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.

@alspancakeworld said ”Some posters need to get a grip. It’s a concert. You’re supposed to be up and dancing.”, @TanquerayTickles. And other posters have implied people are boring for not wanting to dance/stand at a gig.

i sit and rest at times it’s fine if people in front are dancing, a concert is the whole thing, the group the audience, the dancing. I’d rather not see the stage then be bored/ disappointed by a quiet sedate atmosphere. Obviously it depends on who’s playing.

And someone else said the whole point of going to a concert is to dance. They may not have said compulsory but they certainly expect it of everyone

no it isn’t- I’d wager most bands aren’t dancing bands unless you only see pop bands. Oasis for instance certainly is not a dancing band . You might jump up and down and mosh to some of their tracks but for the most part their music is for you to listen to and enjoy. I’m seeing Bruno mars in the summer- I’m desperately trying to work out how I dance to his ballads

Fair enough, but we don't all think the same way.

I don't think people are boring if they don't dance, nor do I think they have to dance, but people are allowed to dance, whether others like it or not. That's the only point I'm making.

Ah, good to know. Seen them twice and loved the show but missed the last couple of years.

Yes I’m agreeing with you!

If I pay a lot of money to see my favourite band the last thing I should be subjected to is some loon singing all the songs off key. Dance all you like but please don't sing we want to hear the band.

Awesome band ❤️

youve described me and yes it is, it’s a concert, fair enough if a slow song comes on but no way do I expect people to sit down for me

This. It's like a parallel universe on here.

No one has said dancing is compulsory. People are saying 'yes but you wouldn't stand up and dance for every song' yet people are up in arms about people standing AT ALL. For any song.

No they aren’t. Everyone stands up at times for the big numbers and the dancier ones especially the encores. They are just saying when those aren’t being played it is very usual for people to sit. No one stands for 90% of Bruce Springsteen concert for instance. I’d be livid if anyone did in front of me. Only when you get nearer the end does everyone get up and dance. Same for oasis- no one stood up for the majority of it.

I went to oasis and not one person sat down apart from me for the whole show

well clearly not at Wembley. Must have been a different place with different rules. I even checked the footage to make sure I wasn’t imagining it!

No it was Edinburgh, literally no one sat down throughout although I had to

So you choose the seated area so you can see, then stand to stop other people from seeing?

I don't go to standing gigs because I'm short, and I've done my time of paying a fortune to stare at a sweaty man's back. I'm be pissed off to have you block my view.

But, I appreciate lots of people thinks it's fine to do that, so I just stay away from gigs these days. It's beyond me why it isn't a priority to allow everyone to see, but it's maybe just one of those things I'll never understand.

But imagine if people stood at the cinema or theatre!

Depends really. A few years ago I saw Billy Joel live and the whole experience was marred by a group of three women screaming and screeching their way through every song. No issue with people having a good time or even standing but I’ve paid to hear the singer sing, not three half-cut women with voices like faulty bagpipes.

comparing a rock concert to the cinema is the problem, concerts are high energy events, I will never understand people staying seated throughout a music concert

Last concert I went to was Eric Clapton. Now he’s more of a sit down artist than many, but he did an acoustic Layla and the woman in front of me stood up swaying and sang along - the only one. Very annoying.

I'd be furious if I couldn't see the stage! I don't care about "atmosphere" I'm there to see the band/singer, no offence but I don't care about the other people there as long as they're not blocking my view. It's so bizarre to me that you'd go to all the trouble of going to see an artist in person and then be like "I don't care if I can't see the stage"!!

You don't care about the other people there, well clearly they don't care about you either and shall stand if they like, and I wouldn't blame them.

For me, a concert is about the whole atmosphere. The energy, the dancing, the singing, the crowds. If I wanted to just see the artist I'd watch them on TV.

Actually I shouldn't say I don't care about the other concert goers as I'd never selfishly block their view. So I care on a personal empathy level, just that they don't "add" anything to my experience-at least not to the point I'd champion them blocking my view of the stage...

For me, a concert is about the whole atmosphere. The energy, the dancing, the singing, the crowds. If I wanted to just see the artist I'd watch them on TV.

No because I want to see and hear them in person, which incidentally is why I want to be able to see the stage, funnily enough.

Unless it's a tiny town hall, unknown band, promo type gig, how do you see them on stage from the seated section? They're tiny from the seats! You see better on the screens.

So if you're not there for the atmosphere, you might as well watch them on TV and save the money 🤷‍♀️

She and I would have had words! I feel your pain