Why do people get blind drunk at concerts?

[Menora]

DD went to a large concert venue last night which she said was marred by women (she said many were over 40 - i.e. my age 🤣) getting so drunk they were falling down the stairs, spilling drinks on people and in one case, accidentally hurting someone in the row in front by falling on them. She said it was so cringy and embarrassing.

DD and her mates couldn’t afford to get drunk even if they wanted to as a bottle of wine was £32!

I did notice the same thing last time I went to a concert, the row behind us all got so blotto they had to leave before the end, one woman lost her shoes, her boyfriend stormed out with embarrassment and another slipped over on the steps when she spilt her drink and hurt herself and was carried out by security.

Yes, it’s a gig. I’ve been thoroughly sploshed at many gigs.

It’s not a night at the theatre.

@I8toys

Yabu. Unless you have mobility issues or are a child no one should go seated at a concert. Unless it Michael buble or Daniel o'donnell!

I like a drink beforehand but not during as I can't be arsed to keep going to the toilet!

Are you 14? Because being 14 might just explain, although not excuse, the ignorance of that comment.

To be honest lately I've noticed that the drinking culture in this country ruins a lot of things.

@Luredbyapomegranate

Yes, it’s a gig. I’ve been thoroughly sploshed at many gigs.

It’s not a night at the theatre.

Is that anything to be proud of!

It's not for me, I find it really cringey. When I was 18-25ish I enjoyed a drink but as a grown adult woman I can think of 1000 better things to do than get wankered at a concert and the hangover after.

Thinking about it, I often feel a bit sorry for middle aged women getting sloshed out and about and embarrassing themselves, I automatically presume they have crap lives with nothing interesting in it like holidays or hobbies or friends and interests 🤷🏼‍♀️ yeah, I'm really judgy I know.

I think sometimes the artists come on stage so late, people will have spent most of the evening drinking. Then, when it's someone like Craig David, it's going to be a more clubby atmosphere with people up dancing whilst holding their drinks. Not sure if it's ever been any different in the 40 years I've been going to concerts!

@Dumblebum

Because it’s fun?

I enjoy a drink and am definitely no teetotaller, but getting so drunk you lose functionality and veer into complete embarrassment isn't fun. Not fun to do, not fun to watch.
Add to that the price of a ticket, which have soared well into extortion … what is the fucking point?

I was at two concerts this week, never saw anyone drunk.

Bloody hell maybe it's their first night out in 2 years, unless they are directly affecting you, let them have fun. Big groups of drunken men, now they're a problem

Totally agree
I bought expensive tickets a few years ago for Beyonce and JayZ.
So many people were blind drunk, constantly getting up to go to the bar and at one point a full bottle was thrown. Security reacted pretty quickly and threw the woman out and were generally pretty good but I couldn’t help thinking why people had paid almost £100 each for a show they weren’t watching most of the time

Depends on the concert probably. If it's a shouty band where everyone is leaping up and down and screaming the words anyway then not so bad, and it'd probably go unnoticed. But if it's not like that and your drunken behaviour stands out and affects others then that's different.

YANBU. We went to see Stormzy at the O2 and there were quite a few drunk people. What I found more annoying was the up and down all the time - they weren't watching the concert.

@LittleRedRidingHood187

Nothing worse and more embarrassing than middle aged people getting drunk and making a fool of themselves. Grow up

Sheltered life perchance? There's plenty worse drunken people than that!

I feel the same about live sports. Rugby League in my case. A small minority of fans are so battered by the time match starts they can’t have a clue as to what’s going on on the pitch. It particularly noticeable with a contingent of fans who go to away games; they’ve forked out for tickets and transport but then fork out so much more on booze on the day that they are almost out of it before kick-off.
That’s more common with male fans than the women in this case though.
If I’m at a match or concert I might have a drink beforehand or at halftime/ interval, but I want to fully enjoy the performance.
Doesn’t happen at the opera. Yet, Although there’s usually an annoying person or two who laugh too loudly at the comic bits of “business” like Figaro’s fake limp, to show they get it.

The first two comments on this thread lol. The duality of mumsnet

@MichaelAndEagle

To be honest lately I've noticed that the drinking culture in this country ruins a lot of things.

And makes us a laughing stock amongst other nations

@Menora

She said that she was worried about people falling on her and spilling drinks on her, or slipping on spilled drinks. The O2 high rafters are pretty unnerving as it is, added in lots of rowdy blind drunk women. She did say it was just cringe watching them act ridiculously. Her and friends didn’t get drunk as they wanted to remember the night seeing an artist they like

Those seats high up are awful I avoid, am not surprised she was worried. Standing up and moving about sober is hard work that high up.

The 02 is all about squashing people in to make big bucks.

Yes, went to a mid sized arena concert last week. Next to me was a middle aged couple, clearly drunk to start with (most of the audience were middle aged, as am I). They were clearly having a fun time, she was all over him and dancing badly, and it was quite entertaining to watch really, as least they enjoyed themselves, although it may not have been quite so enjoyable for those behind them. What I couldn't quite get was that he must have gone out up to five times for more drink and the loo and she went to the loos during one of the best songs. Each to their own, but wondered how much they would have remembered the next day. At least they were "happy drunks" 😊

I think some people get free corporate tickets. I saw Billy Joel at Wembley and the group behind us chatted loudly throughout, ate mounds of junk food and got belligerently drunk. They clearly hadn't paid for the tickets, I don't think they even knew who he was.

Full disclosure, I was blissfully drunk too. But in a good way (waves lighter).

I like to drink at gigs. Big gigs. Small gigs. Medium sized gigs. Festivals. I do as many as possible, it’s my happy place. I buy standing tickets and am always surrounded by other 40+ year old people enjoying a drink (gig going seems to be a continued passion for those who grew up in the 1990’s I’d say). I usually try not to sit down as I know those people have often bought tickets to enjoy a different experience to me.

I don’t like going for walks. I can’t think if anything more pointless than a walk in the countryside, struggling to park, having to make a picnic, not being able to find anywhere for a wee, all to end up back where you started. But I imagine some people who don’t like drinking at gigs love a good walk. Because we are all different.

@bruffin

I was more often the sploshee than the splosher. More sinned against than sinning. I have sposhed, I admit, through enthusiasm, bopping, mild merriment, blind drinkenness, overenthusiastic conversational gesticulating, and occasionally pointing out where the loos are.

But it is giglife (TM #giglife) and I am happy to be part of it.

The 02 is feckin grim mind you. Only when desperate.

@SellFridges

I like to drink at gigs. Big gigs. Small gigs. Medium sized gigs. Festivals. I do as many as possible, it’s my happy place. I buy standing tickets and am always surrounded by other 40+ year old people enjoying a drink (gig going seems to be a continued passion for those who grew up in the 1990’s I’d say). I usually try not to sit down as I know those people have often bought tickets to enjoy a different experience to me.

I don’t like going for walks. I can’t think if anything more pointless than a walk in the countryside, struggling to park, having to make a picnic, not being able to find anywhere for a wee, all to end up back where you started. But I imagine some people who don’t like drinking at gigs love a good walk. Because we are all different.

EXACTLY

MY PEOPLE

I don’t know OP but I only go to concerts of artists I actually want to listen to and would feel like i ruined the experience for myself if I got drunk. The people I associate with are the same though.