To be upset at being called a selfish cunt at a concert?

[TheDarkSideOfTheSpoon]

Just got back from a concert in town and although it was fantastic it was spoiled for us a bit. I'm sure IANBU, but perhaps need some perspective.

Friend and I had seats at the end of a row, in the back corner of the arena so looking diagonally towards the stage, next to us was a woman perhaps in her late 70s/early 80s which was a bit surprising, we'd expected more to be with our own age group but other than being mildly surprised we didn't give it a second thought.

Half way through the concert, friend and I are happily stood up dancing and cheering like the majority of people there and a woman leans over from a few seats above & behind us and yells "you do know you two are the only ones stood up in this section don't you, why don't you sit down so other people can see" in a very aggressive tone. We said we're sorry but this is a music concert, strange as it is that this particular section seems to be filled with boring old farts people not wanting to dance actually 95% of the arena are on their feet. She yelled again that this poor woman next to us couldn't see and we ended up having a row where we explained our reasons for standing and she called us various names and eventually left. We felt a bit uneasy then but not sure what to do, our enjoyment would be spoiled by having to stop dancing/waving/cheering but of course not wanting the lady next to us to have her night spoiled either. We offered her our aisle seat to sit in so she would be in front of us and our standing wouldn't get in her way but she turned it down so we tried to get over the row and enjoy ourselves.

Ten minutes later the other woman comes back, on her way to the toilet passed behind us and yelled "I hope you're having a good time you selfish pair of cunts!" before stomping off. We were and tbh a bit upset. Didn't retaliate, so hopefully retained the mythical moral high ground but still it took away from an otherwise good night.

What would you have done? We paid the same as everyone else, we went there looking forward to dancing and jumping about as is usual at concerts, almost everyone else was, if the older lady couldn't stand then there were disabled seats available but she had booked a standard seat. We did offer her ours but she turned it down and from what we could see everyone else could have stood up if they chose. We weren't allowed to move and stand anywhere else. AIBU?

[andtheycalleditbunnylove]

ronan keating???

each to his own, i suppose. you'd be a bit young to come with me to a nick cave gig. and the lyrics would make your hair curl.

[DreamingOfTheMaldives]

I hate standing tickets because I'm only short and can't see properly. I spend my time looking at someone's shoulders!

I think people are often less likely to stand if they are on the second tier as it's so high.

I went to a concert where the selfish ignorant cow woman sat in front of me insisted on standing for the entire concert, including the slow songs which it was impossible to dance to. She was the only one on the bloody tier standing up at that point and despite being asked to sit down because we couldn't see. We then had the choice of standing, and blocking the view of the people behind us, or staying sat and having our view blocked.

I really think you should go with the majority in this sort of situation, if most people are standing in your section then fine but if everyone is sitting down then you should too. It's called common courtesy.

I don't understand people saying you have to sit like a statue if you don't stand up. I've always managed to dance enthusiastically, bouncing around while keeping my arse on the seat so I don't block the view of those behind me.

OP, YWBU and rather selfish

[tabulahrasa]

I'd have expected a Ronan Keating gig to be women in their mid thirties and grannies...and mostly sitting and swaying rather than dancing.

Does he dance? Does he not croon on a stool? If he does dance, is it dad dancing?

[Porkster]

Now I really think YWBU.

Ronan Keating!!

His target audience must be 70 plus.

[Tigerbomb]

I think you have to take your cue from everyone around you when you go to a seated arena gig.

If I have to go to an arena to see a gig, I always try and get standing tickets. If I cant, I rarely go.

The last two arena gigs I went to where I had to sit, the stewards came round and made anyone who was standing and dancing sit down.

How the feck are you supposed to sit and not dance at a Rammstein gig?

[fatasbutter]

Well I don't think YWBU - you have clearly said there weren't any standing tickets available and you were taking your cue from those around you if almost everyone else was standing and dancing! AND when the other person said they couldn't see you offered to swap so they could.

The shouty woman obviously has anger management issues and lots of people here can't read if they keep saying you should have bought standing tickets!!

[ComposHat]

Half way through the concert, friend and I are happily stood up dancing and cheering

I did the same, apparently it isn't the done thing during Wagner's Ring Cycle. It was a shame because I'd dropped a couple of Es before I went in.

