Top Tips for Concert Photography | DSLRBlog:

I've done my share of gig photography, and it's an art in and of itself. The lighting is challenging to say the least, and you'll never have a safe place to shoot from - to get the good shots, you generally have to mix it up with the crowd.

Personally, I tend to use a point-and-shoot for such things - at least until I have a spare SLR at my disposal... preferably one with good insurance.

Of course, if you're photographing something a little more orchestral, then the situation changes. But I think we all know about the sort of gig I'm talking about, right?