To warn you about the way outdoor concerts are going?

[MontanaMountains]

I love an outdoor concert, or at least I did. I've been going to outdoor concerts for decades and have seen many different bands and artists. It's a lovely tradition of taking a picnic, camping chairs, a blanket incase it gets chilly, maybe a candle in a jar for a bit of atmosphere.

The first I noticed things were changing was a concert at Ragley Hall in 2019. No picnics allowed, no drinks allowed except a small bottle of water per guest. This is all so they can squeeze more money out of you through drink/food sales. At least we could take chairs!

I've just received a concert information email about the Michael Buble concert I'm going to next month. No chairs allowed, no food, no drinks (not even a bottle of water), tiny A4 size bag allowed per person. You may take a rug to sit on but may be asked to remove it when the concert starts. You can buy food and drink from vendors at the venue.

This has taken all the enjoyment out of this event for me. I'd really rather not go. I'm late 50s with a history of back problems and DH is mid 60s, and the thought of standing for hours holds zero appeal. I'd happily return/sell my tickets but it's no refunds and no transfer of tickets. We're stuffed.

I've got another outdoor concert booked in August and I'm guessing the same 'rules' will apply. Sad as it is but I think our outdoor event days are over.

Just warning anyone with a similar history that things have changed, so think carefully before you book.

I've been to outdoor gigs where people have set out chairs and blankets and it's been a nightmare, chairs get the way, umbrellas block people's view, you're trying to dance but feel like your about to trip over people who have set up camp in the middle of the gig. I think there should be specific areas for those who want to do this though.

Fair point; I am a bit odd.

RudsyFarmer

I’m intrigued but a bit worried about googling ‘retractable stool’!

I know someone going to Buble and they’re pissed off about this too. A couple of their group are older ladies who booked this kind of show because they wanted to bring camp chairs and enjoy a relaxed event.

They can’t claim it’s a health and safety thing, because literally the week after they are doing a proms type event where you can take picnics, booze, and all the folding furniture you want. So, why is it OK when listening to classical music but not Buble? Is he scared a lady might run on stage and batter him with a camping chair?

By the way I went to a folk gig and the stupid people in chairs were so annoying, we were forbidden from dancing anywhere near the front! To me if chairs are allowed they should be on the periphery, and definitely no tables!

I went to Wimbledon yesterday, took a bottle of champagne and a picnic. About 25,000 people there and they managed to check all bags. There was a limit on the size of bag but plenty of room for my picnic. It’s not about bag checks. It’s about making money.

If you paid for them with a credit card then you may have some comeback via section 75.

Surely no one under 90 goes to see Michael buble?

I mean..my parents are in their 70s and go to see the Stones, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan..

How is there a market for this?

At the Castle concerts the people with chairs always stayed nearer the periphery leaving a standing area , it was fine . I wouldn’t mind but the caterers are never coeliac certified so there is nothing to eat for the gluten free amongst us anyway .

I also go to the Rochester Castle concerts, used to be so lovely when they had chairs out for those who wanted them and you could take food etc.
I’m going next Friday because I really want to see Third World, DH wanted to go too but can’t because he has back problems. I’m 67 but can just about manage it!
This will be my last one, no seats, not enough loos, ridiculous queues at bar and extortionate food…great shame that something that was so good has gone so bad.

Dd went to the Harry Styles concert the other week and was lucky enough to have a VIP ticket which was seated. All the cheaper seats were standing only - they were let in at around 4pm and I don't think he even came on until about 9pm - it was a hot day and apparently there were people (and these were young girls) fainting left, right and centre and being stretchered out even before Harry came on! Poor things. My dd said she felt awful looking down on it all from the hierarchy of the seating area! And her ticket was something ridiculous like £180, obviously not many people can afford that (she got it for free as her friends df is in events management).
Ive got a concert booked for august which is standing I think and whilst I can't wait to see the artist I'm dreading the standing bit!

