AIBU to think drunken behaviour is ruining outdoor gigs?

[Mapletreelane]

Went to see Pulp last night at Wythenshawe Gardens. They were absolutely fantastic (as was Self Esteem supporting). I'm a Pulp fan and was really excited. I realise it's outdoor and people are going to have a few beverages and have a chat and a good time but behaviour at outdoor gigs seems.ti be getting worse. It seemed to be full of absolutely hammered middle aged men and women, who clearly only knew 2 sings, couldn't stand up and were just shouting at each other during any song that wasn't Common People or Disco 2000. And they've paid £80 plus £10 a can for the privilege. The group right in front of me (it was too late to move at that point ) had their backs to the stage most of the gig, were shouting at each constantly and kept falling into me. What i don't understand is why they paid to get in...why didn't they just go to the pub or a club. Surely they're not going to remember anything.

One lady decided to hold her phone aloft with the torch on pointed at the back of the crowd to be a beacon to get her friends to the same spot but blinding everyone behind. Someone took offense and asked her to stop as it was in his eyeline and blocking his view and she just had a go at him and started shining her torch in his eyes. Just pure entitlement (this was during the performance).

I realise I'm getting older and less tolerant but it's definitely been getting worse. Genuinely do not see the point of spending a lot money to get hammered and not remember a thing to see bands you're not even fans of (and annoying everyone else).

Anyway rant over. Pulp and Jarvis were incredible as ever (what a front man) but I may stick to indoor gigs from now on.

I think they need to do something with concerts like they did with football when hooliganism was rife. Ban drinking alcohol and concerts when in view of the stage. Crack down hard on drunken violence and unruly behaviour at concerts, with lengthy jail sentences and banning orders from all concerts within Britain, and confiscate passports when there is a likelihood of them travelling abroad to cause trouble at overseas concerts.

Well this is insane. I can’t have a cider while listening to Viking Skull at Bloodstock because coked-up middle-aged chavs can’t behave at an Oasis reunion? Imagine seeing a band at the Dev or Underworld and not being able to have a drink - every venue in the country would be forced to close.

Ok Mary Whitehouse.

Yes, Mapletree I agree with you. I was there. Love Pulp. Terrible drunk middle aged people chatting and not facing stage. Tried moving only to be stood by other people in their 50's shouting out names and openly selling drugs. Atmosphere just wasn't there for me. Two drunken women squabbling when one blew vape in the others space. Could barely see stage most of the time as everyone was taller around me or waving phones in my view, plus a flat field with crap layout. Absolutely gutted. I won't go to Wythenshaw Park again.

The behaviour the OP posted about sounds absolutely obnoxious.

I went to an outdoor gig last night, had a great time but I mustn't get out much because I was shocked by behaviour!

People actively snorting coke in the middle of the crowd, so drunk they could hardly stand, yelling slurry nonsense to each other, constant vaping and smoking, felt like I was in a cloud of fog and then over use of flares when the main act came on, couldn't see at one point the flare smoke was so thick!

I feel like I'm just not used to big crowds of intoxicated people anymore. I felt intimidated by the lairy behaviour from many when we were all trying to exit the venue as it was so cramped, people staggering and falling over, vomiting, starting rival football chants, it was a relief to get to my car as I had my young teen with me. Bands were brilliant though.

We were there Friday night and didn’t see any lairyness or trouble, guess we were lucky from the sound of it, slightly off to the side but in the first sixth of the crowd I’d say. And no trouble leaving either, though there was a v v long queue for the shuttle bus. Lots of middle aged people. One v drunk guy cut in front of me at the bar but the servers ignored him. It was a fantastic gig. Jarvis was awesome and the band and singers.

but…saw, against my better judgement, depeche mode at the O2, Christ talk about coked up middle aged lairyness…I’d never go and see anything like that again. It was awful.

saw the same at ABBA voyager…pissed on Prosecco forty year olds (I’m late 50s) just making a spectacle of themselves. There’s this constant push to sell booze at the theatre, gigs etc…to people who are already pissed as farts.

and the talking through something you’ve paid to see? When did that start…at our local venue it’s become a serious issue.

