What to bring to a concert (and what gets confiscated)

The stuff you need for a gig fits in a pocket: your phone with the ticket on it, a card, ID and some earplugs. The trouble starts with the bag you carry it in. Australian and New Zealand venues don't share one rule. Some cap bags at A4, some at A3, a couple at 30cm x 30cm, and at least two ban backpacks outright. Turn up with the wrong bag and you might be paying to cloak it, walking it back to the car, or handing it over.

This guide lines up what the venues themselves say. We read the big AU and NZ venues' conditions of entry and FAQ pages on 3 October 2026, plus two US venues for comparison. Rules change, and many venues say the rules can differ from one event to the next, so check your venue's page and the event info before you leave home. We're not connected to any venue mentioned here.

The quick checklist

• Phone, charged, with your ticket loaded in the app or your phone's wallet
• A bank card (most big venues are card only)
• Photo ID
• A small bag that fits your venue's limit, or no bag at all
• Earplugs
• A sealed plastic water bottle, if your venue allows one
• Any medication you need, with a plan for telling the venue
• A light jacket or poncho for an outdoor show, plus sunscreen and a hat for a day show

What size bag can I take to a concert?

Small. Here's what each venue said as of October 2026.

Others word it differently. Auckland Live's theatres ban "Large personal effects (coats, bags) that cannot be stored under your seat." One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch asks fans to "leave large bags, commercial food, umbrellas and pro gear at home", and says its banned items "may vary from event to event". Allianz Stadium warns that "Some events or concerts may have stricter restrictions" than its usual limit.

The safe bet: if your bag is bigger than a sheet of A4 paper, leave it at home. That passes at every venue in the table except the two with a 30cm x 30cm cap, where you need something a bit squarer. Our venue guides each have a bag section, including Fortitude Music Hall, the Riverstage, The Powerstation, Hindley St Music Hall and Festival Hall.

What happens if my bag is too big?

It depends on the venue, and a few will just say no.

• Afterpay Arena says people breaking its rules "may have the items confiscated, be given the option of securing the item themselves, or allowed to utilise the Arena's Cloakroom facilities". The cloakroom charges a fee, and cloaked items are searched.
• Adelaide Entertainment Centre has a free cloak room in the Arena Foyer near Door 22, but not for oversize bags: "There are no storage facilities on site and we will not cloak these items."
• The Palais has no cloakroom at all and suggests leaving large items in your car.
• RAC Arena has an external cloak room to the right of the main entry for large bags or banned items, and keeps smaller items at the Information Desk inside.
• Rod Laver Arena cloaks bags at Kia Arena or Show Court 3, but won't take anything on the banned list.
• Spark Arena runs a paid coat check for most shows, downstairs inside near Entry B, and says space is limited.
• Forum Melbourne has a paid cloakroom on the Mezzanine level. "Items are stored at your own risk."

What gets confiscated at concerts?

The same items turn up on list after list. If you've got any of these, leave them at home:

• Selfie sticks. Banned at Afterpay Arena, RAC Arena, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Spark Arena, Adelaide Entertainment Centre and Auckland Live.
• Pro cameras and big lenses. Afterpay Arena bans "Cameras with a lens that extends greater than 5cm". RAC Arena welcomes personal cameras with a lens of 55mm or less. Spark Arena bans "anything with a lens of 35mm or over", plus SLRs, GoPros and drones. Allianz Stadium bans detachable lenses over 200mm, and Rod Laver Arena draws the line at detachable lenses over 300mm.
• Tablets and laptops. Afterpay Arena bans any phone, tablet or device "measuring greater than 170mm diagonally". RAC Arena and Brisbane Entertainment Centre ban tablets over 170mm. Spark Arena and Forum Melbourne ban tablets and laptops.
• Big umbrellas. Afterpay Arena bans umbrellas longer than 300mm when closed. Spark Arena allows small collapsible ones but "no golf umbrellas", and RAC Arena bans large golf-style umbrellas. Rod Laver Arena and Marvel Stadium let you bring an umbrella but not open it inside. MyState Bank Arena in Hobart bans umbrellas altogether.
• Aerosols. Banned at Afterpay Arena, Spark Arena, RAC Arena and Marvel Stadium (spray cans). Spray-on sunscreen is an aerosol, so pack a squeeze tube instead.
• Laser pointers. Banned at Afterpay Arena, Spark Arena, RAC Arena, Marvel Stadium, Adelaide Entertainment Centre and Auckland Live.
• Glass, cans and outside food. More on that below.
• Chairs and stools. Banned at Rod Laver Arena, Spark Arena and MyState Bank Arena.
• Large flags and signs. Afterpay Arena caps flags and banners at 1m x 1m with no poles, and signs at A3. Rod Laver Arena bans flags or banners over 1 metre.
• Markers, noisemakers and glow sticks. Spark Arena, RAC Arena and Auckland Live ban marker pens of various kinds. Rod Laver Arena bans musical instruments including air horns, and MyState Bank Arena bans whistles. RAC Arena and Adelaide Entertainment Centre ban glow sticks.

