Standing at gigs - finally some sense!

[StacksOfSnacks]

I love live music and frequently attend concerts and have been utterly baffled in recent years that people behave as they would in the cinema - plonked on their backside, mutely watching. For me it’s all about the immersive experience - dancing, screaming, swaying, singing, waving my arms… But not only are more people staying seated, but I’m actually seeing discourse where people such as myself are being criticised for acting exactly like a typical concert goer - singing and standing.

I went to a show last night and noticed this little note on my e-ticket “People around you may stand!” though I think it should go without saying, finally some sense is prevailing and those whingers can keep schtum now (which they advocate for at gigs anyway 😂).

Disclaimer: I know people will pile on saying that not everyone can stand, and no they can’t and I understand that. I’d support if they wanted to have a section where people stay seated if there’s demand for it. However, I have observed a change in behaviour that is out of proportion even when considering that.

wow I am jealous. bet it was good. @Danikm151 (misses point of thread)

The Symphony Hall in Birmingham will say ‘ some people may stand’ and can be very heavy going if people do sometimes do that.

It is a tricky one. I personally much prefer standing at gigs so will avoid seats if at all possible.

The problem is some venues have no standing at all, or not enough, and all it takes is a few people to stand and then the people behind them need to stand, and so on. It must really suck if you can't stand for whatever reason. Some acts will actively encourage people to stand as well. I've seen a few bands at the Hydro in glasgow - which is a fucking awful venue - and most people are standing in the sitting sections, and there isn't always any standing allocation at all.

Maybe venues need to sell sections as strictly no stand, but I imagine actually enforcing that would be next to impossible.

Saw Yungblud at the O2 on Friday. It was a fantastic show, and we were sat in the accessible section. I am unable to stand for long periods, so stayed seated for the show. I can appreciate that people want to stand up and celebrate whatever, and they did. I just looked around the side of the person in front to the best of my ability. I was just enjoying the vibes and singing along. I'm a more casual fan though. I think it's quite expected for people to stand and be excited at gigs

I did sit down for Prince but stood when required. He might play a slower number so no need to go crazy. I saw Nile Rodgers last year, utter danceathon and some people remained seated. I was up but checked the row behind were also standing

No. It;s a 'concert' which is a more boring sedate affair.

yes if its on the ticket and made clear. That's a dream. Other younger acts like Raye or Olivia Rodrigo love the phones out. Different age tho

I'll go in the boring arsehole section please. I was hoping that's what the accessible section was going to be, but it certainly wasn't the case 😅

Wall of Death is the new mosh pit. Have a look on YT
Not for the feint of heart. You may be surprised that it's not something for young women unless physical injury is their thing.

Some of us will be joining you there and will applaud at the end of each song and may (quietly) sing along.

It doesn't matter. I was in the disabled area and can't stand for long periods. People were still standing in front of us. I just expected that would happen. I can appreciate that people are excited. I just vibed in my seat

There was a video clip last week from Coachella where Sabrina Carpenter brought on Madonna as a special guest to do Like a Prayer as a duet. The crowd was just a sea of stationary people holding phones up. I'm not even much of a Madonna fan but how could you not dance to that?

Is that his song for Liam?

yes, though I don't think he hasn't explicitly stated it is.

As I said the dreary people's alliance of the world is on here in force ... You dont' get extra brownie points becuae your teens "actually study music", they're still fun suckers if they don't want other people to enjoy the music by moving to it. As is traditional. It's not a new thing.

If I was in a seated area I would expect people to sit its kinda in the description 😂

Haha yes I was literally coming here to say that - Saturday for me and we had seats. Not a single person seated.

I do think it’s partly down to who you’re seeing, most of the bands I would want to see have fans who would never choose to stay seated for the whole gig. But we saw Radiohead at the o2 and mostly sat down/danced in seats as it’s not such a mosh/dance vibe. I always try to book standing as I’m a people pleaser and would stay sat down if others around me did even though I would be furious!

So your way of enjoying a gig is the only correct way to enjoy it, @CatRestaurant? How humble of you. So mature to call people ‘boring arseholes’ simply because they enjoy something a different way to you.

Is it really so hard to understand that it is perfectly possible to enjoy a gig just as much without standing up?

You can get vertigo standing in the Hydro!

Im bringing my daughter for her first gig to see him this week.

From what ive seen online it looks good fun.

But I neevr know what to do with myself at a gig im always so awkward!

I don't think you can get that for plantar and dodgy knees. I imagine you have to have proof of disability not just the fact that standing for two hours hurts. Edited to apologise for quoting the wording poster.

Or just accept that people will book tickets to the concert and enjoy it how THEY want to.

Don’t be a dickhead your whole life.

Totally agree it’s so strange to sit at a concert and watch as if it’s a movie. Fair enough if that’s what you want to do but don’t expect anyone else to. I am disabled so cannot book standing but would never ever get annoyed about people standing up and enjoying themselves at a music concert, I stand up when I can. I was at kylie years ago and woman behind me moaning that I was standing dancing. I’m not paying that money to sit down. There should be a section for people who do not want to or can’t stand at all and let the rest of the people be able to dance.

Totally with you on this op. Always try and get standing if possible but these always sell out first.
I try and avoid big arena concerts as much as possible and support live music at my smaller , local venues . Problem solved as many have no seating at all!

Thinking back to mainly small informal venues and outdoor festivals in the 1970s-1990s, as I remember, people sat on the floor or the ground listening to live bands or singers. Sometimes people would dance at the sides or the back, or in the mosh pit if there was one, but you were mainly there to see and listen to the band. (Bigger venues that I remember usually had a higher stage, so you could see from further back.) With everyone sitting on the floor, you could see the band no matter where you sat. Standing in front of people sitting was considered selfish.

We danced at discos, or at events with recorded music.

I was really sad in the early 2000s when (in my experience) that generous spirit changed, and a few people would stand, making those behind them stand up so they could still see. Once that started, the change seemed to happen very quickly, and by about 2005 I accepted I’d only ever see a live band again if I was in the front row!