Standing at gigs - finally some sense!

Taylor Swift at Murrayfield was probably two of my worst experiences at a concert. Children literally screaming in your ears for the full set the first two nights, night 3 was better but not great. I’ve never seen behaviour like it. We had seats on the lower tiers so it didn’t really matter if people were standing. You always get idiots who don’t give a fuck at concerts, it’s the risk of buying tickets. If I buy a seat it’s because I want to sit, otherwise I buy standing tickets.

Most of the time the accessible area is behind general seating in my area.
There's a block of accessible seating then a few roles where people can stand in front which general ruins the whole point. We once had a mouthful from someone who was standing in front of the wheel chair section. Most people don't even realise it's there

Some accessible areas have different rules. I'm not disabled but can't stand for hours, I don't qualify for some of them

Maybe no-one taught you either?

You're totally right, OP. Gigs are for dancing and singing and I've noticed many have become far too sedate recently. If you're in a theatre with no standing area then it can be really hard to stand. I feel sorry for bands having to play to a bunch of people who like look they're mummified.

Can 8 ask if I wanted to go to a big concert such as Wembley in the disabled area would I be allowed? I have a diagnosed connective tissue disorder which makes standing difficult so could provide evidence of that but I am not in a wheelchair. Do the disabled areas have seats or are they a flat empty space and intended for wheelchairs?

Yes. Along with the vast majority of the other people. If you don’t want to stand book front row seats. Most concerts have a substantial accessible area for those unable to stand. At most concerts this is raised to allow people to see when others stand.

You are the one with a stick up your backside.

I’m 5’3” in my stocking feet and would LOVE to be able to stand and dance in the tiers. I invariably get stuck behind the 6’4” group of friends wearing fedoras when we stand which is most of the time. I’d like to see a proper seated area for people who can’t/don't want to stand, and a standing section in the tiers, OR, the first 5 rows of the tiers are for sitting and everywhere else is for standing and dancing / or you can sit further back but know there will be people dancing and standing around you. One of the best gigs I ever went to was The Wombats at the O2 ‘just’ after lockdown and almost the whole venue was on their feet singing and dancing their hearts out

I go to see guitarists mainly, so standing isn’t the done thing.
I have been to pop concerts though and I can’t stand people standing and dancing. I want to watch the act, not the general public 😂

dancing, screaming, swaying, singing, waving my arms

This is why I don’t go to gigs as a rule. I’d commit a crime.

In my experience, having lived in the US and England, the crowds in the US are not as loud when singing, but they do still sing, and standing in the seated areas is usually allowed in the US as well.

At shows I’ve been at, I expect most people will stand in the seated areas, for some or all of the gig. Maybe it depends on the type of act? Oasis: standing, Adele: seated sort of thing.
What I can’t abide, is when you’ve waited years to see your favourite band, and someone keeps repeatedly going back and forth to the bar so you have to let them past, blocking your view, and their tray of pints is always spilling!
Why book a ticket if you’re not bothered enough to sit through the main act?

Louis Tomlinson's pit would be epic...

Because it doesn’t exist. At most big venues, it clearly states that you can stand in the seated area so that’s the end of it.

Apparently there’s a big difference in concert goer behaviour in America vs Europe. I saw something TikToks saying it’s more usual in America for the audience to be a bit more sedate in their appreciation at a concert. Not sure if this is common across all genres of music or not.

@evilharpy but remember etiquette says you should sit till the end!

Never heard of this etiquette

She’s already said, she can’t get a standing ticket because she’s short and her view is blocked so she gets a seated ticket and stands. Sod the people behind her though that can’t see because of her.
😂🙈

At the gig last week there was a lady by me who had really long hair and it keep brushing against me. I know she wasnt doing anything wrong but shudder. I keep moving away but she took that as permission to spread out more so her hair still keep brushing against me. It's still making me 🤢 now at the thought.

The correct etiquette is that if you are in a seated area, you only stand and dance towards the end when they play their big hits.

No it isn’t.

I'm going next week, we have seated tickets because we couldn't get standing. I will be shocked if there's a single bum on a seat (disabilities aside obviously). Mine certainly won't be.

@Megifer never seen it either

Since standing in the seated area is generally allowed why not have a few dates for people who only want to sit?

People like the OP is the reason I don’t go to concerts 👍