Dark Carnival - 5/5: Concert

"Okay, we'll set off the pyrotechnics, but I'm telling you right now. I AM NOT GOING TO AIR GUITAR."

- Nick

The Concert is the fifth and last chapter of Dark Carnival. The Survivors must attract a helicopter by the combined forces of opening lights, the use of fireworks, and playing the sound system on full blast on a concert stage. It is seen in the Zombie Survival Guide video.

Survivor Walkthrough
In this chapter, the Survivors start out in a hallway under the concert seatings. There are two sets of bathrooms in this hallway that may contain useful items. Usually, a single Bile Bomb will spawn in one of the bathrooms or behind the two trailers in the hallway directly before entering the stadium. This Bile Bomb can be crutial during the final moments of the finale, so keep it safe. Once the hallway exits out to the concert area, the Survivors can begin preparing for the finale. The Survivors must first start the stage lighting, which is located up on the top of the stands, right in front of the stage. They must then start the Midnight Rider's track to officially start the finale. That will signal a helicopter and consequently the horde. Once the helicopter arrives you must climb up the stands and enter the helicopter. There are several items located around the staging that will be helpful in holding out until the helicopter arrives:
 * Health Kits spawn either on the stage, or up in a health box behind the stage lighting controls.
 * 4 Adrenaline shots usually spawn next to the track recording, though they are occasionally found on one of the bottom stair landings in the seating area.
 * Guitars spawn on the stage
 * Guns and ammo spawn either on stage or in the middle of the the seating.
 * Pills and defibrillators usually spawn on top of the two wooden awnings in the middle of the seating. Sometimes pills spawn on top of speaker stacks on stage or in front of the stage as well.
 * Fireworks and fuel cans are always found right on the ground in front of the stage.
 * Molotovs and pipe bombs spawn either on the speaker stacks in front of the stage or on one of the bottom stair landings in the seating area.
 * About half the time, a Bile Bomb will be found in the bathrooms or the concession area on the way to the concert area.
 * A Grenade Launcher can always be found on one or the other of the two towers opposite the stage. In Versus you can make a bunch of them spawn by: picking up grenade launcher, pick up old weapon, repeat, this way you don't have to reload the grenade launcher.
 * Between the safe room at the beginning and the weapons found in the concert area, there will always be at least one scoped rifle (hunting or sniper), one type of assault rifle, and one of the auto shotguns. There will also always be either the Magnum or a second pistol next to the ammo stash in the concert area.

This finale is similar to the ones in Left 4 Dead, in that the Survivors have to survive through two waves of Infected and Tanks, and get to the rescue vehicle when it arrives after the second Tank is killed.

Another popular strategy is to hold out in the upper corners of the seatings, as there no quick way for the Infected to reach the Survivors. While fighting the Tank, lone Survivors can run and grab defibrillator units or health kits. Rinse and repeat until the helicopter arrives.

In this stage, the Helicopter will either land on the left or right side of the stage. Whichever method you choose, use the bile bomb you grabbed earlier (or saved from the campaign) as soon as you hear the sound of the horde. The longer attraction effect of the bile bomb, combined with a well-timed adrenaline, will allow you to simply run past all common infected without so much as a scratch. Notify the team of when you will throw the bomb, as well as aim it either behind you and the chopper, or into some obscured place (preferably over a tank too). This way you buy more time, and don't run the risk of running into the infected.

Note: if you see the Tank coming turn on the stage fireworks, as Tanks have a tendency to climb onto the stage through the fireworks.

Stage Method

 * Three should have shotguns, and one grabs a hunting/sniper rifle.
 * The center of the stage has a raised platform, use it as an advantage.
 * When Infected or Tanks come at the front, try to turn on the fireworks.
 * If you're out of ammo, find adrenaline at the table and run towards the front benches.
 * The helicopter will come at the farthest point from you, (left or right) so it is advised to use adrenaline at that time.
 * Stick together while reaching the copter, as Smokers, Jockeys and Chargers will try to separate you.

Platform Method

 * Near the benches, there are two high-raised construction platforms.
 * Two should cover the middle part, and a person snipes from above with one guarding him.
 * The sniper should look out for Smokers; because the fall damage can hurt you.
 * When the Tank spawns, don't panic and jump straight away (you may get incapacitated).


 * 1) Instead, go down through the ladders to the lowest platform, then jump.
 * 2) Try to throw a bile bomb at him. It should prove useful while going down from the platform.
 * 3) Also try using a molotov to set him alight.
 * 4) If you're quick, you and your team can grab ammunition and explosives.

Mixer Method

 * Way at the top, there should be a mixer (if you're lucky) with some supplies.
 * Good snipers will be valuable here because Infected will take some time to reach you.
 * Two should carry sniper rifles, and the rest AK-47s or shotguns.


 * 1) Try to find penetrating weapons (bullets that can pierce through multiple Infected.)
 * 2) If there aren't any, use melee weapons.
 * 3) If you managed to find a chainsaw, use it later.
 * Tanks should be easy since you can circle around him throughout the stadium.
 * You can charge through the Infected (with the chainsaw) to reach the helicopter easily.

