Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

People dancing at concerts and blocking the view - annoying

236 replies

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 17/10/2023 08:50

Yes we all want to do it, well most of us do, I do, but hopefully we are mindful that some want to remain sitting but still want a view of the band they've paid to see, and make sure that we're not being selfish about it.

I was at a concert recently and a woman two rows in front of us was doing this. She stood up and started dancing like that woman on the Tales of the Unexpected intro, waving her arms around to the very first song and whoop whooping. She didn't block our view, but I could see others behind her were pissed off.

A man behind her eventually tapped her on the shoulder and pointed behind him (to people who couldn't see) and to the aisles where people were dancing. We heard him say they've also paid fifty quid, same as you, and are entitled to a view. She didn't move, but did sit down. Then got up again five minutes later and did the same thing for the rest of the evening. I saw people filming her. The man and his partner then got up and moved to the aisles and started dancing themselves.

I don't really know how it can be stopped, but it's annoying. The friend I was with said that in future she doesn't want to have any tickets in the circle or stalls for this reason, she'd rather be on a balcony with an unimpeded view, sit still and see whoever we'd come to see without people dancing in front.

OP posts:
ButWhatAboutTheBees · 17/10/2023 10:21

Brefugee · 17/10/2023 10:07

people pay a LOT of money. If they are in a seat it is often because they can't stand, or can stand only for a limited time.

Selfish twats like this should fuck the fuck off to where they aren't blocking anyone, or sit down.

(luckily where i am they would be ejected for doing that, by security)

I've only ever been able to book seated. Very few concerts have had standing areas and those are usually tiny compared to the seating areas

We all pay a lot to go and enjoy it. And that includes standing up and dancing.

If they had to eject everyone standing at most of these concerts then they'd have to eject most of the audience.

DragonFly98 · 17/10/2023 10:22

margotrose · 17/10/2023 09:22

That’s a really selfish attitude. what about the people who book a seat because they know they can’t stand for the gig or should they just not bother going

No - they should book appropriate seats for their abilities.

What! Disabled seating has people in front!

Michellebops · 17/10/2023 10:23

ButWhatAboutTheBees · 17/10/2023 10:07

If it's an all seated venue then the organisers DONT want anyone up and dancing

Bollocks they don't! Tickets will say on them that people around you may stand. And they aren't going to remove thousands of seats for every concert people will stand at

I've never had a ticket that says that, just checked the tickets for my next 5 events in Ticketmaster.

1 is standing and 4 are seated - my choice.

DragonFly98 · 17/10/2023 10:24

They should stop selling alcohol and more people would be able to act appropriately. Concerts are for listening to the artist not shrieking and dancing about. Go to a nightclub for that.

HikingforScenery · 17/10/2023 10:25

🤣🤣🤣

HikingforScenery · 17/10/2023 10:26

HikingforScenery · 17/10/2023 10:25

🤣🤣🤣

thé laughter was to the ´you can dance to Adel?’ query

Mrsglitterfairy · 17/10/2023 10:27

I am literally 5ft tall and expect to have my view blocked when I’m at a concert. Most arenas have tiered seating so if I’m in seats, you’re always higher than the person in front and I won’t get floor seating for that reason. Although usually I try and get full standing anyway, although it means I often can’t see, I still enjoy the music and enjoy everyone around me enjoying it

gotomomo · 17/10/2023 10:28

Yabu, it's a concert. Same goes for singing along.

Ok some concerts people do sit - at Peter Gabriel people stayed seated for all but a couple of songs and not much singing along but that's the exception. If possible I book standing tickets

justlonelystars · 17/10/2023 10:30

YANBU. I went to a Paul McCartney concert and there were quite a few older people there. Everyone stood for the big hits but there was 2 younger women standing for the whole concert. The people behind were really quite elderly and couldn’t see. They did ask them to sit down but they refused. £95 a ticket too - I did feel for them!

BodegaSushi · 17/10/2023 10:32

DragonFly98 · 17/10/2023 10:24

They should stop selling alcohol and more people would be able to act appropriately. Concerts are for listening to the artist not shrieking and dancing about. Go to a nightclub for that.

Omg I'm so glad some people like you aren't in charge of rule making. What a fucking bore life would be

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 17/10/2023 10:33

justlonelystars · 17/10/2023 10:30

YANBU. I went to a Paul McCartney concert and there were quite a few older people there. Everyone stood for the big hits but there was 2 younger women standing for the whole concert. The people behind were really quite elderly and couldn’t see. They did ask them to sit down but they refused. £95 a ticket too - I did feel for them!

If I was the older people I'd have asked them to swap seats, as clearly they didn't need theirs as they were only going to stand up and dance anyway! Result!

OP posts:
ButWhatAboutTheBees · 17/10/2023 10:34

Concerts are for enjoying the music
That can involve dancing, singing along, enjoying the atmosphere...

ExtinguishTheLight · 17/10/2023 10:34

No, it's not ok. My job involves going to gigs and yes, people get in your way and block your view. But you either stand up only if everyone else is doing so in seated or you book standing tickets.

