I stood at a concert

If the people behind me asked me to sit then I would. It would be bad manners not to.

Buying accessible tickets doesn't guarantee a separate area. The dedicated disability platforms are often only for wheelchair customers, those who can walk are usually given seats in the general seating area. They're likely to be on a row end or a few rows back to avoid too many steps but not in a whole separate area.

I guess if you want to stand in a seated area, book seats right at the back of the seated area - that way you won't upset anyone.

Yeah it's pretty unfortunate being disabled. Just go out of your way to make it worse for someone.

The rule at fully seated gigs is to read the room. If you’re one of the only ones standing it’s incredibly selfish because the people behind you actually cat see anythng but your arse in their face. If everyone gets up, you just have to suck it up. Genuinely, if you’re one of the only ones standing, sit down.

This is my experience too. I’ll only book a seated tickets now so I can occasionally sit down and rest (during the less interesting songs..) but I don’t expect everyone else do the same.

Yabu. They couldn't see.

Exactly, had the bloke have asked you (if he was able and based on experience of reading MN posts), he’d have been accused of trying to intimidate you because he’s male and you’re female.

This is me too. I have POTS and my blood pressure crashes so I’d end up collapsing so I can’t stand but don’t qualify for accessibility seats. I look really healthy so I’d just look like a miserable bitch who doesn’t like dancing.

I’ve had to stop going as had many a night ruined by people like OP. It’s happening in theatres now too.

Concerts need more seated only areas. Still…I find it very odd to pay for a seat but stand and block people’s views all night. If you want to stand all night book a standing ticket.

Then it’s a seated gig and no one stands up. Surely that’s obvious?

Surely unless you’re in a standing area you stay seated (which is why I would only buy standing tickets).

You certainly don’t stand up in front of other people and block their view, particularly if they’ve asked you not to.

If for some reason this person can’t stand all they’re going to be able to see is your arse and a screen, they could have got a better experience on TV.

What if there isn't standing tickets? For example take that at the 02 in April.

If you want to stand and dance book standing tickets. Really easy. Don’t spoil it for others who want to sit.

If I'm seated at a gig, I only stand if the people behind me are standing. I think it's really rude to block someone's view.

The only times I’ve been to gigs where there were “standing” areas in the last decade+ were venues that didn’t have any seating

I live in Scotland and have been to several gigs in both Glasgow and Edinburgh since COVID. I've been to more that have both standing areas and seating, than to ones that are all seated or all standing. IME it depends on the venue rather than how long ago the gig was.

It annoyed me that the woman had to ask for the guy

You don't know why that was though. It could have been as they thought it would be less intimidating for you. Perhaps the bloke has difficulty speaking to other people - I often have to order in restaurants for my husband if his mutism kicks in.

Agree with this- there’s a bit of give and take because people know it’s enjoyable to stand but also that some people can’t or don’t want to. Please don’t assume that being able to stand for one song means you can stand for an entire concert.

Just standing throughout and ignoring someone asking you to sit is awful, IME, unless you had to stand because the people in front of you were standing.

Agree It would be better if venues gave clearer directions eg in these seats you have to sit, in these ones you may sit or stand. But as it is, I think if you want to stand the whole time you should buy a standing ticket.

YANBU. Yes some people aren’t able to stand but IMO it’s an unfortunate tough luck. I had this exact experience recently and I couldn’t fathom why it was fine for the woman to loudly insult me for standing, yet she herself stood for the “big hits”. I’ve paid to see them live because I love all the songs and they’re all big hits to me? 😵‍💫 Getting up and dancing is part of the experience and I would assume that woman has just never been to a concert before.

I think it's very much artist dependent. And venue dependent.

Some concerts are fully seated including the floor. I went to see Take That a few months ago and had tickets on the floor. But the floor was fully seated. But obviously no one really sat down. I sat occasionally when my back was sore and accepted I would miss those bits. I remember seeing them in the 90s and the entire arena was standing. I'm not sure it would be possible to get thousands of teenage girls to sit in their seats for take that back then! I'm guessing it would be the same for similar bands now.

I was up in the gods for ACDC at the weekend and most people sat for the majority of the show and only stood for the big hits.

For energetic shows (especially heavy rock bands) it's actually quite weird to see people sitting dead still just watching.
A lot of people seem to say that it's fine for people to stand for the big hits. But why? Surely if you can't see you can't see.

I think there should be dedicated seated areas and dedicated seats but can stand areas. I don't think it should be as simple as seat = sit down only as seats will massively out number the standing option. It also wouldn't allow for concerts like take that where it was fully seated.

Due to a bad back I also struggle to stand for hours so floor standing wouldn't be work for me. Also what about kids/teenagers that want to see the band and go a bit crazy dancing about but aren't allowed on the floor for safety reasons? The floor at rock gigs can be quite gross and unsafe. There was 2 teenage (14 ish) boys at the ACDC concert having the time of their life. They were the very back row so weren't obstructing anyone's views and were dancing and jumping and waving their arms about for the full 2 hours. They knew the words to every song and honestly seemed to be having the most fun of their lives. It wouldn't have been as fun if they'd have had to sit down throughout.

So yeah I think maybe certain blocks should be for seated only and some seating but can stand.

I go to quite a lot of gig/concerts and I would say it does general depend on who you are seeing.

BUT, in general the rules usually is if you have a seated ticket you stay seated for most of the concert. If everyone stays seated, everyone can see. Sometimes the odd song will come on and someone gets up for a little bit and then sits down.

what usually happens is near the end or the encore when a band plays its big hits then everyone gets up to dance and it is a free for all.

I would be annoyed if I had a seated concert and the people above me stood up for the whole thing and I didn’t want to. Sometimes I get tired standing for too long which is why I buy the seated tickets.

however, if everyone stood up at a gig then that’s the done thing. It really is gig dependant. The rule is not to the only one!

Get the feeling a number of contributors haven’t been to many gigs for a while. On average I go to at least 5 a year and the majority are in arenas. The only times I’ve been to gigs where there were “standing” areas in the last decade+ were venues that didn’t have any seating.

It used to be the case for pretty much any arena and stadium gigs I went to that you’d have standing immediately in front of the stage (pitch level for stadium gigs) and the back of an arena and in the blocks above it was seated. Truthfully however I haven’t been to a gig where the layout was like that for a long time now. It’s seated even directly in front of the stage.

Reading some of the replies here it brings to mind interviews with The Beatles when they recalled what it was like playing concerts in Japan. The audience just sat and clapped after each song. Doubt many bands and artists want that at their gigs to be honest. I do a mix of standing up and sitting down.

Personally I think your attitude was selfish.

It's possible to enjoy a concert sitting down, I've never understood why people stand up (although I'd not judge people who do).

I went to a music festival a few years ago and one of my mates got furious with me for sitting in my camping chair during one of the acts. He seemed to think it was somehow disrespectful? Is anyone able to explain the rationale behind this?

So yes, in general I think if you bought tickets in a seated area its unreasonable to stand and block the view. It's also unreasonable to imply that a concert can't be enjoyed sitting down.

When I'm seated I sort of play it by what's behind me. I went to a stadium gig last year where everyone stayed seated but I went to one recently where everyone stood up. I turned round at one point and noticed the man behind sat down and went to sit and he told me to get back up (I spoke to him a bit before and he knew i was a mega fan). I think it's just about trying to be considerate.

It’s very selfish, just buy standing tickets if you want to stand.

Have you tried getting an accessible tickets op? They're like gold dust. Sometimes it's not even worth trying.

YABU. If you want to stand, get a standing ticket.