I stood at a concert

[MangosteenSoda]

Went to a concert and had a seat to the side of the stage. In my experience, everyone stands when the act comes on. This didn’t happen universally, but probably around a quarter of the crowd started by standing. I was a little in front of most of the other ‘standers’ and sort of leaned on my seat a bit to minimise myself I suppose, but wanted to enjoy the songs and not sit.

A few songs in, a lady behind me tapped my arm and asked me to sit because her boyfriend/husband (sitting next to her) couldn’t see. I just said, ‘I’m sorry, but this is a concert’ and carried on standing. I’m pretty small and there were massive screens and a stage. I don’t think I blocked it all out.

A few songs later, the ‘very popular and famous’ song was performed and everyone stood up including the woman and her boyfriend. After that, most of the crowd continued standing and a bunch of people were dancing like windmills and nobody bothered them. The angry man and his girlfriend stormed out at this point.

I don’t have a particular aibu, but I felt that I was only asked to sit because I looked like an easy target to ask. It annoyed me that the woman had to ask for the guy and that it was put to me that I should sit because this guy’s preference was all important. I also felt sad for the woman because she was wearing the band T Shirt (so I assumed she was the fan) and this guy seemed to ruin her night with his moans and complaints while she just seemed to want to dance and enjoy the concert like everyone else.

So, should there be areas at concerts where everyone has to stay seated? I don’t think all the seating areas should be this way because they outnumber the floor and it would make for pretty sedentary concerts but maybe a compromise somewhere?

YANBU. What a miserable atmosphere iF everyone is sitting quietly in their seats!

should there be areas at concerts where everyone has to stay seated?

Yes, for accessibility reasons if nothing else. Not everyone is physically able to stand for a whole concert.

Those areas exist. I’m talking about people who choose to sit in a regular area (and, in this case, can stand when they want). But maybe there should be zones where people who just prefer sitting can just sit. Sort of like a quiet carriage on a train.

Do the ticket terms say it's a seated show? It often does and people don't realise this.

I understand you were annoyed, hope it didn't ruin your night

Had this happen years ago. Hall had a centre aisle with seating either side. We were on the front row nearer to the wall than the aisle. Everyone stood up to dance and naturally drifted nearer to the centre. Woman and her partner sat next to us were the only ones probably in the whole place still seated with faces on them like thunder. Bloke started moaning at us. The jist of it was I think she was pregnant and didn't want to stand up. We tried to stand to the side but the whole row were basically standing blocking their view at this point anyway.

I have joint problems - not enough I need a disabled seat, but I can only stand for about ten minutes at a time before it gets uncomfortable. I would expect people with seats at a concert to be seated. This would have really upset me if you were in front of me honestly as you would have ruined my night. If you want to stand get a standing ticket surely?

So yes there probably should be seated areas only at those type of events.

i think you were selfish . I am not disabled but due to a bad back I can’t stand for a whole concert . Are you saying I shouldn’t be able to see from the seat I have paid for? Maybe you should go to venues that have a mosh pit to stand in

It depends very much on what kind of concert it is. Taylor Swift, get up and dance. Beethoven's fifth symphony, please remain seated.

I was five months pregnant when we went to see The Prodigy (had bought the tickets before I got pregnant). I happily stayed seated when I felt too tired, it would be ridiculous to want everyone in front of me to seat down just because I couldn't stand.

I wouldn’t qualify for a disabled area, but I can’t stand for a whole show. I try to only go to shows if I can get tickets on the front row of a section so I have a chance of actually seeing something.

I find the obsession with standing very odd.

I think it depends who else in your block is standing. I went to see Bruno Mars a few years ago and just one guy in our block stood up in the row in front only in my eyeline. It blocked my view for half the concert and I couldn't stand up myself because I'd block others view-and feel quite uncomfortable being the only one standing in my row. I'm too polite to say anything plus he was on his own and I assumed SEN from his dancing and fact he didn't care that he was the only one standing. I echo others sentiments-get a standing ticket, there's plenty?

"I find the obsession with standing very odd."