BodegaSushi · 17/10/2023 10:35

I don't have a disability but I tire from standing for long lengths of time. I go expecting that I will sit when I'm tired. I stand for the upbeat songs (most recent concert was Lizzo) and sit when it's slower/I don't know it. I don't begrudge everyone else around me the fun of standing and dancing because it's not that deep. I got to a concert for the experience, unless you're right at the front you're looking at screens anyway?

Maybe the people expecting to stay seated the entire time are talking about different types of concerts? Like I just cannot imagine going to Wembley for Beyoncé and expecting everyone to sit

Toastcrumbsinsofa · 17/10/2023 10:36

This is exactly why I have only ever been to a couple of live gigs. I refuse to pay a lot of money for a concert where I won’t see anything and feel uncomfortable.

I’m disabled and the accessibility arrangements at most UK venues is pretty poor. The only exception is ABBA voyage where the seating and arena were absolutely fantastic!

Catmum2 · 17/10/2023 10:40

I was once asked to sit down by the woman behind me at a bananarama concert. Everyone was up dancing and having a great time. I was actually shocked at her audacity and entitlement- I mean, who doesn’t get up and dance at a bloody bananarama concert? The band themselves were even urging everyone to get up and dance!

I just laughed in a bewildered manner and carried on dancing.

Unless it’s something like opera/classical music YAB totally U to expect people to be as anal and boring as you and stay seated.

DragonFly98 · 17/10/2023 10:42

BodegaSushi · 17/10/2023 10:32

Omg I'm so glad some people like you aren't in charge of rule making. What a fucking bore life would be

Yes it's pretty boring /crap being wheelchair bound not being able to see because wheelchair seating is not front row and having someone wave their arms in your face with the added issues of autism causing sensory issues with make shrieking ( not singing shrieking)unbearable.

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 17/10/2023 10:43

YABU. If you stood up to dance too, your view wouldn’t be blocked.

Even if you're disabled, elderly, have mobility problems or any other reason why you need/prefer to sit? Why do those wanting to stand automatically get their way?

As for the other suggestion that people wanting/needing to stay seated should book the front rows (and presumably should have to miss it if that tiny percentage of the total number of seats has sold out), the front rows are usually booked as soon as tickets go on sale by the most enthusiastic fans who want to dance and shriek. Ironically, they're often also too close to the stage to be able to see properly whilst seated.

Why not flip it around and say that the people wanting to stand/dance should be expected to book the back rows?

I can't believe how many selfish people there are, who know the way that they like to enjoy a concert and tell other people that their way of enjoying it is 'wrong' - and so it's apparently their own fault for 'concerting wrong'. They remind me of the nightmare neighbours who permanently play thuddy music at a very loud volume and will blame anybody who complains for 'not appreciating music'.

ImJustMadAboutSaffron · 17/10/2023 10:43

@Catmum2 Did you read my OP? I wasn't seated (not anal, or boring either, come to that ... but I am a catmum too ...)

OP posts:
Wonkasworld · 17/10/2023 10:43

gabsdot · 17/10/2023 10:19

I went to Deacon Blue concert a couple of weeks ago and sat in the circle. We're all oldies I suppose but no one was standing up until the end and anyone who did was asked to sit down by the ushers.
However the women in the row behnd me talked through the entire thing at the top of their voices. They were so annoying,

Deacon Blue, flash from the past! Any good?

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 17/10/2023 10:46

Deacon Blue, flash from the past! Any good?

There was a quiz programme on yesterday where they had a question about a musician called 'Rick Ross' - apparently he's a rapper, I hear - and I was getting so annoyed at the telly because they'd obviously missed off the 'y' !

BodegaSushi · 17/10/2023 10:48

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

MuchuseasaChocolateTeapot · 17/10/2023 10:48

Don’t have an issue with dancing by people holding their phones up to film the entire thing need a slap.

Wonkasworld · 17/10/2023 10:50

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 17/10/2023 10:46

Deacon Blue, flash from the past! Any good?

There was a quiz programme on yesterday where they had a question about a musician called 'Rick Ross' - apparently he's a rapper, I hear - and I was getting so annoyed at the telly because they'd obviously missed off the 'y' !

😂

Mistressanne · 17/10/2023 10:53

DragonFly98 · 17/10/2023 10:24

They should stop selling alcohol and more people would be able to act appropriately. Concerts are for listening to the artist not shrieking and dancing about. Go to a nightclub for that.

I went to a Take That concert, the one with all the circus stuff. My niece, quite sensibly as it turned out, didn’t want to go so I bought her ticket. In fact I only went for Robbie as he had rejoined for the tour.
We could see ok even with the woman in front dancing. I couldn’t relax though because said woman was so drunk I thought she was going to topple over the balcony.
Felt sorry for Take That though as their fan base is more Patsy and Edina than Gigi Hadid.
On the plus side Pet Shop Boys we’re the warm up act.