Going Alone: The Experience of Solo Eventgoers at Music Events in the UK

Abstract

This article seeks to better understand the solo eventgoer experience at UK music events. There is an established market of solo consumption in general and a growing trend of eventgoer's choosing to attend music events alone. Fifteen in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with solo eventgoers. Data analysis has identified that while solo eventgoers attend alone, socializing remains important. Eventgoers escape from existing social ties, which enables a deeper immersive experience. Overcoming the barrier of attending alone provides opportunities for freedom and flexibility in the experience. Overall, the study provides insights for event managers in the design and management of music event experiences for their solo attendees. Moreover, this article has theoretical implications in that the case of the solo eventgoer has not been critically explored in the events management literature.