It's not an obsession ffs. It's people wanting to enjoy a concert rather than sit tamely looking on.

Was it Abba Voyage? It is the “done thing” to stay seated except for the big numbers at that.
In seated areas it’s usual to sit and just stand for the big numbers at other pop concerts too, but most people stood for most of it at Take That recently.

Perhaps or or both of them couldn't stand for long?

I want to stand. I prefer standing. However the osteoarthritis in my back inhibits me standing. I've stood for several concerts over the last year (open air so no seating) and my back pays for it for days if not weeks after.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should

Did you even consider the small incremental improvement to your experience with what the diminishment was to those around you

But there were big screens everywhere.

I think you were a little selfish, to be honest. I go to lots of concerts and choose ones with seats, because I want to sit. In my experience, the act will encourage you to stand and dance in certain songs, but outside these, you sit.

Dunno about this, I've seen my favourite band (Evanescence) four times, three of those were in traditional rock band type places (Wembley arena, Hammersmith Apollo and the O2 arena) and the other time they played with a full orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall which was all seating, and everyone sat down. Each gig was good in its own way, I got right to the front when I saw them at the Apollo. 😁 And the atmosphere at the O2 was electric even though I was quite far back (VIP tickets my arse, we, the people with VIP tickets, nearly didn't get in! I blame Covid for that, as it was postponed so many times, and I felt like the people there couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery. Also should have got priority for being an O2 customer as well.)

YABU. Standing means you are definitely blocking someone’s view. The concert is there for everyone, not just for your enjoyment.

Each to their own but you’ll never catch me again going to concerts or any type of live performance. Last one was a serious play and people talked, looked on mobiles and ate all the way through it. I didn’t catch much of the performance. What a waste of time and money.

Who wants to pay £100+ to have the option of looking at a tv or someone’s arse? Can do that at home for free.

You have made quite a lot of assumptions. Was he actually angry (nothing about it in your post)? Did they storm out or just leave? Why is it a big deal that she asked you and not him?
I mean it seems a bit stupid if there were big screens up to expect you to sit down but I can't believe it was such a big deal that you started a thread about it

YANBU.
All the concerts I’ve been to (except classical) have most people standing in the seated areas. I go to mainly rock and metal, so there is always a standing area and I never buy seated tickets because I prefer to stand and feel more immersed.

I have had seats when pregnant and sat because of it, most people still stand.
I’ve also had seats when I couldn’t get standing and I stand in the seated area and only sit occasionally for a tiny rest or a drink.

It’s crazy to expect anyone to sit the full way through a concert, even with seated tickets. Not being able to see is likely even with standing tickets, tall people always block your view!

This happened to me at Wembley once. Concert started and everyone was just sitting still. I stood up, and the woman behind me tapped my shoulder saying she can’t see so I sat back down.

A few songs later more and more people stood up and then one of my favourites came on so I stood up and she tapped my shoulder again. I told her I’ll sit after the song but by the end of the song, every single person in our section was standing apart from this lady, her husband and her pre teen daughter. She asked me to sit again but I said everyone is standing so me sitting won’t make a huge difference. She complained she bought a seated ticket but I just shrugged my shoulders. I then felt bad so offered to swap seats with her (3 of us and 3 of them), but she refused.

It was then this ridiculous situation where every single person was standing apart from these three. Pretty sure they ruined the experience for their daughter to make a point, as she wanted to stand but they wouldn’t let her.

Unless it’s a classical show of some kind, of course you stand and dance at a concert - it’s part of the fun!

I went to Alice Cooper a couple of months ago, all-seated (unfortunately!) but we got seats on the floor rather than up high to the sides.

Strangest thing - normally at seated gigs people either remain seated for most of it, or stand up. But when he came on, the whole floor to the right of the middle walkway stood up. And the other side, my side, remained seated. For the whole show! (Apart from encore.) Must have looked odd to him from the stage!

Re. OP I think you should be able to stand up at gigs just maybe not if you're the only one... if others follow, even if not all, you're fine. People can't expect seated gigs to be guaranteed seated.