Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

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:
ShutItYouSlag · 17/10/2023 13:00

@Princesspollyyy and@ImJustMadAboutSaffron

Aaww, they were a brilliant night out back in the day! Great value for money, no miming, and a right good laugh! 🎸.

Princesspollyyy · 17/10/2023 13:02

ShutItYouSlag · 17/10/2023 13:00

@Princesspollyyy and@ImJustMadAboutSaffron

Aaww, they were a brilliant night out back in the day! Great value for money, no miming, and a right good laugh! 🎸.

Old men with rat-tail like ponytails... 😂😂 not my kinda thing

ShutItYouSlag · 17/10/2023 13:05

I never said they were beautiful! 😂😂

LivingDeadGirlUK · 17/10/2023 13:17

Given there are only limited standing tickets and most people would want to have stood if they could its hardly reasonable to complain about people dancing at their seats. The last few gigs I've been to the standing tickets (if not ALL the tickets) were gone in minutes.

I had seats in the very back row for Bullet for my Valentine and got some amazing videos of the whole venue up and dancing, hell everyone was going for it with a Chop Suey singalong before they even came on stage.

Princesspollyyy · 17/10/2023 13:30

ShutItYouSlag · 17/10/2023 13:05

I never said they were beautiful! 😂😂

😂😂 fair point

ShutItYouSlag · 17/10/2023 13:38

Rick was a handsome lad in his day

People dancing at concerts and blocking the view - annoying
gotomomo · 17/10/2023 14:14

I'm going to a concert Saturday at an all seater venue (because it's a theatre) but lots of bands go there if they need a 1000 seater sized venue. I will report back whether its standing or seating predominantly .... I suspect a mix as the key demographic will be 50-70 years old

Shakespeareandi · 17/10/2023 14:23

I've never had seated tickets as I want to move about do always floor standing tickets. I assumed seating tickets were for people who wanted to sit down. Why do you book seated tickets to stand up? I think YANBU. If you want to block someones view, get standing tickets. Simple, really. Onus is on you.

mooneigh · 17/10/2023 15:00

If you want to dance about get a standing ticket. Seateed tickets should be for those to sit down and watch. I know some don't or can't but unfortunetly there is not a lot that can be done about it. There is usually always a small amount of people that ruin it for others.

I think the worst is when people are in front of you filming. Grrr Sometimes if your in the pit or in a good spot you can't move you just need to wait for them to stop but it's annoying.

DrinkingMyWaterMindingMyBiz · 17/10/2023 15:06

YABVVVVU. It’s a concert. The seats are there, yes, but most people tend to dance at a concert. Standing tickets aren’t ideal for everyone as they can’t sustain long periods of standing and/or the crowding that often happens in standing area, so the option of having a little dance, then sitting for a bit, and then getting back up to dance is perfect.

I have never, ever been to a concert where people sitting down the whole time and certainly have never seen anyone express contempt at people dancing at a concert. I didn’t even know that was a thing.

Ace56 · 17/10/2023 15:09

God, imagine going to a rock/pop concert and just sitting stoically in your seat for the whole time, not moving or dancing. Bizarre!

Of course people are going to stand up. Every single concert I’ve been to, people in the seated section are standing up and are actively moved out of the aisles (these usually need to be clear for emergency reasons). The point of buying a seated ticket is so you have a bit more space, somewhere to put your stuff and sit down maybe during a slower song or at the beginning before it’s started. Not with the expectation that you can sit through the whole concert with no one else around you standing up either 🙄

ButWhatAboutTheBees · 17/10/2023 15:16

Had a little look at Take That tickets, a show I expect there to be dancing to.

The few venues I glanced through - all seated, no standing areas.

I can't imagine they are expecting everyone to sit throughout the whole show. Which means they expect people to dance in their seats.

PatriciaHolm · 17/10/2023 15:31

The O2's FAQ specifically say -

Q -"Can I stand up and dance?"

"Yes. At most events you’re allowed to stand at your seat. But please don’t stand on seats, in walkways, stairways, gangways or aisles. And please don’t climb, crowd surf or mosh."

Policies may differ at other venues of course.

ExtraOnions · 17/10/2023 15:40

Standing doesn’t bother me too much, I am quite short but manage … what does annoy me though is people shoving their hands over their heads and recoding the bloody thing on their phone. I end up with a view of 40 iPhone screens.

