Originally Posted by
MindfulMan 
I didn't go to shows right away, but I did go to Coachella during the tail end of my drinking career. What a mess that was. I could barely walk, and did all kinds of drugs as well as hiding a bottle of vodka in my luggage so I could do shots all night. I got out of the car the first day and proceeded to fall down a hill, skipped the second day, and needed the medical cart to get back to the cart on Day 3.
Ugh. Memories are pretty nonexistent.
I got sober on 5/19, and saw Alt-J exactly 3 months later. Walking past the bar was a bit tough, but I stopped and got a ginger ale. My friends had eaten some edibles and one of the had a beer (maybe two?). I had twinges, but it wasn't that big of a deal. I took drinking off the table in rehab, I wasn't about to blow my sobriety. Plus I had my own car in case I needed to leave and my friends weren't about to let me drink at the seat; they were very supportive and visited me in rehab a few times.
I've been to a few shows since and it's gotten even easier, even though friends drank, and at the last show one friend disappeared for a while and I know he was off doing coke. At shows past, I would have been joining him.
Go when you feel secure enough in your sobriety to know that you can get past your triggers, and even then have an escape plan.
Soberchella should be interesting this year. Fortunately my friends either don't party or have drastically curtailed due to having babied up. There are meetings on-site, and a big sober group from the Coachella forum.
Oh my how I have been there! I’ve been to one Coachella when I was a drunk mess. I barely even remembered what bands I watched. In fact a few days later I told my friend how sad I was that I missed watching Paul McCartney and she said “ we watched his entire set!” Of course I was wasted by that time because he was the last to play. I’ve also been to Coachella sober because I was pregnant at the time. I had fun but it was tough being around all of the drinking. Obviously sober was the only option for me since I was pregnant so it made it easier. I just saw the Coachella line up announced yesterday for this year, I hope you have fun. I’m still torn on my show at the end of the month. I guess I will wait and see how I feel when the time comes. I will take your advice and see if I’m strong enough to resist the triggers and take my own car. That will help in 2 ways. 1. I can leave if I’m triggered by my friends or surroundings. 2. I drinking won’t be a option because I would never drive drunk. My show is about 2 hours away from me in San Diego so
I got a hotel for the night. I guess if all
Else fails I can relax in the hotel and do some yoga and enjoy the alone time. Thank you for you response, it was very relatable to me
