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?

What’s the tipping point when I’m no longer rude? Everyone was standing for most of the concert. I and about 25% of the audience stood for some of the earlier songs which were proper dancy songs but from an early album which is maybe less well known.

Thank you for this. I think you should apply for the head of made up rule enforcement post at the Co-op arena.

Those who need to sit could buy tickets at the sides/ raised area or circle. There is a better view from those spots for seats which is why those are preferable seats for ballet or classical concerts.

Those who need to sit could buy tickets at the sides/ raised area or circle. There is a better view from those spots for seats which is why those are preferable seats for ballet or classical concerts.

This is one of those threads that is a real eye-opener. I’m not a massive concertgoer, but whenever I have been to stadium gigs over the years (starting mid 90s) it has usually been in seated and almost everyone is up and dancing for all or almost all of it. The benefits of tiered seating is that you actually get to see something if you’re 5 foot-nothing like me and don’t get pushed around so much. If the choice was between the standing area or sitting tapping my foot I wouldn’t bother with any of it!

I don't think it's been interesting. For me the selfishness shown in many posts has been really depressing.

I agree. I've been going to concerts for 30 years and everyone always stands for at least part of it. Having seats just means you can sit as and when you want (and know where to come back to after the loo) not that you have to sit - it's not a classical concert!

There should be areas for people with health issues, that are seated so that they can see, but those should be a minority as if you go to listen to pop, rock or dance you are going to want to dance and enjoy it! Who listens to that kind of music sitting still?

And I say that with a daughter who has a health issue meaning she needs to sit a lot of the time, I don't expect people around her to sit!

Yeah well, some experiences are just inherent to going to a (pop) concert. People go there to dance and jump around. That is the whole idea and at least half of the fun, if not more. Accessibility does not mean limiting everyone else to such an absurd degree. There are other answers, like OP proposes, for example increasing the number of disabled seats.

After long battle with cancer my dad (66) struggles with standing long time but lovesss concerts please don't assume all sitting are "boring"

Standing for some of the main songs fine but whole concert is just rude imo
If you want to stand/dance/waving arms about buy a standing ticket

Or you could agree with the general suggestion of having designated blocks where standing isn’t allowed so everyone can enjoy live entertainment in circumstances that meet their needs and preferences.

To all the posts saying that "everyone" was standing, how many of them wanted to be standing, and how many were standing because they couldn't see otherwise? I'm guessing at least half wanted to sit at least some of the time, but had to stand because of the others in their way. I've been in the Co-op. On the floor, everyone is standing before the main band even comes on. But that doesn't mean they want to stand.

Which is why they make standing areas.

I love that expecting people to buy standing tickets, and not seated, when they want to jump around is "limiting them to an absurd degree", but them buying a seated ticket they have no intention of using and blocking the view of the person behind them is just "inherent in going to a concert".

There's often a limited number of standing only tickets. Standing areas can also be dangerous to younger children, those with mobility issues (who may be able to stand for periods of time), those with balance problems, those who find crowds overwhelming (it's less crowded in the seats)
Seats say "people around you may send" on the tickets a lot of the time

I find the majority of views on this bizarre too - especially the poster saying everyone was seated at the Era's tour? Absolutely no chance!

I think it entirely depends on the concert and common sense. No one else standing, bit of a dick move to be the only one. But if the majority are standing then I don't think there's an issue.

I went to the Era's, stood for the majority but sat down for some of the slower ones. Didn't expect everyone around me to also sit down? I just accepted I wouldn't see for those parts, but it's more about the atmosphere. I'd say it's pretty common in concerts like that for the majority to be stood for at least parts. Went to Sam fender last year at St James' and again; not sure anyone in the seats was sat down! All stadium/area gigs I've been to nearly everyone was standing for most of it!

Standing tickets are usually really popular and sell out much quicker than seated so sometimes you don't have a choice!

If you're talking about a stadium tour, there will be 5 seated tickets for every 1 standing ticket, on average. And yes, there are lots of reasons to prefer a seat over a standing ticket even though you fully intend to stand and dance for the whole show.

"Well it depends on the venue doesn’t it?! Not every venue says that and often the wording is that people “may” stand up"

I screen shot the UKs biggest venues and they're all the same. They're not going to put "must" stand up are they?

Agreed. And all the sneering about people "who've never gone to concerts" isn't pretty either.

Yes I agree.

I can’t imagine if the etiquette was everybody seated! That would definitely kill the atmosphere at a lot of concerts and I think a lot of people would be put off purchasing tickets- there wouldn’t be enough for the standing area.

You could argue both the ‘standers’ and those who want the entire arena to stay seated are being selfish.

I think a designated block is a good idea as it keeps (or should keep) everyone happy.

I’ve just looked at the capacity of the new Co-op Live arena, 23,500 total, 7,500 standing so more than twice as many seats available than standing.

"The Usher Hall removes all the ground floor seats for rock concerts. I saw Jack White, The War on Drugs and Christine and the Queens on the upper seated levels- no dancing. The ground floor was standing only.

The first time I saw Foo Fighters was at the (fully sold out) SECC at Glasgow. The floor of the arena was heaving with standing audience. The seated area was seated."

I'm not talking about ground floor moveable seating obviously. I'm talking about fixed seating in the stands. There's a lot of misremembering on this thread.

Videos of the Foo fighters at the SECC are widely available from 2007 onwards. The place is bouncing, in the stands (so called seating areas) everywhere.

Oasis at the SECC was exactly the same.

I'm amazed at people coming here to say that the whole Dublin crowd sat sedately through Taylor Swift Eras Tour or that thousands did the same in Glasgow watching the Foo Fighters. It's just utter bollocks and there is so much video evidence out there to prove that.

I'm amazed at people coming here to say that the whole Dublin crowd sat sedately through Taylor Swift Eras Tour or that thousands did the same in Glasgow watching the Foo Fighters. It's just utter bollocks and there is so much video evidence out there to prove that.

This I saw the foo fighters recently and about 80% of the audience were standing at any given time. I needed to sit a few times so my view was blocked but that was my problem not the people stood in front of me.

That wouldn't change the fact that so many people are selfish.

Videos of the Foo fighters at the SECC are widely available from 2007 onwards. The place is bouncing, in the stands (so called seating areas) everywhere.

I saw them before 2007. It was the 2005 tour. I was there with teenage son and 3 of his friends. There wasn't dancing in the seated area. There wasn't dancing in the seated area of same venue for The War on Drugs last year.

Read the actual post - I agree with you

I'm surprised at the responses. I've always been in standing areas and I've not really noticed what people in the seated areas are doing, but I'd have assumed they were sitting!

Intuitively I don't think people should be standing in seating areas; if most people want to stand regardless, maybe concerts are being held in inappropriate venues.