A few thoughts on Concert Behavior

A few thoughts on concert behavior



When do the needs of the few become more important than the needs many? I am not talking about anything as profound as world hunger, the economy of the plight of oppressed peoples all over the world; I am talking about concerts, and the ongoing arguments between the standers and the sitters.
I have gone to several hundred rock, pop, classical, festival, and other concerts that defy being pigeon holed into a short description. I have had good seats, bad seats and adequate seats, in the front and in the back. I have stood, and I have been told not to stand, and I have sat when tired, and been surrounded by standers, hearing but not seeing the show.
I am a short female, and I enjoy music, and dancing, and other gyrating movements to the music. I pay for my seat, and as such, I "own" that space for the duration of the concert. On the back of some tickets, there has been  disclaimers regarding loud noise, flashing lights, obstructed views, etc, and I have seen signs on entering venues regarding the use of smoke machines, laser lights and flashing lights, and that there would be expected periods of loud noises. Who, I ask, purchases a ticket to a rock concert, and then complains about flashing lights and loud noises? Plenty, it seems, given the increasing frequency of these types of warnings.

I am sure this started way back when people started to win frivolous law suits about hot coffee and subliminal messages embedded in movies and music. Taking all blame from themselves for accidents and bad behavior, and general lack of self responsibility.  I understand that serious injuries and deaths  do occur, but not at the levels that these warning signs seem to imply. Yes, I do remember festival seating concerts in which people were crushed, and this is still occurring a sports matches, and concerts today. But I am focusing on classic rock concerts, with the average age of the bands and the audience from 40-70.
We all age differently, with hearing and vision changes, joint disorders, and general achiness with certain motions, but we all also remember the music of our youth, and the thrills and excitement that coursed throughout our young bodies back then. Most of us still feel our souls stir and soar when a certain song begins, and at times feel compelled to jump up and gyrate as much as our bodies can, in keeping up with our spirits. Singing in the car, dancing around the house when alone, who has never done this? if you haven't, then you've been missing out on one of the best activities to do alone.

When at a concert, do the same feelings come over you? Do you feel pulled out of your seat and up into the air? Wanting to move as you did all those years ago? Many of us do, and we get up in joyous self abandon and move all our achy stiff and extra jiggly body parts in rhythm to the music. I don't complain that you are sitting down during a particularly rousing song, why should you complain that I am standing? The Band members are usually the same age or older, and they feed off of the energy in the venue, and having an entire front section made to sit down by someone several rows back, leaves a palpable energy shift in the show, the song flattens, and although still playing their hearts out to give a good show, a band can be left wondering what went wrong?
The Many reasons I have heard from the people requesting the front rows to sit are numerous, some ridiculous, some just plain selfish, and the odd delusional person making a bizarre request, but that is an entirely different story I will tell some day.
One reason People several rows behind have asked the front few rows to sit are because they are videoing the concert. No an official video, but a personal one, that may or may not make YouTube. I have videoed many songs, and have never asked someone to move, I zoom around the heads, or leave the heads in, or don't video at all, because I didn't come to the concert to video, I came to be here, to be a part of something bigger than myself.

  Another reason similar, is from people photographing the concert, again, as fans, not as professionals engaged by the venue to take shots, hoping to sell or publish, no, again, just someone with a seat some distance from the stage wishing to use their zoom, or not, to capture the stars in action. Most of these shots are blurry, and unidentifiable, in the end, folks that like photographing concerts know how to get a good camera in, and sneak off shots, I know, I have learned how from masters at this, way back in the days of film, with reloading done in the dark, hunched over, speedily, to not miss anything.
People also complain about the front of the house having better seats because they paid more, which is unfair to those who cant or wont pay that price. That argument always turns political, and someone walks away with an elevated blood pressure. You get what you pay for, an oldie but a goodie, and tha'ts that. There is no unfairness at all in making a choice, you choose to be there, or not. You choose what price you wish to pay, and you choose to accept the seats offered you at that price. You wer not ripped out of a front row seat and forced to sit in the balcony, please do not whine and call me names when I refuse to give you my seat because you asked. And yes, this has happened to me many times, mostly in the past two years.
Yes, I understand that some people have mobility limitations, but because you can not dance, don't ask others to sit with you in solidarity. I have many friends with life shortening illnesses, that dance at concerts until something dislocates, or swells beyond recognition, and they are smiling all the time, perfectly aware of the length of time they will need to recover, but dance away they do.
So, claim your seat, and dance away, physically, or mentally, and don't complain about those in the other seats, dancing, singing, and having fun. Don't complain about not getting the seat you wanted, the music is the same, I promise. If you are hearing a muddy mix, think first about your hearing, and your seat, not the sound person, they worked hard to get it right, sometimes the venues can't support the sounds generated by this band. Generally, let's all have fun, don't take out your disappointment on the other patrons, our fun was not planned to ruin yours, don't ruin ours.