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’ve noticed this recently too and it really spoils the experience. Some people just drink to absolute excess and it’s quite unpleasant to witness.

I went to one very intimate, cabaret gig and a group of women in front were so drunk they could barely stand and just kept swaying and falling into people. If anyone objected they were met with aggression and the atmosphere was awful.

The second gig was seated but spoiled again by people around us being very drunk and talking/ filming during the songs.

We definitely have a terrible relationship with alcohol in this country and lots of people seem to be unable to socialise without it or at least to manage their consumption. I don’t drink so I think I’m even more aware and on edge around people that are drunk.

In a ‘you’re wearing a band tshirt name your top 5 hits’ kinda way?

Thats a really silly suggestion 😂

Hey. The guy getting flashed, literally.. was me. Can't believe I've set up a mums bet account because of this. Yeah, you're right. We actually moved out of eyeliner which is what caused the start of the kerfuffle. The delightful lady had, it would seem, sent her 16 and 13 year olds to the bar and was attempting to guide them back. After shed waves her phone in my eyes threw or four times, I popped mine on, and all hell broke loose. Apparently I was a weirdo who had made a 16 year cry and I should be ashamed of myself. Her son's made several offers to "have a word".. it was all very delightful. There does seem to be a subset who either have never learned, or who have forgotten how, to behave. Probably the same lot who were threatening the bus staff because they didn't think they should have to pay. Not been to an event at wythenshaw park before... Probably won't again.

I think crowd behaviour is awful nowadays. I've been going to gigs for the last 30 years and I w never come across so many dickheads I do now. I dont think it's just alcohol but coke too. People talking loudly throughout the whole set, i go to some heavy gigs and can still hear them yapping on. I prefer to stick to bands that aren't as well known now as you seem to get less dickheads there.

I agree about enforced bans and blacklists for unacceptable behaviour, but not a test as to how well you know the band. Most people could name Oasis or Coldplay songs because they are heard so often on the radio, for example.

I think Wythenshawe Park is a terrible venue and I wouldn’t be rushing to go there again. You see shit behaviour at loads of gigs and the theatre. My worst ones are:

• drunk and aggressive
• messy drunk and bumping into everyone
• talking through the show about absolute inconsequential shite
• getting up and down or walking around constantly when the main act is on
• sitting or standing there with the face on throughout the whole proceeding presumably because you’ve been dragged there
• on your phone during the performance at the theatre

I don’t think you can go anywhere anymore and not have shit behaviour at public events - so many people don’t know how to behave in public and paying shedloads of money doesn’t seem to make any difference to the level of poor behaviour you encounter.

Went to The Cure at Wythenshawe Park, there was a lot of pushing ans shoving and drunken aggression at the back but not the front, i wonder of they sold too many tickets. As for being drunk, you weren't allowed tk take anything in and it was hard to get to the bar so I don't know how people did it!

Indoor gigs can be just as bad. I went to a concert several years ago and some of the people round us were absolutely rat arsed to the point of falling over.

I just couldn't understand why you would spend all that money to probably not even remember the gig the next day.

Honestly you get dickheads everywhere, and have done for the 20 years I’ve been going to gigs and festivals since I was 15. if I was you I’d have moved to another spot if it was so bothersome.

There’s always a way to sneak alcohol into venues if your creative enough 😂

Believe me, there were absolutely no barriers to taking in your own alcohol at Wythenshawe this weekend. Checks were minimal

I went to a concert at a winery and some random very drunk woman came from the back and stood right beside me. She wouldn’t shut up and even have the nerve to tell me I didn’t look like I was enjoying myself. I wasn’t. All because she was so bloody drunk and annoying. Eventually she was moved on.

I totally agree. Pulp are one of my favourite bands and parts of the gig was spoilt due to exactly the same reasons as you experienced. I can not understand why you get so drunk at a gig. We seem to be surronded by a younger crowd and people was all over the place and people started leaving during CP attempting to keep hold or hold up their friends pushing past us! We really was not impressed with that. It wouldnt bother me if Alcohol became unavailable at these type of gigs as people spoil things taking it too far. I love Pulp and enjoyed the concert but we moved several times during the gig attempting to move away from this.

