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Underground > Radio & Music >

Concert Etiquette

22:11 / 22.04.03

I'm a fan of music, you know, but I haven't been to many concerts until now, I just wanted to know what's the best method to get all up in the front, so that you can partake in the beer or water shower whenever the performing artist-if its a lady-feels up

the last concert I've been to was a Yeahs in hollywood and it was the only show that I enjoyed the others were ones I was cajoled into going to with friends, this was different in that when they were on I needed to get up in the front front front and I managed to, somewhat, except that there were three or four people packed hard together up at the very very front, in front of me and thats what impeded me, I felt I'd reached my limit.
finally, the question: whats the most successful method of getting up in the front? what would you suggest? just, getting to the show early-how early? or just being plain old "hey, fuck you bitch-get the fuck out of my way." aggresively assertive?

Matthew Fluxington

22:34 / 22.04.03

(cringe)

The best way to be assured a spot at the front at a general admission gig is to get there early, get a spot, and stay there the whole night. This is what hardcore fans do, and I think it's unfair when latecomers come in and crowd the punctual fans out. Also, you should think about the shorter fans, particularly those who are female - they should be given preferential treatment over taller males, you shouldn't fuck over the short fans by getting in the way of their line of sight.

Basically, if you want to be up in the front, get to the venue super early, and be considerate of everyone around you. Fuck this "assertive aggression" bullshit. People went to the show to have fun, not get pushed around by assholes with entitlement issues.

23:20 / 22.04.03

rolls eyes*

well, the "hey, fuck you bitch-get the fuck out of my way." was, I thought, a obvious hyperbole, I just feel that if I were more aggressive and assertive that I'd of gotten right in the front to see this band that I like a lot. I just forced myself up there.
okay I agree with you on the short female thing just ask them if they want to go in front of you if your taller right? got no problem with that, that was kind of already inherent in me. yeah I know I got to the show late, right, but um, flux...do you think you could let me off the hook this time, I swear(lifts up hand) it won't happen again. I mean, if I had a twin and he got to the show late as well and instead of forcibly making his way to the front to see this band-let's also emphasize that this is his favorite band-he stayed in the safe comfortable back because he didn't want to infringe on other people's personal space, he also felt guilty that he got there late, so there he stayed earning a merit in the field of courtesy while I was up in front enjoying the show much more. now, who's cooler me or my fake-ass twin?

The Return Of Rothkoid

03:47 / 23.04.03

Fuck's sake. I would've thought it was just a simple thing: you want to be up the front? Don't fuck over people who've been waiting longer than you. Just because you [generic you, not specific to any poster] can't be fucked to see the supports or wanted to have a smoke or whatever, instead of getting a good position, don't expect that other people are gonna be happy about giving up the spot they've staked for a while. Coolness has nothing to do with it - it's more about a willingness to sit somewhere for possibly hours before you have to, to ensure you get a good view.

Other good concert behaviour? Don't start banging on about your shitty week in the middle of a set. I didn't pay cash to hear "why my job sucks" from anyone but the band. And stop grabbing my arse. Unless you're cute. Hmm.

07:03 / 23.04.03

I was late because the time on the website was different than what was on the ticket, now I noticed this but then forgot about it because remembering the first time just stayed in my head better than the new time. believe me, I would've loved to have been fucked by seeing the opening bands.

and this isn't "A thread in which we can discuss etiquette and proper behavior at concerts and other music-related events." least not when I wrote it, it started off as: "what's the best method of getting up front?" thank you for raping my thread most honorable moderator. I didn't even know that they were allowed to change the topic of a thread from one thing to something else. completely.

I never said coolness had anything to do with it, the twin anecdote was merely my way of trying to illustrate my lack of regret for doing what I did, and that if I didn't try to get up there, then, I would've had something more to regret along with not getting the right time.

you people could've just given me a straight answer with "just get there fucking early." that would've been cool. I could've done without the moralizing.

08:07 / 23.04.03

Concert etiquette:

At gigs in London, when Camden-Man comes up to you and says 'Can I buy a cigarette off you?' and holds out twenty-pee. Buy A cigarette? You bloody losers. I'll give you a cigarette for free you twat but why didn't you bring any yourself? Didn't fancy a cigarette until half-way into the gig when you realise you're not a rock n roller? Fuck Camden-Man, I hate him and I hope he dies of lung cancer long before I do, from second-hand smoke in crap pubs.

No star here laces

09:53 / 23.04.03

Bugger that politeness shtick, it's not a fucking dinner party, guys. If you're at a concert and there's an "orderly queue" to get the front there's something wrong with the gig. If people go to and fro then lots of people get a look-in, rather than Mr Punctual setting up his picnic table and camping there all night...

jeez.

10:07 / 23.04.03

I agree with the whole, if you're tall, don't go right at the front thing.

