People dancing at concerts and blocking the view - annoying

[ImJustMadAboutSaffron]

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.

It was aimed specifically at the concert I attended which was in the O2 with a large standing area

Go if you want to. But it's unreasonable to expect other people to stay seated.

But this is about concerts in general and you never specified

There will be some where it is inappropriate to stand up and dance. But a great number are going to involve people dancing in their row

Sorry, thought I had said it was O2, but hadn't.

Believe me, if I could book front row I would - but it's really difficult. Maybe those wanting to dance can book back row?

To basically be told "tough, you shouldn't go if you're disabled" is a pretty shit opinion to hold, and has been repeated in this thread a few times.

If you book an end of aisle seat you get a better view.
Also most concert venues have walkways breaking up the seated rows. Booking seats just in front of these walkways also gives you a better view as it gives you a meter or more of no seats in front of you and you still have the incline working for you.
People are going to dance at concerts, it doesn't mean people who sit shouldn't go.

This is a relatively recent thing, IME. we booked tickets to see a favourite singer and his band about 12 years ago at the Shepherd's Bush Empire, he was the kind of singer who did concerts where people dress up in a wacky way if they like. It was great, nobody stood up except for some people in boxes (looked like their parties had booked the entire box) . People who wanted to dance did so in the aisles.
Fast forward to about three years ago, the same singer was back in London, this time at a typical theatre in theatreland. Not a concert hall. Almost everyone stood up as soon as he came on and stayed standing up. We had little choice but to do the same, even though I can't stand for long.
And even worse a woman directly in front of us was completely over the top, throwing herself around, taking up three of four seat widths, hooting and hollering and shouting to her friends who were not seated with her. (Wonder why...)
We asked her to cool it several times but she couldn't give a fuck.

And hardly anyone was actually dancing. Mostly standing, jumping up and down, throwing themselves around, shouting, (not singing) and making ridiculous amounts of noise.
It's a concert, all we really wanted was to enjoy the music and see the band. Fat chance of either.

I wonder if some of the changes are safety based?
I've been to a fair few different concerts this summer in different locations and in each one people weren't allowed to stay in the aisles.
They were asked to return to their seats because blocking the aisles was a fire and safety hazard.

justteanbiscuits

I had similar at a gig recently. If you want to stand and dance, get floor tickets

If this is the O2 you are referring to, firstly it isn’t every single event that has floor tickets. Most of the time the “floor” is a seated area with lines and lines of fold up chairs.

Then there is the cost of the floor area even though it is standing only. I have booked as a surprise for dc and it was definitely more expensive than seating in certain areas

Then there is actually the problem of trying to get tickets to that bit. They I think are the first to sell out

YABVVVVVU gigs are for dancing and having fun. Our local theatre is quite small. I always book backrow seats in the upper bit so I can dance and sing and have a ball without miserable gits huffing and puffing and telling me to sit down

The O2 were very hot on this at Elton John and Duran Duran this year. Standing up absolutely fine, move an inch into the aisle and security were there immediately!

On the other hand, there are some disabled people (such as myself) who can’t stand for long periods of time but can do short spells of dancing. So, by your logic, I can’t to win.

I've learned something today. I never realised that so many concerts had all seating. I have only been to concerts at our local venue and the floor has been standing only, with the only seating in the balcony. This seems to work well for everyone,

Isnt it weird, I dont know why people dance. I actually go to watch the performance. If you are dancing then you are not watching the group (generally). Ive never understood why people get up and dance instead of enjoying the show.......

Because they enjoy the performance differently to you?

We have to keep the aisles clear for fire safety purposes. Too clogged up with people and it becomes a hazard.

But dont you miss whats going on? (and prices arent cheap theses days.......) I mean, you might as well just stick Spotify on if you just want to dance.

They're a band. You can hear them, that's generally what you want a band for.

You can see them on the big screens

And there is absolutely no way live music and the atmosphere of a crowd is the same as Spotify

Every time I’ve been to a concert at the o2 most people in the seated areas are up standing 🤷‍♀️

I'm short and always had someone with massive hair or really tall stand in front of me, just spoils it,

A man shouted at me for sitting down at a concert once! I was behind him! I couldn’t stand due to an injury and was quite happy sat listening but he seemed very offended by that.

This is nonsense. Of course you can dance and watch the band. We're not talking the foxtrot, just moving with the music. I find it almost impossible to sit, or stand stil sometimes
I'd course it depends on the act. If it's someone quieter, like James Taylor (one for the kids there) or last night I saw one man with an acoustic guitar in a castle (?!), it's a sit and listen, but for uptempo stuff you want to move...and the bands usually love playing to people who look enthusiastic.

@ExtraOnions Exactly this! Same situation and completly agree. So annoying having to watch live music through someone's phone screen!

It’s music. What else do you do with music?

YABU. I’m 5ft and everyone’s stood up at every concert I’ve ever been to (I go to a lot). I’ve never seen people dancing in the aisles but dancing in their seats.

I’m too small to block anyones view but even if that wasn’t the case I would still stand up - that’s what concerts are for, to enjoy.

Here's the thing. Venues these days often have limited standing and more seats. It isn't because everyone is expected to sit on their bottoms at concerts. There's a few reasons. One is, tiered seating offers better opportunity for varying prices. Another is that lots of people standing in an open space offers a higher chance of crush incidents, even when tickets are not oversold. Large groups of people unrestrained by having to stand by or sit on a seat will surge forward. Those at the fron can get crushed/can't easily get out. Restricting people to seated rows makes crowd control much easier, as they found when they moved from standing terraces to seated football stadia.

The presence of seats, unless otherwise indicated by the venue and depending on the type of event, does not equate to the necessity of patrons sitting down.
How do we resolve this problem? Venues need to do something about disabled access and seating. Discounts should be offered if visibility will be low due to standees. Patrons need to read the room and not stand if the majority around them aren't. If the majority are standing, but some people aren't, and you are Infront of them, ask if they object to you standing. If they do and you really want to stand, maybe suggest swapping seats.