50 Concert Journal Prompts: What to Write After Every Show

It's midnight. The venue just closed. You're sitting in the car or waiting for a rideshare, ears still ringing, trying to hold onto everything that just happened. You know you should write it down before it fades. But you're staring at a blank page and your brain is buzzing too much to know where to start.

This is the prompt list for that moment.

The average concert-goer attends about 4.7 shows per year according to industry data. That's not many (but it's enough for them to blur together if you don't capture them). setlist.fm has over 9 million setlists documented because people want to remember what they saw. These prompts help you remember the parts setlist.fm can't capture.

Use this list as a reference. You don't need to answer all 50 prompts for every show. Pick the ones that matter for that particular night. Some shows demand detailed setlist documentation. Others are all about who you were with and how it felt. The categories help you scan for what's relevant.

The Facts (12 Prompts)

Start here. These are the reference points that anchor your memory and let you look back accurately.

1. Who did you see? (artist/band name, don't assume you'll remember)
2. What was the date?
3. What venue? (name and city)
4. What tour or event was it? (tour name, festival, special show)
5. Who opened? (even if you missed them, write the name down)
6. How many times have you seen this artist? (first time? fifth?)
7. How much did tickets cost?
8. Where were you seated or standing? (section/row, GA, pit, balcony)
9. How did you get tickets? (presale, general sale, resale, gift)
10. Who did you go with?
11. How did you get to the venue?
12. Was this a bucket list show? (artist you've wanted to see for years?)

The Setlist (10 Prompts)

The setlist is the skeleton of the show. Even if you can't remember every song, these prompts capture what mattered.

13. What song did they open with?
14. What was the encore? (or was there no encore?)
15. What song got the biggest crowd reaction?
16. Did they play your favorite song?
17. What song surprised you? (deep cut, cover, rarity)
18. What song did you hope for that they didn't play?
19. Were there any first-time performances or tour debuts?
20. How long was the set? (roughly how many songs, how much time)
21. Did they play anything acoustic or stripped-down?
22. What song hit differently live than on the album?

Tip: If you can't remember the full setlist, check setlist.fm the next day. Fans usually post it within hours.

The Performance (12 Prompts)

What was it like to watch? This is where production, stage presence, and moments between songs live.

23. How would you rate the sound quality? (clear? muddy? too loud?)
24. What was the stage setup like? (minimal? elaborate? screens? props?)
25. What did the artist wear? (costume changes? notable fashion?)
26. How would you describe their stage presence?
27. Was there choreography? (if applicable)
28. What was the best visual moment? (lighting, effects, backdrop)
29. Did anything go wrong? (technical issues, forgotten lyrics, mishaps)
30. What did the artist say between songs? (banter, stories, dedications)
31. Did they interact with specific audience members?
32. Was there a moment where the whole venue felt unified?
33. What moment would you show someone who wasn't there?
34. Did the performance change how you feel about any songs?

The Crowd (8 Prompts)

Half the concert experience is the people around you. The audience shapes whether a show feels electric or flat.

35. What was the overall crowd energy? (wild? mellow? drunk? reverent?)
36. Were people singing along? (every word? just choruses? not at all?)
37. Was there a pit or moshing? (if so, were you in it?)
38. Did you have any interaction with strangers around you?
39. Was anyone annoying? (talkers, phone holders, too-tall people)
40. Was the venue packed or half-empty?
41. What was the demographic like? (age range, vibe, how people dressed)
42. Did the crowd match what you expected for this artist?

Your Experience (10 Prompts)

This is the personal stuff (how you felt), what stood out, what you'll carry with you.

43. What's the one moment you don't want to forget?
44. How did you feel when it ended?
45. What surprised you about the show?
46. Did anything make you emotional? (tears, chills, pure joy?)
47. Would you see this artist again?
48. How does this compare to other times you've seen them? (if applicable)
49. What would you tell someone who's never seen them live?
50. Sum up the night in one sentence.

The Before and After (8 Bonus Prompts)

Concerts aren't just the two hours inside the venue. The full experience has a before and after.

• What did you wear?
• What did you eat or drink before/during the show?
• What was the pre-show vibe like? (merch line, waiting to get in, anticipation)
• Did you buy any merch? (what?)
• How did you feel on the way home?
• What did you talk about after the show?
• Did you go anywhere after? (late-night food, bar, straight home?)
• What time did you finally get to bed?

How to Use This List

You don't need to answer every prompt. Most shows need 10-15 good answers to be well-documented.

Quick method (5 minutes): Pick 2-3 prompts from each category. Hit the essentials: who/what/where, best moment, how you felt, one setlist detail.

Thorough method (15-20 minutes): Work through all the categories, skip what doesn't apply. Great for bucket list shows or memorable nights.

Next-day method: If you only jot bullet points after the show, use this list the next morning to expand into full notes while it's still fresh.

The prompts in our Concerts Remembered journal are organized across 4 pages per show, covering these same categories with space for ratings, setlists, and memorabilia. If you want the prompts built into a ready-to-use format, that's what it's designed for.

For more on how to build a concert documentation habit, see our complete concert journaling guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to answer all 50 prompts for every show?

No. Pick the ones that matter for that specific night. Some shows are about the setlist. Others are about who you were with. Use the categories to scan for what's relevant. 10-15 good answers is plenty for most shows.

What if I can't remember the setlist?

Check setlist.fm. Fans post setlists within hours of most shows. Copy it into your journal and add your own notes about which songs hit hardest.

When should I answer these prompts (during the show or after?

After). Always after. Be present during the show. Jot quick notes in your phone if something important happens, but save the real documentation for immediately after or the next morning.

What if the show wasn't that great?

Document it anyway. Underwhelming shows are still worth recording. "Sound was muddy, opener was better than the headliner, left early" is useful information. And sometimes mediocre shows become interesting memories years later.

How do I use these prompts if I'm at a festival with multiple artists?

Pick the 2-3 artists that mattered most and document them individually. For smaller sets, you might just note the artist name, one standout moment, and whether you'd see them again.

What's the minimum I should write for any show?

At minimum: who you saw, when, where, who you went with, and one thing you don't want to forget. That's 5 data points. Takes 2 minutes. Beats nothing by a mile.