I'm 6"3' (190cm) and if I go more than 4 rows from the front I can expect lots of people to punch me in the back (and rightly so).

I think camping is a perfectly respectible way to get a good view. I can't be arsed to do it myself, but it ranks people by how much time they're willing to sacrifice, rather than by size and anger, or money. To each, according to his passion.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

10:30 / 23.04.03

All entirely dependent on the band. If the front's gonna be violent and you're not up for it, then you're generally better getting a good vantage point somewhere, usually possible by either a) as has been said, getting there early, or b) waiting until all the people who didn't get there early but wanna pile down the front go. If it's that kind of gig, you'll get a good space, guaranteed, within the first three songs just by staying where you are (unless the venue's really shit). The level of "audience participation" varies drastically from band to band.

Personally, these days I just find somewhere near the bar that you can see from, and watch and appreciate, pint in hand. If, of course, it's someone like Conflict, everyone's piling in anyway. Although, in my experience, bands with a "reputation" for this kind of thing tend to have the "best" etiquette even in a moshpit situation- I'd feel much safer hitting the ground at a New Model Army gig surrounded by a bunch of clog-wearing neanderthals than at yr average indie-pop gig full of students discovering cider and the joys of jumping up and down. But then, I'm just old.

Actually, fuck it, I am getting old. I'm starting to like seated venues. Fuck, what happened?

10:53 / 23.04.03

I find that to a certain extent concert audience sort themselves out by a kinda process of osmosis - the people who want to stand at the front and rock out gravitate forward while the people who don't gravitate backwards. Not usually through pushing in or being abusive or anything, it just sort of happens naturally - lot's of times I've started out towards the back and ended up at the front..

My pet hate is people who spend their time fucking slam dancing like it's their fucking vocation in life - possibly it would make sense if it was a really aggressive punk/metal band, but I've been to reasonably sedate gigs where there've been these lunkheads charging around violently slamming into people and making the front of the stage a no-go area for anyone of a smaller / female persuasion (or indeed, anyone who finds being headbutted by morons detrimental to the enjoyment of music) - absolute wankers, the lot of them. Why they can't dance in a fun way and jump up and down I'll never know.

11:31 / 23.04.03

Meanwhile, here's another hint: take some time to learn how a board functions before you start posting on it. Common sense. Have another one: don't start threads with 100-word titles anywhere other than Conversation or you can guarantee that every single one will be altered by moderators.

The Return Of Rothkoid

13:19 / 23.04.03

It's hardly moralizing to say "don't fuck with people", or "don't make it shit for other punters" is it? Christ. If that's overtly high-horse, I shudder to think about everyday interactions. People make an effort, so don't expect them to kowtow to you or whatever if you show up later. They found out the right time, you didn't, for whatever reason. So if they have a better position than you, that's tough shit. Yes, fanboys can be irritating; but if they're prepared to wait when I'm not, good fucking luck to them.

Matthew Fluxington

13:45 / 23.04.03

I really dislike the notion that politeness, manners, and civility should be abandoned because you are going to a pop concert. Everyone should make an effort to be courteous and considerate all of the time, especially in situations involving crowds.

Matthew Fluxington

13:51 / 23.04.03

and this isn't "A thread in which we can discuss etiquette and proper behavior at concerts and other music-related events." least not when I wrote it, it started off as: "what's the best method of getting up front?" thank you for raping my thread most honorable moderator. I didn't even know that they were allowed to change the topic of a thread from one thing to something else. completely.

The thread topic was altered because your thread title was about 100 words and needed to be changed, and the thread title was simplified so that it could be clear and concise, but also broadened so that the thread may have a longer life and be more useful to everyone here by covering the entire range of concert behavior questions. If we kept the thread limited to simply getting to the front of a crowd, the question would be answered and then the thread would be useless. Barbelith is for all of us, it isn't only about you and answering your questions.

16:35 / 23.04.03

the worst, after compulsive violent moshers, are people who leave the front to get drinks, then return. often this happens more than once.

ooh, also when people have big cups of beer up front when you know it's gonna get rowdy. people! i don't want to wear yr beer and neither do you, i bet.

i agree that the obsessive types will get there mad early to get a spot up front, and thus they should.

17:48 / 23.04.03

I'm glad somebody noted the height. I'm a moderately tall woman but I always feel so bad when there is somebody in the crowd who can only see people's sweaty backs. And there is always some 6'3" person with a big head and HUGE ears that stands in the front.

It's the 6'3" Meathead Effect (not that I have anything against tall guys, I prefer them actually). Everytime this person shifts his/her weight, the person right behind them has to move a little, which makes the person right behind *that* person move a little until it ripples all the way to the back of the hall and people who just arrived are having seizures trying to get a glimpse of what's going on onstage.