Why do people do this ? Why not just watch the stage, enjoy and participate ? Who exactly is going to look at your shaky footage ? The sound is never as good as you think it’s going to be. It’s gets right on my nerves.

ButWhatAboutTheBees · 17/10/2023 15:53

From a couple of other venues:

"Dependent upon the nature of the event you are attending audiences may choose to stand and dance. This can vary from just one song to the whole show. In general the stewards will go with what the majority of the audience. Standing & dancing isn't exclusive to the floor area but in our experience this area of the venue has a tendency to be more active. Again if you have any concerns about this for any member of your party, our advice would be to book tickets in the tiered blocks - although there is no guarantee you wont have people standing/dancing around you in this area it is less likely and has less impact as the seating is tiered."

"Dependent upon the nature of the event you are attending audiences may choose to stand and dance. This can vary from just one song to the whole show. In general the stewards will go with what the majority of the audience. Standing & dancing isn't exclusive to the floor area but in our experience this area of the venue has a tendency to be more active. Again if you have any concerns about this for any member of your party, our advice would be to book tickets in the tiered blocks - although there is no guarantee you wont have people standing/dancing around you in this area it is less likely and has less impact as the seating is tiered."

WhamBamThankU · 17/10/2023 15:57

I get you OP. Last year I spent a lot of money on tickets for a very popular show in London and I was sat behind a behemoth of a man and missed a lot of what happened on stage. Not his fault but it really pissed me off I wasted my money.

Homesweethome23 · 17/10/2023 16:03

This is why I don’t go to concerts anymore, the standing dancing didn’t bother me too much as others have said it’s a concert what did bother me was the ridiculous big signs people held up that blocked the view. No need for banners they should be banned.

Also haven’t been to the cinema for years because of inconsiderate people on their phones constantly.

beguilingeyes · 17/10/2023 16:22

ShutItYouSlag · 17/10/2023 13:38

Rick was a handsome lad in his day

They're a bit of a shadow of their former selves these days..especially since Rick died, but Status Quo were one of the great live bands back in the day (late 70s early 80s). Even now I defy anyone not to have a good time.

ButWhatAboutTheBees · 17/10/2023 16:48

Just realised I posted the same bit twice 🤦‍♀️

"It is accepted that at most concerts the audience will stand throughout the main artiste’s performance, and this is also stated on your ticket if you buy through our official box office, The Ticket Factory. However, standing on seats and in the aisles is strictly prohibited on health and safety grounds"

ShutItYouSlag · 17/10/2023 17:14

@beguilingeyes

👏👏 agree with all that you say!!

  • and I have the deafness in my right ear to confirm that they were indeed one of the great live bands of their time🎸
KimberleyClark · 17/10/2023 17:25

ShutItYouSlag · 17/10/2023 17:14

@beguilingeyes

👏👏 agree with all that you say!!

  • and I have the deafness in my right ear to confirm that they were indeed one of the great live bands of their time🎸

Their performance of Rockin’ All Over The World kicking off Live Aid was unforgettable.

justteanbiscuits · 17/10/2023 17:29

I had similar at a gig recently. If you want to stand and dance, get floor tickets. I can't stand and dance, as much as I would love to. Chair dancing is easy! But ONE woman, two rows in front of me, stood and danced with waving arms for most of the gig. Then the person behind me started filming the whole thing WITH THEIR FLASH ON. I turned on the torch of my phone and pointed it at her, and apparently ruined the video 🙄

nearlywinteragain · 17/10/2023 17:33

I'm a short arse so book tickets either at an aisle edge or a front row before a lip so I can see.
But concerts often don't have much sitting down.

ButWhatAboutTheBees · 17/10/2023 17:34

If you want to stand and dance, get floor tickets

Except for all the venues/shows that don't have floor tickets.... and state people may well stand up and dance

justteanbiscuits · 17/10/2023 17:36

A someone who would qualify for disabled seating:

This is never at the front in arena / large venue with seating. You end up with exactly the same problem
I want to be with my friends. Us all having accessible tickets would take up too many of them
Of course I would love to book front row tickets but this is nigh on impossible. I have never managed it!

Some people have the choice to sit or stand and dance. But there are some of us who don't have that choice because we can't stand for a gig. Thanks to basically saying we shouldn't go. Great attitude

Swipe left for the next trending thread