Can I bring water and food?

Usually one sealed bottle of water, usually no food. The details:

• Afterpay Arena: one sealed 600ml PET bottle of water per person. No outside or commercial food and drink.
• Brisbane Entertainment Centre: one sealed 600mL PET bottle of water per person, except at full decant events. No outside food or drink.
• RAC Arena: one sealed 600mL water bottle per person, except at full decant events. No cans, glass or metal containers, or coolers.
• Rod Laver Arena: soft plastic water bottles up to 750ml. Metal bottles may be allowed depending on the event. No glass or cans.
• Palais Theatre: one unopened plastic bottle under 600mL per person, and there are free water refill stations. No hot meals or fast food.
• Spark Arena: no food (gum included) or drink, homemade or bought, "unless specifically allowed in the pre-event communication".
• Auckland Live: no hot food or drink in the theatre, no opened bottles, no glass, no gum. "Free water is available at all times."
• Adelaide Entertainment Centre: bans "bottles, cans, squirts bottles, hip flasks or other containers".
• Marvel Stadium is the outlier: "You are welcome to bring your own food (no glass containers) and drinks (non-alcoholic) into the stadium."

Do I need cash at a concert?

Probably not, and at most big venues cash won't work anyway. As of October 2026, Afterpay Arena, Rod Laver Arena, RAC Arena, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Spark Arena, One New Zealand Stadium, the Palais and Auckland Live all say they're cashless or card only. Adelaide's card-only rule covers parking as well as food and drinks.

If cash is all you've got, Afterpay Arena lets you swap it for an EFTPOS card at the Information Desk, and RAC Arena staff can swap it for vouchers. Forum Melbourne is the exception: it takes card and cash at the bars, though "No cash out is available."

Can I bring a power bank to a concert?

None of the conditions pages we checked for Afterpay Arena, RAC Arena, Spark Arena, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, MyState Bank Arena, Allianz Stadium or Marvel Stadium mention power banks, batteries or chargers. That's as of October 2026, and it isn't a promise you'll get one in. Security staff can still refuse items, and device size limits (the 170mm rule above) do exist. A small phone-sized one is the sensible choice. If you're unsure, ask the venue before the show.

Your phone's battery matters because it's probably your ticket. Ticketmaster's US help page says "Screenshots will not be accepted for entry", and suggests adding tickets to your phone's wallet so you'll have them even without an internet connection. Do that before you leave home, then turn your screen brightness down.

What should I bring to an outdoor concert?

Outdoor shows can be stricter than arenas about things you'd assume are fine. Live at the Gardens at Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden is a good example:

• No chairs of any kind, trolleys, bean bags, or prams and strollers
• A small picnic blanket is fine in the designated area
• No BYO food
• Sealed plastic bottled water only, up to 1.5L
• "Umbrellas are not permitted", so bring a poncho or raincoat
• Shows go ahead in the rain unless it's dangerous
• Bring sunscreen and a hat

For a day or twilight show, Cancer Council's SunSmart advice is to slip on clothing, slop on SPF50 or 50+ broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen, slap on a hat, seek shade and slide on sunglasses. It recommends sun protection "whenever UV levels reach 3 or higher."

Heat is the other risk. healthdirect says to "Drink plenty of water when it's hot, even if you're not thirsty. Avoid alcohol and hot or sugary drinks", and to wear "lightweight, loose cotton clothing". Heatstroke is an emergency: call triple zero (000). Check the Bureau of Meteorology (AU) or MetService (NZ) forecast on the day and dress for the end of the night, not the start.

