I stood at a concert

It's a bit like reclining your seat as soon as the aeroplane takes off - yes you can but should you?

I think it's ok stand if the artist encourages it for a song or for the big hits/finale but other than that, sit down. Standing in a seated area for a whole concert, including slow songs and when the artist is talking, is pretty rude.

Generally, I think if more people approached public situations like concerts, travel, shopping with a "we are all in this together" attitude, the world would be a better place.

In this circumstance I'm not sure why you didn't just sit. You weren't actually standing or dancing, you were leaning on the seat.......so basically you were seated but just in the most awkward way for the people behind you. Personally I hate it when people stand for every song - dance songs sure! But everything else just sit down so everyone can see and stop being so selfish

I’ve had the opposite experience! Had seated tickets and decided to stay sitting as had a bad back. Loads of people standing - fine by me. Except one guy in front of me starting shouting at me for sitting and tried to make me stand up!

No idea why he was so distressed about the person behind him sitting down.

The accessible platform should definitely be higher than the people standing! That's really unfair.

I've been to loads of concerts . I always opt for seated as I can't stand for long periods. Everyone gets up and dances for the main act. I do a mixture of standing/sitting. I absolutely would not expect anyone to sit down . What a rubbish atmosphere if they did.

Indeed.

I find it really, really annoying and selfish when people stand at a SEATED event. The events I've been to where people stand are ones with no seats. The ones I've been to with seats, most stay seated (and not doing fucking "windmill arms" in front of everyone).

I didn't realise standing on a seating area was something that happened. This is a bit of a worry as I can't stand for more than a few minutes, I'm not disabled so that area would not be suitable. The few gigs I've been to, the seating areas were balconies and signs said remain seated. I'd hate to pay a lot for tickets and not be able to see.

If you want to stand then get tickets in the standing area, surely that's a no brainer. I'm actually a bit blown away by how rude it would be to stand up in front of a seated person and block their view.

I say stand dance and have fun, I always choose seated now and stand for the majority recently been to 3 seated green day, Taylor swift, Liam Gallagher. I occasionally sit to take a break for my feet (Taylor swift in particular at 3.5 hours long was endurance) everyone was standing at all 3 in their seats. Also because I take my kids the staggered height seating gives them a better view

the flip side was I could only get standing for pink, will never stand again the sea of mobile phones ruins your view and I barely saw her

You weren’t asked to sit down because you’re an ‘easy target’, you were asked to sit down because you were blocking the guy’s view! He paid good money - as did you - to see the show. He couldn’t see the show, or at least not the view he should have been able to see, because you were standing in his way.

Also, the woman’s evening was ruined because you refused to sit down when asked, which ruined her and her partners enjoyment of the entertainment . If you pay for a seated ticket then you should be able to see the show from your seat. The fact you wanted to stand doesn’t mean your needs are greater than his! You say yourself that most of the crowd were sitting

So yes, YABVU. I feel v sorry for the other couple who’ve had their night ruined.

I dont think it's Gary Barlow's fault that the arena didn't make your viewing accessible.

Yabu really, you should get the standing tickets if you want to stand all the way through and not just for specific songs when everyone stands up

YABU. Get standing tickets if you want to stand.

It makes sense to me to have a "fully seated" area and a "seated with option to stand" area as well as a "fully standing" area. That was everyone knows what they have signed up for and doesn't feel disappointed.

YABU
I am going to a concert in August with a friend. We deliberately bought seated tickets because I will be recovering from a major operation and she will be 31 weeks pregnant. We will stand for the big songs but neither of us would be able to stand for the whole concert. If you want to stand throughout you should be in the standing area - that's what it's for.