I was there too and said much the same. The number of people chatting to their mates during the set was crazy. Why pay so much money for a catch up!? We moved several times to avoid groups of people talking and eventually found like-minded folk who were singing and dancing along - and actually paying attention to the show. I've seen Pulp a few times in the last couple of years and this was my least favourite; the vibe wasn't quite the same. Still a great show.
Similar issues with people chatting through Self Esteem and I was much nearer the front. It's so rude.

I don’t get why people pay a fortune to go to a concert then get hammered. My friend and I only ever drink minimal water at a concert, so we don’t have to miss any going to the loo!

Almost every gig I've been to recently there have been people just chatting shit not watching the band......I don't get it

I was at Tottenham in some really expensive (for me) seats and people were still yacking. On one of the only videos I took you could here them. And in seats you can't move

As a regular gig and club goer I see this big ticket outdoor gigs like NYE - amateur night and avoid them like the plague.

People who don't go to gigs very often see these gigs as a big night out and get over excited/don't understand gig ettique.

This has been exacerbated in recent years with the decline of small music venues and clubs so many just don't do this regularly. Also the increasing popularity of "event gigs" exacerbates this behaviour. People aren't just going to see a aband, they are having a big weekend, maybe looking to recapture their youth or that feeling. Having spent hundreds of pounds they want to try and have the best time and oftrn end up overdoing it or ignoring the fact there are other people there as well.

It is the same with big festivals.

I find that this kind of behaviour is much worse at “old person” gigs, where it’s a rare night out and people get far too drunk

Ive seen fights and arguments and all the recently at these types of gigs whereas not in the past

My son sees no trouble at the concerts he goes to

The all day drinking such as the post races gigs does not surprise me. The point about those who are not regularly going to gigs is also well made, perhaps because of the cost when you have to add in all the rip-off extra charges and possible dynamic pricing.

I was there too. Some rowdy ones jostling, but they were all 20s and 30s. The older ones were enjoying it without being off their faces. Great night though.

I was there for the cure last Friday and had a similar experience- fabulous gig but the drunken twats shouting conversations at each other loudly during the gig was really annoying. We go to gigs fairly regularly and it seems to be worse at outdoor ones.

I never understand why people pay a lot of money to go to a concert or the theatre and then talk (loudly) thoughout.

I have been to a few outdoor concerts where people had their back to the stage and were just talking, singing loudly out of tune and drinking, drinking, drinking.

Some people just don't seem able to have an evening out without drinking far too much.

I remember going to a gig at Hyde Park- Radio 2 thing. We got the train snd accommodation, so it was a costly affair. I was amazed at the amount of people who were falling around drunk. I remember thinking they must have been spending a fortune. I also thought why bother coming to the gig

It's this I don't understand. Why pay an absolute fortune for something you're clearly not interested in and just want to get pissed.

I was there and very near to the front. We secured our great spot after Self Esteem came off.
i was lucky I think, as I made a point of saying how it was nice there were no drunk arseholes near us and I had a great time.

Did notice as the camera panned the front of the crowd, lots of people against the barrier just looking bored.
Don’t understand why you’d get the best spot without interest in the band, as they would have needed to secure that by 6.30pm latest, so no opportunity to buy drinks etc…..

Agree with PPs that quite a few people see gigs as an "experience" now, rather than being there for the actual performance, and seem to prefer nattering with mates rather than watching the acts. You might as well stop at home and stick a CD or whatever on - it's far cheaper!

It annoys me too OP. It feels like people go to gigs to post on SM rather than actually wanting to enjoy the music. It’s so hard to find somewhere to stand without loud conversations. Even indoor gigs are like it.

PULP were around for well over a decade before Britpop. They’re the unlairiest group of musicians ever.

I sympathise. So sick of drunk people ruining the theatre as well. Paid over £100 to see Hamilton and the couple behind me did not stop talking all the way through - it baffled me they’d paid the same and clearly could have just been sat in the pub listening to their own gobshite. At Moulin Rouge a woman was so pissed she couldn’t get back to her seat down the steep steps for the second part - thank god as all she’d done was slur away to her mates ruining the first part.

It happens in in-door ones to.... we went to see Texas last year in Birmingham (absolutely amazing) and a couple in front of us, turned up late, were absolutely hammered, couldn't stand properly and just staggered around but kept drinking, the bloke was giving everyone filthy looks. In the end I think they both went to the bar and they were followed by security and never came back.
The tickets were quite pricey and it was a sold out event

I saw Pulp in the late 90s and there were people shagging in the crowd during Babies 😂