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.

This kind of behaviour makes me glad I only really go to heavy metal festivals and gigs. As a rule of thumb, the scarier looking the band and heavier the music, the more chilled the crowd is going to be.

Went to see a Steely Dan act at Ronnie Scott's in London in Jan - i would say tribute act only it's some of London's best session musicians who get together to play a few nights of SD music every year.

Anyway, it's an absolute sell out. Most people really want to hear the music. Six people down from us - clearly the dad was a big fan. He was there with I guess his wife and two adult children and their partners. The three women clearly had zero interest and just talked and got drunken and drunken as the night went on. People around them were getting seriously agitated. This is the kind of behaviour I used to see at Kew Gardens, Sandown Park, Epsom racecourse and Hampton Court music festival. The surroundings - picnics in the grounds o cracing - attract non music lovers, who go with friends, then just talk the whole way through. And it isn't that easy to move as all the spots are taken.

Not defending drunken idiots but I do see why people wait till later to get drinks in.Some venues are horrendously understaffed or poorly designed re drinks outlets that they cant cope with 1000’s of people wanting drinks at the same time. And if you do queue, then you still run the chance of having to disturb people when you get back after the bands come on!

I don't think anyone is saying ban the sale of alcohol but we do seem to have a huge problem in the UK with people drinking far beyond their limits and seeing it as normal and an excuse to act how they like.

It is possible to have a few beers and be totally in control, enjoy the band and not annoy everyone else around you. Unfortunately, some people aim to get wasted because that's the measure of a good time. It's really selfish behaviour, and makes no sense when you factor in not really enjoying or remembering the band and spending the next day hungover.

So its ok to shine a torch into the crowd so other people cant see the stage very well and then directly shine the torch into someone's eyes? Total entitlement. How on earth can you think this is acceptable?

Oasis at Wembley was really bad so many people comotose & floors dangerously slippery. I slipped and saw many others & the day after man fell from balcony. The lump behind me fell so drunk and snapped the back of my chair which was quite funny but another lady moved to aiisle as scared for her safety.The tickets were extortionate too.
Never seen this in all prodigy & dance bands been too ever. Although think generally oasis attracts the drunken crowds

That's so disappointing op. I saw them in Dublin last year (indoor gig) they were brilliant and the crowd were true pulp fans knew all the songs including those from their less well known albums.
Tbh I don't recognise what you describe at all, at outdoor gigs you do get people standing towards the back having drinks and chatting rather than watching but they're easily avoidable

Couldn’t agree more. Been to two metal festivals and half a dozen gigs this year and never seen any trouble at all. I’m always struck by how much people look out for disabled people and children in metal crowds.

The middle aged can be feral in public venues. (I am middle aged myself.) They didn't grow up with phones so most of them can't control their phone use. This is a big thing everywhere, not just at gigs - constantly taking photos and videos, not for Instagram career purposes but because they can no longer experience the world any other way. They stayed in for 15+ years when their kids were young and then they had to stay in because of covid while they careened into their midlife crises accompanied only by spouses who annoyed them or often who they actively hated. After it finished there was no gradual transition for them back to society - they were straight in, pink eyed and social media raddled, and I honestly think a lot of them just don't know how to act around other people any more.

Metal will attract music fans who want to hear the bands. It's like at my Stranglers concert in the summer.

The big peoblem is the acts where the average person knows a few songs, goes along with a bunch of friends, but it's more to have a night out than to listen to the act.

I took my daughter to see Dolly Parton at the 02 in 2014. In front of us was a big group of women who basically wanted 9 to 5, shouted for it all through the concert, got increasingly annoyed as she played other songs, just talked amongst themselves. My daughter is autistic and can't cope with that sort of thing. She won't go to concerts now.

Showing my age here but I have a standout memory of going to see Moby at Brixton Academy about 20 years ago and there being a big crowd of blokes next to us at the front who just drank and chatted loudly all through the gig. They were so loud and disinterested and disruptive that Moby himself kept looking over to see what the bloody hell was going on.
so it’s definitely not new, but it’s probably more prevalent. I saw Pulp again last year and they (and the crowd) were amazing.

Well Im middle aged and none of those things you describe. I just think ignorant twats are ignorant twats regardless of how old they are.

Yes ..agree. As Billy Connolly once said, 'young arseholes have a tendency to become old arseholes'....or something along those lines.

£50-70?! Where are you getting gig tickets so cheap?!

Haven’t outdoor gigs always been like this?

thinking of Oasis 24 years ago and you get covered in beer or worse.

Stone Roses 10+ years ago and the bar queues were mad so people invaded and helped themselves, free pints all round.

many a gig at Milton Keynes seeing drunk people and men wee everywhere in public.

wasn’t it ever thus? You just don’t expect it now they’re older perhaps 🤣

I think we go to very different gigs!!

I saw Pulp at the O2 and everyone was dancing in the seated section. Great atmosphere, no drunken idiots.