YABU

Im disabled and do qualify for accessible seating. A few years ago we went to see Gary Barlow in Nottingham. As soon as he came out the people in front of the accessible platform stood up. We could see nothing. DH asked a steward to ask them to sit a bit we were told “the artist wants people to dance and enjoy the concert…” All of us on the accessible platform were unhappy about that because it meant we were just going to see people’s back sides and hear some music, so we made it known. The steward left then a manager came back about 5 minutes later and moved those of us who could walk to seats that were adjacent to the stage. It still meant the people confined to wheelchairs saw none of the concert.

It left a very bitter taste in my mouth. I won’t go to see anything to do with Gary Barlow or Take That again nor will I go to the Nottingham Arena.

Perhaps it depends where you are in the arena - side of the stage different from the middle of a row further back/up - and with everyone else standing I'd have certainly followed suit. But everything I've been to has been definitely standing in those areas (or the entire gig was standing only) or definitely seated in those areas. Apart from parts where when you may be asked to stand if you are able.

YABU. I go to a lot of concerts. If you want to stand you get a floor ticket, as I always do. I assume people who get seats are unable or don't want to stand for hours.

I'm in two minds about this. I wouldn't expect someone to get cross if people are standing in front of them at a concert as I know that's what happens.

However, I kind of wish it didn't as lots of people don't want to stand to watch it and there are specific standing tickets that can usually be bought. Some people are smaller than others and so can't see if a tall person is stiff in front of them.

I think if you want to stand then buy a standing ticket.

I went to Alice Cooper a couple of months ago, all-seated (unfortunately!) but we got seats on the floor rather than up high to the sides.

Strangest thing - normally at seated gigs people either remain seated for most of it, or stand up. But when he came on, the whole floor to the right of the middle walkway stood up. And the other side, my side, remained seated. For the whole show! (Apart from encore.) Must have looked odd to him from the stage!

Re. OP I think you should be able to stand up at gigs just maybe not if you're the only one... if others follow, even if not all, you're fine. People can't expect seated gigs to be guaranteed seated.

This happened to me at Wembley once. Concert started and everyone was just sitting still. I stood up, and the woman behind me tapped my shoulder saying she can’t see so I sat back down.

A few songs later more and more people stood up and then one of my favourites came on so I stood up and she tapped my shoulder again. I told her I’ll sit after the song but by the end of the song, every single person in our section was standing apart from this lady, her husband and her pre teen daughter. She asked me to sit again but I said everyone is standing so me sitting won’t make a huge difference. She complained she bought a seated ticket but I just shrugged my shoulders. I then felt bad so offered to swap seats with her (3 of us and 3 of them), but she refused.

It was then this ridiculous situation where every single person was standing apart from these three. Pretty sure they ruined the experience for their daughter to make a point, as she wanted to stand but they wouldn’t let her.

Unless it’s a classical show of some kind, of course you stand and dance at a concert - it’s part of the fun!

YANBU.
All the concerts I’ve been to (except classical) have most people standing in the seated areas. I go to mainly rock and metal, so there is always a standing area and I never buy seated tickets because I prefer to stand and feel more immersed.

I have had seats when pregnant and sat because of it, most people still stand.
I’ve also had seats when I couldn’t get standing and I stand in the seated area and only sit occasionally for a tiny rest or a drink.

It’s crazy to expect anyone to sit the full way through a concert, even with seated tickets. Not being able to see is likely even with standing tickets, tall people always block your view!

You have made quite a lot of assumptions. Was he actually angry (nothing about it in your post)? Did they storm out or just leave? Why is it a big deal that she asked you and not him?
I mean it seems a bit stupid if there were big screens up to expect you to sit down but I can't believe it was such a big deal that you started a thread about it

Who wants to pay £100+ to have the option of looking at a tv or someone’s arse? Can do that at home for free.

YABU. Standing means you are definitely blocking someone’s view. The concert is there for everyone, not just for your enjoyment.

Each to their own but you’ll never catch me again going to concerts or any type of live performance. Last one was a serious play and people talked, looked on mobiles and ate all the way through it. I didn’t catch much of the performance. What a waste of time and money.