Just don’t get me started on the cinema. Rustling mega size bags of crisps throughout the whole film. No regard for anyone else actually trying to hear the dialogue. Crisps should be banned in the cinema. Popcorn in cardboard is silent

I was at Wythenshawe on Saturday...had I wanted to sneak something in it would have been so easy!

Didn't get searched other than going through a metal detector thing, noone patted us down or looked in my bag. I had a bottle of water in the outside pocket, noone checked it had an unbroken seal. Could have been vodka for all they cared.

I saw loads of people with those clear plastic bag like drink containers ,that fold flat so you could easily fill it and slip it in your bra or down your trousers/sock/in a boot.

I thought security was so lax, probably worth the risk if you are that way inclined on the chance you wouldn't get a proper search to risk loosing what you tried to take in on the slim chance security bothered to check

I assume most of the very drunk will have pre loaded at home or in a local pub.

Might have been the same person at the cure gig the week before. Someone shouted 'turn the fucking light off'. It definitely does shine in your eyes. It was bloody annoying.
Apart from that, the cure gig was bloody amazing. Lots of different ages just really enjoying the music.
But I get what you mean.
I think it depends on the gig.
We go and see a band called idles. Now, you'd only go and see this band if you were a fan of the music I reckon. So, you don't get none of that shite you mention.
A band like pulp, I think people would just say 'yeah, let's get tickets ' as they've heard of them, but not necessarily fans. So, they just go for a bit of nostalgic music and most of all, a piss up with their friends.

We went to see Pulp at Finsbury Park three years ago. I was a fan back in the day, but had never seen them live and was so excited. Gig ruined by people talking, shoving and generally being antisocial arseholes. Steve Mackey had died not long before, and Jarvis was talking about him, not that I could hear him over the sound of the two blokes in front of me talking at high volume about their yoga class! We moved several times but couldn't get away from the arseholery.

Oh my god that's awful. That would have really upset me. Utter knobheads. But same on Friday night, Jarvis was having a chat with the audience and pissed a knob heads shouting to each other. And Jarvis does such a lovey patter with the audience how can you not listen to him.

This thread is not helping my anxiety about going to gigs!DH always says it will be fine but I spend my time on high alert.

I completely agree that behaviour has declined. I don't think its outdoor only though. I saw Suede recently and a woman in her 50s (well dressed) was so drunk that she could barely stand without leaning on me and DH. She then starts swaying her hands around in front of our faces. It wasn't so busy that the crowd were tightly packed. I tried pushing her back using my bum, and hair to no avail. Eventually DH asked her to move back and stop leaning on us and her husband got cross with us like we were harassing his wife. He then went and got her more wine. We moved away.

I also think general gig etiquette has declined. In the 'old days' I'm fairly sure that you arrived early if you want to be at the front rather than just barging in front of people last minute. I was at The Cure last week' fairly near the front, having arrived for the 2 cover bands to secure a spot (I'm little and can often only see the video screens). Mid way through the set a group of 6 or so people barged in and stood in front of us- not in a space, just stopped. Split our group up, separated me from my 18year old daughter, and I couldn't see a bloody thing. Is it just me, or is this not on?

The amount of people moving around generally even in a seated venue seems to be far greater than it used to be

My friend had a jo

The amount of people moving around generally even in a seated venue seems to be far greater than it used to be

My friend had an awful experience where a fight broke out between two couples
concrete stadium big metal rails -there was blood and stewards and police had to contain them .

I've just booked to see the Pulp film at the cinema in September to help me come to terms with my dissapointment at Wythenshaw on Friday. So crowded, I could only catch glimpses of the stage whilst dealing with loads of drunken idiots around me. The only time I had a good view was for Hardcore as no one was blocking my view with phones (I'm guessing they didn't know the song, one of my favourites) Loved Pulp since my student days in the 90's and this was my first Pulp concert. Still feeling gutted!

I agree with you op. I’m constantly amazed at people that spend so much money on a ticket and then proceed to behave in ways which means they don’t get to enjoy or see the show, plus then ruin it for others.

At a Bon Jovi concert pre Covid tickets were more than £100 and people were leaving their seats (during his set) to go and get more beers. I just can’t compute really. There was both a warm up act and a break between them. Surely that’s the time to get the beers in? But no, they had to get everyone up out of their seats and push past to get more alcohol!