What gear is worth packing?

You don't need much, and the smaller your bag, the fewer rules you'll trip over. These are the item types worth having, in rough order of how much they matter. We name types of gear, not brands, and the venue's own conditions of entry always win.

For every show

• High-fidelity concert earplugs, with a small carry case. Hearing Australia says music earplugs are often a better choice than foam because they lower the volume without wrecking the sound. A case or keyring pouch means they actually make it to the venue.
• A slim power bank and a short charging cable. Pick one around the size of your phone, since device size limits do exist at some venues. Most conditions pages we read don't mention power banks, so check with the venue if you're unsure.
• A small bag that meets the venue's rules. A compact crossbody or belt bag is easier than a backpack. Some venues and stadiums use clear bag rules instead, so check the venue's bag policy before you buy anything.
• A phone case with a card slot, or a small zip pouch. It keeps your card and ID in one place so you're not digging through pockets at the gate.
• Comfortable closed shoes. You'll be on your feet for hours. Spark Arena bans steel-toed boots, so leave work boots at home.

For outdoor and day shows

• A lightweight rain poncho. Some outdoor venues ban umbrellas outright, as Live at the Gardens does.
• Broad-spectrum SPF50 or 50+ sunscreen in a squeeze tube. Spray cans are aerosols, which many venues ban. Cancer Council also suggests a hat and sunglasses.
• A wide-brimmed or legionnaire-style hat and sunglasses.
• A small folded layer for when the temperature drops after dark.

Only if the venue allows it

• A reusable or sealed water bottle. Most big venues allow one sealed plastic bottle, and some, such as Adelaide Entertainment Centre, ban bottles altogether, so read the water and food section above first.

Can I bring medication into a concert?

Yes, but tell the venue how you'll manage it. Afterpay Arena's and RAC Arena's conditions both cover patrons with a medical condition carrying things like EpiPens, insulin pens and syringes, so read that section and follow the venue's process, or contact them ahead of the show.

If you need a bigger bag for medical reasons, some venues will make room. Rod Laver Arena allows larger bags for medical needs, with an inspection. Adelaide Entertainment Centre allows medical bags, subject to inspection. Afterpay Arena's backpack ban has medical exceptions at management's discretion.

Do I need earplugs?

Bring them. Hearing Australia says "music earplugs are often a better choice" than foam ones, recommending "high-fidelity music earplugs that are designed to lower the volume of the music without impacting on the sound quality." If you forget, Adelaide Entertainment Centre hands out free earplugs from its Cloak Room or from staff.

Bringing a baby? At the Palais, "It's a condition of entry that babies under 18 months wear ear protection when attending adult concerts or events."

Going to a show in the US?

US stadiums often use a clear bag policy, which works differently from the A4 rule. As of October 2026, Soldier Field in Chicago allows a clear bag up to 12" x 6" x 12" or a one-gallon clear freezer bag, plus a small clutch up to 4.5" x 6.5". Medical bags are searched at the gate. Barclays Center in Brooklyn bans "Bags larger than 10" x 6" x 2" or that are hard-sided", and has "a no re-entry policy".

Quick questions

Can I bring a backpack to a concert? Not at Afterpay Arena or the Palais. Elsewhere it has to fit the size limit, so a small shoulder bag is the safer choice.

Can I take photos at a concert? Usually on your phone, yes, but never with flash at Spark Arena or the Palais. Auckland Live says "In most theatre performances you aren't permitted to take photos during the show." Adelaide Entertainment Centre notes some artists require phone-free shows, so check the event details.

Will my bag be searched? Expect it. Rod Laver Arena says management may "inspect any bags, loose clothing or other items at entry point or within the Venue at any time", and may use metal detection. Adelaide Entertainment Centre suggests you "Allow an additional 15-20 minutes" for security. RAC Arena says it monitors the venue with CCTV and facial recognition.

Can I leave and come back in? Not at Afterpay Arena. At the Palais, only if management approves. At Rod Laver Arena, it depends on the event. The other pages we checked didn't say, so assume no and ask at the door.

Can I screenshot my ticket? Ticketmaster's US help page says screenshots won't be accepted. Use the app or your phone's wallet.