That and I don't like it when people don't pay attention to the fact that if they move an inch, their cigarette would be in my eye.

Of course I remove myself and all so I still have my vision but sometimes I do find cigarette burns in my clothes. That kinda sucks. (People aren't technically supposed to smoke inside in California but they still do it anyway. I don't really care except for the burning me part)

18:22 / 23.04.03

Speaking of height, I was quite humbled at the Flaming Lips gig recently when somebody tapped me on the shoulder and said "sorry to bother you, but I'm quite short and can't see very well, could I stand in front of you?", and obviously I didn't mind at all.
Just the kind of polite exchange which should go on more often, and which probably allowed the person in question a better enjoyment of the show.. it's such a pity that a lot of the time it would be difficult to do something like that without one side or the other getting shirty, but I guess Flaming Lips audiences are just particularly nice or something..

My Mom Thinks I'm Cool

02:30 / 24.04.03

As a shorty I can say nothing sucks more than seeing a big sweaty dude's back for a whole concert. On the other hand I don't usually worry about short people being behind me since only the smallest girls are shorter than me - and they usually sit behind me for about 30 seconds before they realize I've just been in a mosh pit and I don't smell too good. sorry about that.

Seems like it's never been too hard to get more or less to the front of the crowd. There's always those 2-3 rows of people hanging onto the fence for dear life who waited all night, but the show isn't going to look any better if you moved that extra 2 feet towards the stage. Unless maybe you're behind a big sweaty guy.

As for general ettiquette: I'm always impressed when the nasty people in the moshpit stop to pick you up after you fall, and by the ones who are kind of moshing at the edge so they can push everyone else back towards the center of the pit and keep from smashing the non-moshers. People who sit at the back of the crowd and toss lit cigarettes in are not so cool. Weird girls who tell me their life story and then brag repeatedly about how they're going to jump up on the stage and rape the musical guest kind of scare me.

06:23 / 24.04.03

as i've gotten older i really to like havin' the room to dance & jump arround near the back of a crowd more than being up close, but this has to do w/ me going to a lot of punk/ska shows and the front is all the moshers, and the rest just stand and i wanna bop arround, so i'm always the "guy on crack" spazzing out in the middle of all the people who hardly do more than a head bob and stand w/ crossed arms...

and i also cannot STAND crowd surfers, dammit, i take off thier shoes and toss them (hopeing not to hit anyone in the head), i mean really stop it! and girls when you crowd surf over a bunch of horny and/or drunk guys at a rock show, sorry, some assholes WILL feel you up, don't act shocked, especially after the 3rd time you did it and kicked me in the head each time...

oh and no one likes liquids thrown at them, we forgive the band but all you other smartys, cut it out! i'm wet enough from all the sweat...

and is it too hard to say "i'm sorry" if you accidently jack someone in the face or side hard? i do it, you can to! (sorry i'm just bitter, that happened to me last week and it broke my glasses and the guy bolted, i KNEW it was an accident, but an "oh shit! sorry!" woulda been nice, by the way once i told the people arround me that my glasses were missing, the helped me look, what nice kids) i mean and talk to us, we obviously have SOMETHING in common, we LIKE the band we're seeing, so act like i'm a buddy "sorry i've been jumpin' on yr foot all night dude" that's all i'm askin'...

08:55 / 24.04.03

rest just stand and i wanna bop arround, so i'm always the "guy on crack" spazzing out in the middle of all the people who hardly do more than a head bob and stand w/ crossed arms...

Me too - maybe we should form a support group. I'm fed up of immobile audiences with "c'mon impress me" faces (especially in London) making me seem like an unhinged maniac just for showing some enthusiasm..

16:28 / 24.04.03

I'm fed up of immobile audiences with "c'mon impress me" faces (especially in London) making me seem like an unhinged maniac just for showing some enthusiasm.

I guess it depends on what band you're seeing and where. I mean, if you go to slimelight to see whitehouse you can't expect there to be a bunch of excited teen fans.

Another bit of etiquette I'd like to suggest... It's irresponsible to get into a mosh you're not "up to". I'm, as I mentioned, big and good at keeping my feet and not afraid of a few briuses. But when a small girl (or bloke) piles into a mosh of big drunk people in boots I often end up having to do a kind of "human shield" thing to stop them getting hurt by the more violent moshers. If a mosh looks to violent for me, I don't go into it. If I do, I don't blame the moshers for me being hurt. (it's different if there's one arsehole, I'm talking about general violence level).

I have a fond memory from my student days of violently dancing to Wish by Nine Inch Nails (in a nightclub, not a gig, sadly) and accidently spilling the pint of a girl who'd decided to just stand on the dancefloor. She complained to the bouncer who just pissed himself laughing at her for standing in a damn fool place. Ah, happy days.

