Was I wrong at this gig?

Like fuck would I move! If you let her in front, suddenly all and sundry will try and cut in and, before you know it, you're back near the entrance! 😂

This scenario is an unfortunate consequence of 'standing' at gigs and is the main reason why I always get seated tickets.

If I'm standing at the front waiting for a gig to begin, and there's a gap next to me, if I spot someone similarly short like me behind, I'll encourage them to join us fellow short arses on the front. 😁 One gig I was at, there was a lass about 4'8 or 9"; we were all ushering her to get right up to the front as she rightfully should have been. 🙂

There's moving with the crowd and then there's unnecessary shoving, though. Not the same thing.

Depressing that more than one person on this thread has described basic consideration for others as 'prissy'.

wtf are you talking about? It’s universally known that if you want to stand at the front then you get in line early and wait. You don’t turn up late and try to shove your way in. Nothing prissy about it at all.

I can't do standing gigs due to back pain, and reading some of these posts I'm not exactly sorry, although I'd like to believe it's a minority of people who act like this. DH and I go to 80s festivals, which given the age demographic are far more civilised and we take garden chairs 😂 though even there there's the odd bit of arsehole behaviour as is inevitable where humans and booze converge.

Hmm I think its more like "I didn't see the dishes"
ie "I saw this perfectly well but considered it not to be a problem and instantly dismissed it"

Reading some of the comments on this thread has made me very glad that standing gigs aren't my scene and that I'm unlikely ever to find myself at one. Sounds like some people see them as an excuse for rudeness and mayhem.

YWNBU. If she was only an inch shorter than you, her big stupid head would have blocked your view, so why should you have a worse view so she could have a better one? Being short isn't a guarantee that you'll stand at the front, surely!

If she'd asked nicely you might have offered to take it in turns to stand in front. Shoving you is not on and I don't blame you for refusing.

I'm 5 foot nothing. I'll queue for six or more hours, if necessary, to get on the front. Once I'm there I ain't budging from that barrier or edge of stage. People with a front row spot rarely do. There are no neat rows behind me in stalls, so tbh I think people have to expect a bit of jostling.

Don't be disingenuous. No one's suggesting that's possible. But a bit of basic courtesy/give and take goes a long way in this situation. And people can be surprisingly accommodating if they're approached right in the first place.

YANBU even if she’d asked nicely it’s just par for the course at standing gigs.

I’m 5ft 10 and got tapped on the shoulder at a gig by a woman telling me her friend couldn’t see. Bearing in mind we were standing sort of halfway back and off to the side, we weren’t exactly in a prime position anyway. I told her I didn’t know what she wanted me to do about it 🤷🏼‍♀️

In a standing gig? You have zero entitlement to space, its wall to wall with people touching, moving and shoving its the entire nature of the situation. Gap keepers actually cause serious physical danger of falls during crowd surges + take up huge space with their entitlement.

Being that 'don't touch me twat' is a great way to get EVERYONE around you to elbow you until you tap out... theres no room for prissy 'stay out of my bubble' people in a crush, book seats or stand at the back if you dont want to be touched.

OP wasn't in the wrong to say no, close the gap to not let her in or even shove her backward but you don't get to demand your own spacial space in the pits.

I’m 5ft 3 and I often joke that I have heard a lot of bands but not actually seen most of them.
I also have 30 years of gigs under my belt, and edging your way into obvious gaps was acceptable but not pushing in where there really wasn’t space and the only time I have ever asked to swap places with someone is at festivals if my kids couldn’t see. But usually we just move around until we find a decent spot.

Gig/crowd etiquette has gone to shit.
You were not wrong, and while I wouldn’t mind being asked I would not appreciate attitude if I said no.

Of course you weren't unreasonable - standing gigs are first come, first served. If others have got there before you to get a better view then tough shit.

I am 5'10"- am I supposed to stand right at the very back regardless of how early I arrive just so people shorter than me can see? thats hardly fair either is it? by this rationale, I'd always have the worst or furthest view of anyone

If someone right behind me couldnt see and asked me politely, I probably would move, however, I am not moving when someone is rude and entitled about it. I respond to polite requests, not demands.

Goodness me. I've never been to a gig and definitely never will after reading this. Some of you sound like wild animals.

I’m 5’4 and it’s a nightmare when you’re stood in a good spot and a very obviously much taller person (95% of the time, a man) comes and stands RIGHT in front of you when there’s space elsewhere, but in this case it sounds like you were already there? So the onus is on her to find a better spot. And either way, she certainly shouldn’t be “shoving” you! What’s that all about?

yep i’d do the same. I position my legs so they can’t stand infront of me. I am 46 i’ve been going to standing gigs as a teen and it’s rude drunk or not. Some people queue for hours to get good spots.

Same for the people that come in late buy 4 pints and try to push their way to the front while spilling beer over everyone.

In my extensive gig going experience this isn’t unusual. In my younger days I was able to dedicate time to queuing and secure barrier spots and have been effectively assaulted by other women who felt they deserved the spot more than me. Basically by trying to make me so uncomfortable that I’d move, eg climbing up my back, levering themselves up using my shoulders, shouting in my ear. Didn’t work, I used my large arse to my advantage and stood my ground. . Sadly, most of the bad behaviour/etiquette I’ve experienced at gigs has been by other women. Drunk/lary lads in the mosh pit have rarely been an issue and are usually “sorry love” if they bump into me too hard. I’ve only been assaulted once by a man (groping) who fucked off quickly when I employed my elbows and then turned round to confront him.

As I’ve got older/responsibilities have meant I’m not had the time to queue to get a barrier spot, but I’ve also accepted this means I need to accept that sometimes usually I get stuck behind a 6ft+ chap who spent all his time at the bar during the support act and joins his shorter friend(s) just as the lights go down for the main act. I can usually get a spot near the front at the side without blocking anyone else and still enjoying the atmosphere.

He was really apologetic as he hadn't seen her

Fuck, I hate it when my husband is right.

lol same! As a 5ft shortie, I assume taller people will stand in front of me even if I’ve arrived early because unless you stand nose to the edge of the stage, natural movement will just create that. So for free standing gigs, I’m just like an invisible butterfly 😅 gently easing in and out people whenever I see a little natural clearing whilst pulling my BF gently with me whom I always have to factor in so I’m careful not to be inconsiderate and shoehorn myself and him in. Unfortunately consideration is increasingly becoming a thing of the past 😑

I had this once at a gig. A woman tried to edge in front of me and I didn't move. Her boyfriend then asked me to move, and I refused, saying I wouldn't be able to see. She then spent about half a minute shoving me with her shoulder, backwards and forwards. I still didn't budge. After that, she gave up and they both moved. Yes, she was shorter than me but I'm only about 1m 60 and me moving sideways would have meant I couldn't see anything. They could have asked any number of tall blokes to move, but of course they picked on a shortish woman, assuming I'd be easier to bully.

I think you were right. I’m only 5 foot and don’t book standing tickets for this very reason. I don’t want to queue for hours to get to the front and then not be able to move to go for a drink/loo etc for the duration. If I can’t get seated tickets I don’t go. Simple as.

she was rude. not your problem she’s short. She could’ve asked someone else to move, but no she tried to make it your problem cause you are woman and she was betting on you being ‘nice’ or not wanting a confrontation.

I work. But I plan my life accordingly and take a couple of hours or so leave to get to gigs early. Working is not an excuse to be a dick

Half the people you know think that the audience at gigs should politely sort themselves by height, with the shortest people at the front, and the tallest at the back? Have they visited our planet before?