[EddieVeddersfoxymop]

This happened to me at the MEN arena. I'm afraid yabVVVVVVVu. I waited 21 years to see the band in question, paid a fortune just to get a ticket. I needed a seated ticket due to having a condition that means I cannot stand for 4 hours + but I am not disabled. The twat in front of me insisted on standing up and dancing despite no one else doing so and being right up in the gods. I asked him politely to sit down so I could see but he called me everything under the sun. He eventually sat down but periodically turned round to have another go at me.

If he wanted to dance that much, he should have bought a standing ticket. I am not disabled but needed to sit down through the gig, hence I bought a seated ticket.

That lady could have been me - she could have been waiting her whole life for that night and you ruined it for her. She shouldnt have been abusive towards you, no doubt about that - but you should have sat down and jigged to Ronan in your seat.

[Pandemoniaa]

I did the same, apparently it isn't the done thing during Wagner's Ring Cycle. It was a shame because I'd dropped a couple of Es before I went in.

[Bunbaker]

What is worse?

a) Having to sit down during a concert
b) Seated behind someone who is standing so you can't see

Answers on a postcard please

[DioneTheDiabolist]

She was rude.
You were unreasonable.

[flippinada]

I'm not sure what the OP has done to deserve such spiteful abuse?

Standing up and dancing at a concert, what appalling behaviour

[flippinada]

I see it was Ronan Keating...not my choice but even so.

[Tanith]

Am I reading the same OP as everyone else??

As I read it, the OP and her friend were not blocking anyone, due to the layout of the seating.
There were no standing areas, only seated.
The only lady they were partially blocking did not want to change places when they offered, and did not complain, much less use foul language.
Another woman, age unspecified, took the opportunity to be rude and abusive.

Because, in that case, I don't think the OP and her friend were being unreasonable at all. The abusive woman seems to have been spoiling for trouble.

[Earthymama]

DP and I went to the British Folk Festival and people were SLEEPING!!
Why would you waste your money?

I love to dance but usually get down to the front of the stage.

[oneforthemoney]

Ywbvu to cheer ronan keating.

[shanks313]

I had a situation at a concert last year..I was 6 rows from the front..centre seat..brilliant view.
2 minutes from the show starting,a man stood in the seat in front of me and I couldnt see a thing.He blocked my whole view.I had to move over so I was sharing the seat space with the woman next to me just to see the show.
It seriously ruined my experience and he wasnt dancing,he was just standing there and taking pictures.

[TotallyBS]

They were in their late 70s or early 80s. Asking you not to stand and block their view was not unreasonable. Did you expect them to stand so that they can see over your (young) dancing heads?

You kind of set the mood for the rest of the conversation by ignoring their request so the harsh (frustrated?) words aren't unreasonable IMO.

Unless you are some screaming, hair pulling teenager at some boyband concert (unlikely given the presence of these old ladies) it is unreasonable IMO to stand from the get go. Normally this is reserved for the encore.

[Wallison]

If you go to a bloody pop concert (not an opera, or a ballet, or a piano concerto) and other people are standing, imho you should just suck it up. The OP wasn't in La Scala - she was listening to music that people (sad, deluded and misguided people but all the same) dance to. It's normal to dance at concerts. I appreciate that not everyone can stand, but to expect others to limit their enjoyment just because you're short or whatever is a bit bloody entitled.

[SpicyPear]

OP I was there and I think YANBU. Most people were standing as far as I could see. If you wanted to sit you could still see the screen. I was there as I took DM (60s) and she stood and bopped around without complaint!

[Mynewmoniker]

At the Status Quo concert the only ones that stood up were the ones that were letting the paramedics through to someone who heart was playing up!

[MrsKeithRichards]

I've been to tons of gigs and hate sitting, will only do so if there are no other tickets available and even then I'd rather not go. However if I do go and have to sit, sit I will.

Every time someone stands the yellow jacketed security people tell them to sit down.

[McKayz]

I've been to loads of concerts and never seen anyone sitting down. It is a concert, you are meant to dance.

[BarredfromhavingStella]

The woman having a pop & calling OP a cunt was not the older lady they were possibly blocking the view of if I have understood correctly?

I've changed my mind a bit now you have said it was Ronan Keating though OP