Did my comment deserve ridicule?

[Gladness]

Have name changed as anyone in the group I posted in will know it’s me if they see this.

Basically a band I love have just reunited and the fans have been eagerly awaiting tour dates. One date has just been announced in London. I posted in the comments that I was excited for the gig but hoping they put on another show maybe in central London.

The comment received a mixture of laughing and angry faces and endless comments such as “Typical Londoner” and “What about people who live miles away from London!” Etc

I replied saying I was not suggesting that all dates should be in London, what I meant was if there was a gig in central London it would be easier for people from all over the UK to get to. I continued getting harassed over it so I deleted the comment but some arsehole screenshot it and reposted it so the comments and laughing continued.

Im so upset by the whole thing it’s put me off going to the gig at all and it’s ruined the reunion for me, I know it sounds daft but it has really got to me. I feel totally ridiculed.

I’ve just told DH about it and he laughed and said he’s not surprised I’m getting stick for it!? Was it really such a bad thing to say?!

Hang on a second. Surely if there's going to be a concert in London, those who live outside the capital would find it a lot easier to attend if it's in central London?
If something's held on the outskirts, you have to get a train into London, and then it can take another hour or (and often quite a bit more, and a faffy public transport journey with changes) to get to the venue.

If that's what @Gladness meant by her comment, she absolutely didn't deserve mocking, not was she being London-centric.
I don't live in London, but it is my nearest big city. And if I had to go there to see a favourite band, I'd far rather it was in the centre than somewhere way out that doubled my journey time and involved sketchy or difficult late night public transport

@saraclara thats a very good point too.

@HaitchOar, I was thanking AgnesX for the heads up about Air. Not really bothered about OP's gripes...

@Gladness they’re ridiculing you because London is in no way central to the rest of the uk. The Isle of Man is more central than London! Or at least Wales, or the West Midlands.

If it's a band that people have been waiting to get back together, then it'd sell out wherever it was.

Regardless of how many people live in London, their venues can't hold significantly more than others around the country. And I'd guess the O2 is dearer for putting on a show plus accommodation etc for the crew, than eg Glasgow or Birmingham

@Gladness I'd be hacked off too that a post I'd been tied had been screenshotted and reposted on the band's fan site for continued ridicule

YANBU

Just do Cardiff Castle instead and make a trip of it (and tell anyone who asks why you’ve travelled that it’s at a historic wonderful venue and worth the stupid amount of travelling/skiving work)! That was my excuse last time the Manics played there and will be the excuse for this next time too 😁

OMG did they release a 2nd date? I thought they were only playing on the Friday!!!!! (I’m a teacher, so I can’t take a half day etc. to get there on time.) Thank you!!!!!!!

I saw them in Wales before and it was amazing.

Argh it’s sold out, but I have joined every single waiting list. I usually have luck with Twickets eventually. At least there’s hope now! Thanks again!

The Isle of Man is more central than London! Or at least Wales, or the West Midlands.

Not by population, though.

Or transport connections.

The thing about the London resentment, which has inevitably spilled over into this thread too, is that we don’t even know for sure OP is a Londoner.

She hasn’t said so. Perhaps it was written on her sig on the other forum but otherwise everyone is guessing that she’s the entitled metropolitan elite rather than because it’s easier to access for her.

If she is a Londoner I agree she might just as well have said she hoped they did another date as it was nearer/ she’d like to see them twice.

Can you really not see how your comment came across?

I can appreciate that you maybe didn't mean to sound so London-centric but surely you can see that by suggesting a second date should also be in London you're going to annoy the other half of the country who would find it much fairer to have one gig in London and the other gig in, say, Manchester?

And to say you now don't want to go because a bunch of strangers laughed at you? Why do you care so much?

I'm guessing the OP isn't coming back 🤣 probably posting somewhere about all these horrible people on MN who dont understand her 😀

op started two other threads (under different names) bitching about this reunion for various reasons

a very unhappy person i suspect

Ooh what band is it?

Not RTFT but not going because of strangers’ comments? No one there will even know who you are surely?

I’m not from London and have no real idea what is the difference between getting to “London” and getting to “Central London” tbh. My train comes into St Pancras so I’d have to work it out from there in either case. Can someone give examples of places that are Central London and places that are just plain old London?

I don't think there was anything wrong with your comment. You explained you didn't mean there should only be concerts in London but that another gig in central London would be more accessible. People shouldn't be piling on. You go and enjoy the gig!
However I can understand the irritation from fans who live elsewhere. I live up north and going to a gig in London is a hassle and extremely expensive. My train ticket alone would be over £100 and I'd probably miss the last train back and need a hotel so another £100. I'd have to really love a band to pay hundreds of pounds to see them. For northerners it's much easier and cheaper to get to cities like Leeds or Manchester. I could get a return for £15 for example.

Ahh just ignore them, some people can be total twats about Londoners daring to exist. They have this idea that everything in their area would be better if only London was shit as well. It's all just bitter and resentful nonsense. Online and in life there will always be people who only feel good when they are making someone else feel bad.

Go to the gig and have fun (just don't wear an I ❤Heart London hoodie 😉)

Oh I see. That's sad. I do hope she finds peace.

doesn’t say
bitching about two separate issues

This reminds me of a tweet from a few years ago where someone said something like “ugh I just had the driest bagel ever” and someone replied “at least you’re not gluten intolerant 😡” It really tickled me. 😂 Some people just have to centre themselves in everything.

By northerners you clearly don't mean those of us who live in the 700 miles if the UK that is north of Leeds. Leeds and Manchester are not convenient to most of those people. That's why Leeds and Manchester are not The North.

Yes, it was quite silly as London-centric comments, though (and I say that as an ex-Londoner).

I reckon the level of ridicule was down to you sounding a bit wishy-washy as a fan, though. If the band already had announced a gig in London, you wishing there was a more central London one sounds slightly as if you can’t be bothered to get on the tube. And that’s the kind of thing that get pounced on on a site of diehard fans.