make the biggest difference. And in the short term, you won’t have an ungodly ringing in your ears for a week after the festival.

Work Out Your Schedule Early

There’s nothing worse than getting to a festival and realising that you’ve missed exactly who you came to see, or that you can’t find your friends. So here’s an easy tip: either head down super early or plan your day down to the minute. Grab set times and a map and work out with your friends who you wanna see and when and where; nothing worse than trying to have a dance to KiNK or M.I.A.’s hits and not being able to find your best mates.

Most of all, stay safe and sound and have an amazing time. Start the year off right!

The First NYD is onsale now, with tickets selling fast. Grab your tickets to see Action Bronson, M.I.A., Banoffee, KiNK and more here.

This article was created in partnership with Hardware Presents.