Why do they allow you to take a rug to sit on, but you may be asked to remove it when the concert starts? That can’t be for security reasons or they wouldn’t allow a rug in to start with, so I wonder what they have against people sitting down during the concert.

DD recently went to a concert at Wembley stadium - same, no food or drink, tiny bag etc.

Although to be honest concert venues have been banning food and drinks for years - I remember sneaking stuff in when I was a teen!! and I'm not convinced it's wholly a security issue

Well yes, I am quite a tragic person, in fact this is my second Buble concert, so there's no hope really. My 93 year old FIL would shudder at the thought. We can't all be cool.

We’re going to see Bryan Adams at Blickling Hall next week. I’ve got a seat because I’m disabled and using my wheelchair so we’re (me and DH) are going on the viewing platform.

Our email said we’re not allowed to take a bag any bigger than an A3 size, and we can take 1 bottle of water, each, as long as it’s factory sealed. We can’t take umbrellas, but there’s no mention of not being able to take seats. No picnics are allowed, any food has to be bought at the venue. We shall eat before hand so that’s not an issue.

Retractable stool!!! <arf>

I do agree that chairs should always be at the periphery of an event. I have a tiny chair that fits easily into a small rucksack and I’m quite happy to put it away when the bands are on…but when you’re 67 it’s nice to have a sit down during the change overs.
Maybe the event organisers just don’t want older people attending 🤷🏻‍♀️
However, I am going to GnR on Friday when I will have to stand for around 6 hours…and it’ll kill me 😂…but it’ll be my last one doing that!

Voted YANBU however I wish they had the no chair rule at the outdoor cinemas. Haha. Last time we settled down on our rug js cushions but ended up with people coming in front with large garden chairs. Poor organisation and it wasn’t cheap to book.

We went to see Duran Duran two weeks ago...I did manage to smuggle in a couple of hot cross buns and my DP smuggled in some vodka...thank God as it was £10 for two TINY cans of Heineken!

we went to an outdoor concert and they removed the lid from my bottle of water when I purchased it and wouldn’t let me have it back because of ‘the rules’, meaning that I had to either drink the full bottle in one go or navigate through a crowd holding a bottle of water with no lid. utterly bonkers.

@dancinfeet actually this is not bonkers, they remove the lid even if you buy a bottle inside the venue. Reason being if you have 10000 bottles scattered across a site that have the lids on and are empty, someone will fall if they stand on it because it's full of air. If it doesn't have a lid on, it just gets squashed. It's one of the only rules I agree with because people don't know how to throw things in the bin. The rest is money grabbing bonkers.

I agree completely with the "no picnic" rules. You're there to listen to music being performed, not the sounds of other people chomping and slurping! Surely people can go without a meal for two hours?
On the chairs point, YANBU.

One of the main reasons events ban people bringing food or drink, is so they have a captive audience for selling horrible and overpriced food and drink, not because they want the audience to refrain from eating snd drinking all evening!

DD left to go to a concert at Wembley recently at 5pm and got back at 1.30am, that's quite a long time to go without food and drink! (I gave her some tips for sneaking snacks in - although I'm talking about a cereal bar or chocolate, rather than a full picnic!)

Local beer and music festival this weekend (starts Thursday), some ridiculous rules and regs, seems you can take a small bag on one day, but not the next. I cant get an answer as to whether they will let me in with my wooden walking stick and the price of a pint of real ale, seems to be the worlds best kept secret. Ticket price is up from £12.50 in 2018 to £29 quid this year. And just an hour they announced (food vendors apart) the festival is cashless, some people bought their tickets months ago, maybe they dont have debit and debits cards, fcuking joke....

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I went to an outdoor gig last weekend and we were allowed 1litre of drinks, picnics, chairs and blankets so they haven’t all changed thankfully. It always works well, there’s a standing bit by the stage and then everyone on chairs go onto the raised hill so people can still see around you and there’s plenty of space to dance next to your chairs. I hate when they don’t allow any drinks brought in as it just makes the queues ridiculous and you spent most of the gig standing in a line.

What?! That sounds anything BUT "simple" to me!