Doorway Method

 * Below the stairs, there is a closed doorway with fireworks near it.
 * Infected will be coming at three sides, and even jump from above you.
 * Lean against the walls in a box formation: 2 on the door, and each in left or right walls.
 * It is advised to use close-ranged weapons; a chainsaw if you can find one.
 * Set out the fireworks before starting the trigger.
 * Be careful of spitters, because you are in a confined space and you can't move freely when the Horde comes.
 * Light up fireworks if Infected start to overwhelm you.
 * Spread out in two groups when the Tank spawns.
 * 1) Try to grab rifles and/or pistols, since shotguns or melee weapons are only effective at close range.
 * After the second Tank, quickly run to where the helicopter hovers.
 * 1) Switch back to the shotguns/melee weapons to deal with Infected more quickly.

Seating Method

 * After you start the concert go back to where you hit the stage lights.
 * You will have high ground to shoot infected coming up at you. At least one person should have a Hunting or Sniper rifle, to pick off special infected.
 * Infected can come from your sides, watch them at all time.
 * Sometimes there is a medical cabinet behind you.
 * Smokers,Chargers, or Jockies can break up your group.
 * You have plenty of room to kill the tank.
 * It will be easier to reach the helicopter. adrenaline will help.
 * The Grenade Launcher will be very useful.
 * Ammo cache will sometimes spawn in the middle of the seats, in between to two platforms. When that happens, it would be more useful to refill ammo.

Glitch Method
Note that this method uses a still not corrected glitch in the map and it's only doable when playing a campaign with humans (since bots will not follow you there). However, it's very useful to easily get the Guardin' Gnome achievement, as well as enjoying the music!
 * Get everyone to camp over those wooden panels on the far end of the stage and stay crouched.
 * To get there (see this pic for reference, from the right to the left):
 * 1) Jump over the black boxes (the farthest ones), using the small "platform" in the inner angle (see here) as fulcrum to reach the top
 * 2) Jump over the aluminium panel
 * 3) Jump over the wooden panels.
 * Stay crouched all the time and watch out for Smokers.
 * No Common Infected will spawn, only some Specials. The two Tanks will spawn, but they will either die immediately or spawn on the far end of the arena, so your team can safely take them down (especially if someone is equipped with a sniper rifle). Be careful, as a good placed concrete throw can hit all the Survivors.
 * If someone falls off the panels, the Infected will spawn as usual; this also means that when the chopper arrives, you'll be chased by the Infected, so be prepared to run (adrenaline and pipe bombs really help here). Stay together, as Chargers and Smokers might split your team.

Corner Stage Method

 * Before you start the concert you or one of your teammates must have a pipe bomb or a bile bomb.
 * When you first walk in the concert go to the upper right corner of the bleachers near where the infected come out.
 * There it should be a rail and a metal box on each side making a little space for one or two survivors.
 * Once you find this place you can set up there with fireworks and gas tanks.
 * After you set up the best weapons to use would be a Grenade Launcher, two Sniper Rifles or Hunting Rifles, any melee weapon and any automatic weapon. (Try to get some adrenaline to run to the helicopter)
 * When you start the concert run up to the corner of the stage and have the person with the grenade launcher in the middle and the two snipers in front with an automatic and a meleeing keeping infected from crawling up the rails.
 * When the Tank comes it's best two circle around and throw a bile bomb at him. After that shoot your guns until he's dead.
 * Repeat until the helicopter arrives.
 * With the addition of The Passing, Valve patched in rooms above the corner of the stage, to allow infected to spawn there. This greatly reduces the effectiveness of this strategy.

Spitter
As the Spitter, you're going to want to hit the fireworks either when the round starts so the survivors can not get them, or as the survivors are collecting them to do some damage. You're also going to want to avoid the platforms to avoid being seen by any survivors who look up, but also avoid being on the stage where the survivors will do anything to get supplies. Another good strategy is to spit into the stage lighting so the Jockey can do damage for both Spitter goo and fire damage, or spitting under the microphone so the survivors can not start the stage lighting for another ten to twenty seconds, giving the other infected time to weaken them for the common infected.

Charger
Unlike the Spitter, when playing as the Charger you're going to want to crouch on the platforms, close to the ladder so when the survivors are climbing, you can charge them down into the stands, doing some extra impact damage. Another strategy is to crouch behind the fireworks, charging the survivors towards the stage, making them drop the fireworks, and maybe making one of the other survivors shoot the fireworks, getting one weapon out of their arsenal.

Jockey
When playing as the Jockey, you need to stay out of sight until the survivors light the stage lighting, then leap onto them, leading them directly into Spitter goo and/or the Stage Lighting, dealing damage. Another good strategy is to hide until the Tank is about to spawn, then lead a survivor directly over to the Tank.

Boomer
The Boomer is quite ineffective on the concert, as there are no places to hide, but a good strategy is to be like the charger, crouching on the platforms to avoid being seen. When a survivor climbs up, cover 'em in bile.

Smoker
As the Smoker, when the stage survivors are on stage, shoot your tongue through the Stage Lighting, dragging the survivors through them doing damage. When they are on the platforms, you need to rip them off, incapacitating or killing them.

Hunter
The Hunter strategy is simple, jump through any gas tanks, fireworks, molotov fire, or even the Stage Lighting, then pouncing the survivors to do a good two to five damage per attack. Another good strategy is to jump from the taller platform onto the survivors, doing a good ten to sixteen pounce.

Tank
The Tank is probably the easiest to use in this campaign. Lead the survivors onto the stage or onto the platforms. When on the platforms, they either have to fight you or jump. When they are on the stage, they usually will try to back up and end up running into a wall.