20:00 / 24.04.03

"I always feel so bad when there is somebody in the crowd who can only see people's sweaty backs"
Thats me. Lots of u on here are being awful nice about the little people (us leprecons). Most people arent. gRR.

22:39 / 24.04.03

m. cordon bleulaces and rizla of course are right, that is just how shows are-and anyways the only time I shove is when someones been shoved at me, I'm perfectly alright with just bouncing up and down or whatever the environment is-so no, I am not every person that has pushed you around at a show.

this dude at the show that got his glasses knocked off and me and a couple of other people noticed and like stopped enjoying the show for a little while to look for them and one guy in front didn't notice and this glasses guy just got all pissed off grabbed him and "can you STOP for a little while, I'm looking for my glasses!!!" kind of funny-cuz it wasn't happening to me. but if you wear glasses and you're going to a show and you know what the ambiance of the front is don't wear glasses that'll come off, wear those goggle glasses that basketball players use or contacts, I thought that that was just common sense.

okay, I understand the thread change, though I would've appreciated a heads up before or after and a why, instead of after I'd screamed rape. and I'll keep in mind that while it is possible to start a thread with a hundred word title it doesn't mean that it is a thing that's to be done.

Matthew Fluxington

02:39 / 25.04.03

Oh come on.

I've been to hundreds of shows, I always wear glasses, and so does a lot of other people. It's not very common to get yr glasses knocked off, and people SHOULD have the decency to give the guy a break. I can think of two times when I've seen it happen, and most people have the sense to give the guy a hand. That guy had every right to be mad, glasses are expensive, especially if you don't have insurance.

Fuck off with your sports goggles, man.

Also Known As The Scorpio Seven

03:13 / 25.04.03

I agree with what everyone has been saying about dealing with the height issue at concerts.

I'm 6'7 and around 250 pounds so I usually prove to be a pretty good wall for any people unfortunate enough to stand behind me.

At general admission shows, I make it a point to stand about 3/4 back from the stage. That usually leaves some room in front of me to allow shorter people a better view.

This has worked against me also, as I've been stuck in the very back against the far wall trying to make out the members on the stage. I wonder at what point should my polite behavior cease. I paid the same amount of money to get in and like the band just as much as everyone else. Is it right that my concert going experience is diminished just to accommodate everyone smaller than me? Which, by the way, is most everyone there.

05:57 / 25.04.03

i've been goin' to shows for 10ys, always had glasses and i've only got them knocked off 2 times, 9yrs ago and last weekend (one time i was real sweaty and tossin' my head arround and my glasses flew into the band, the trombone player pciked them up and handed them back) and everyone is always very nice to help you find them... i don't wear contacts cuz i have an eye touching phobia, sports glasses look silly (as well as being expensive, i already paid for 1 set of glasses) and IT HARDLY EVER HAPPENS! want should i take them off and not see the band? eh? EH!?..

hell yeah Riz, if we're ever in the same place at the same time and there's a band we both wanna see playin' near by, it'll be the Riz n' Rad Dance Party Spectacular... i'll never understand an immobile audience at a ska/punk show ever... it doesn't make a lick of sense...

oh and just cuz someone's standin' at the edge of a mosh pit/skank circle doesn't mean we wanna participate, hell, we're just there! and guess what we're protecting you from gettin' hit in the face and stuff, so don't push us into it if we have to lean back a bit cuz 3 teenagers just ran into us!

06:58 / 25.04.03

it was only a silly suggestion flux, I wasn't serious , no need to get emotional about it. yeah he did have a right to be mad, but not to get hostile, I mean the kid didn't even know about his problem he could of been more...polite, right? radjose, its just something you're gonna have to choose between either: seeing the band better or taking the chance of loosing them(maybe you can have them tightened before the show?). I wear glasses too and was switching from glasses to no glasses like two times until settling on no glasses or not I don't remember, I hate wearing my glasses and have a eye touching phobia as well.

14:37 / 25.04.03

He was probably panicking, method man - depending on how short-sighted you are, losing your glasses can be a big deal. If it were me I'd freak out - I wouldn't be able to go home without help. And so, yeah, I'd freak out and probably seem pretty hostile.

21:09 / 25.04.03

method man, both times i've lost my glasses i just started tappin' people in the shoulder pointing to my eyes and then to the ground, and i've got people to pause the dancing and even gotten help, but 2 times in 10ys they've got knocked off, meh, i'll wear them, they don't need to be tightened cuz (this most recent time) i was hit from the side/back by an elbo, it would've knocked off a snuggly fit hat, that's another reason why i hang out near the back of the crowd, more room to dance w/o takin' elbos, fists & knees to myself... but the venue was small, and the tight nit dance crowd was all the way to the back w/ me... then again i like wearing my glasses, when i do rush into a mosh pit i DO leave my glasses w/ a friend that's not all about the running into people... and i'm done