Caution overrides etiquette

By RYANNE SCOTT
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Mike Hill doesn't want to see you at a concert this summer.
He meets plenty of concert-goers every summer in the medic tent, organizing emergency services at Colorado's Red Rocks, Invesco Field and Denver Coliseum.
"Certainly you don't want to pay the price it takes to get into most concerts these days just to pass out and spend your entire concert in the first aid room, right?" he asked.
Hill is one of many medics, security people, concert regulars and band members who say a few simple steps can help you avoid the summer concert season's worst-case scenarios. No injuries. No getting sick. No lost or stolen possessions. Just fun.
STEP 1: DRINK UP
The most common reason Hill meets concert-goers is dehydration -- summer heat paired with dancing and exercise will do it; adding alcohol or drugs makes it even more likely.
Hill suggests people drink eight to 10 glasses of water the night before a concert and more in the morning.
STEP 2: WHAT TO WEAR, PART 1
So whatcha ya gonna wear? Sounds trite, but it's important. Layer. Take backup clothing. Something lightweight, like a cotton T-shirt and a pair of shorts, is ideal for a quick change. Consider taking along a warm layer or a rain poncho.
STEP 3: WHAT TO WEAR, PART 2
Wear shoes that won't fall off. Chris Forsythe, singer for nu-metalers Gripped, learned this one the hard way. During the first song at a show in Denver, one of his shoes came off and it was gone.
"I had to watch the whole show with my shoe off. It's hard to try to watch a metal show when everyone's jumping up and down and you only have one shoe on," he said, adding shoes with hard tops keep toes from getting stomped.
STEP 4: ACCESSORIZE WISELY
The right accessories can save your life, Reichert said. If you have a life-threatening condition, such as diabetes, or are allergic to certain medications, wear a bracelet or necklace so security and medics can easily identify your condition. Carry a driver's license or other ID so they know who you are if you pass out, Reichert said.
Friends can be the best accessory at a concert -- the least reason being that you can look out for one another. Just don't get separated.
STEP 5: AVOID THE PITFALLS OF MOSHING, CROWD SURFING
Hill sees plenty of cuts, bruises and broken bones from mosh pits and crowd surfing. "Unless you are one of those big muscular, testosterone-crazed young males, you probably shouldn't enter the mosh pit," he said.
For women, crowd surfing can also mean getting groped.
STEP 6: STAY OUT OF HARM'S WAY
Inside the stand-where-you-please festival guidelines at many summer concerts, moshing and crowd surfing can lead to crowd-crush situations. Whenever you are near the front, make frequent eye contact with security people, Reichert said. Let them know if you need out.
RULE 7: WATCH WHAT YOU DRINK
If you are going to drink alcohol, moderation is key. Even if you don't pass out, drunken concert-goers are more likely to get hurt because intoxication tempers everything else they do, Hill said.
RULE 8: JUST SAY NO
It's the same story with illegal drugs. "We certainly would advise [people] not to use drugs, period," Hill said. "Will that help? No." Before every show, it's Hill's job to call promoters and medics to find out the drug of choice for a band's following. Then, he stocks medic tents with drugs to reverse the effects.