Last time, we talked about live music as a way to push back against isolation. But if you're neurodivergent, "the gig" isn't a simple good-time equation. Crowds, volume, unpredictability, the whole sensory onslaught: it can tip from thrilling to too-much fast.
Most venues and promoters still haven't caught up. Access provision for hidden disabilities, autism, ADHD, and the rest, is patchy at best. So until the industry sorts itself out, here's a working kit for getting the most out of your next show.
1. Snacks and water Hunger and dehydration turn a manageable night into a rough one, cranking up overload, anxiety, irritability. Venue bars and food stands are pricey and rammed. Bring your own.
2. Manage the sensory load Flashing lights, packed rooms, ringing ears, hours on your feet: this is also why gigs work, but it's what makes them hard going too. Earplugs or ear defenders cut the volume and protect your hearing while you still get the music. Sunglasses take the edge off the lighting rig (and double as a decent look). If crowds get to you, scope out a spot on the edges, close enough to feel the room but far enough to breathe.
3. Know the shape of the night Anticipatory anxiety can wreck you before you've even left the house. Look up the venue in advance: doors time, support acts, rough length of the main set, cloakroom, toilets, layout. A mental map beats walking in blind.
4. Bring someone who gets it Someone who knows your patterns and your limits makes everything easier: navigating the crowd, getting you out if you need it, making the standing-around parts less grim.
5. Leaving is always an option Know your limit and be honest with yourself and whoever you're with when you hit it. No explanation required.
6. Budget for the comedown Big nights cost something the day after. Build in recovery time and don't book anything that needs you sharp.
7. Run the checklist before you leave Cuts decision fatigue on the way out the door: tickets, ID, wallet, keys, phone, earplugs, meds if you take them, snack, water, camera if you're documenting it. (We've turned this one into a carousel, so save it, screenshot it, whatever works.)
8. Pack light, pack smart A small bag for the above beats bulging pockets or a jacket tied round your waist all night. Function over fashion, although round here, that usually ends up being the fashion.
UK, Ireland and Spain, briefly: if you're gigging in the UK, look out for the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme and Attitude is Everything's access charter, increasingly baked into venue policy. In Ireland, AsIAm's autism and sensory-friendly accreditation is starting to show up at venues and events, alongside a growing run of dedicated neurodivergent-friendly festivals like Sensoria and Neurofestivity.
In Spain, provision is more fragmented and still weighted toward mobility and hearing access rather than neurodivergence specifically, so it's worth checking a venue's own access info directly rather than assuming a standard.
None of this fixes an industry that wasn't built with you in mind. But it's a working kit, and it's yours.
Got your own tips, or a bad venue story that needs airing? Drop into the Tenderloin community. We've got a thread running on ND experiences at gigs, and we want yours in it.