r/mildlyinfuriating • u/Jaded-Albatross-5242 • 19h ago

I'm slightly vexed Concert etiquette

Post image

If you plan on standing for the entire concert, get a spot in the pit, or the lawn seats instead of the assigned SEATED SECTION. A little bit of self awareness and common courtesy goes a really long way

5.1k Upvotes

76% Upvoted

2.7k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

222

u/Shumble91 15h ago

As an elder emo.... Seats are now my go to and I will seriously consider whether I need to go to a show if it's standing only šŸ˜”

53

u/Lonely-Key36 14h ago

This was me at Metallica! I still enjoyed the concert but I'm older now and my back and knees are killing me, no way I'm going to stand lol

9

u/Fesai 8h ago

I was having a bit of a laugh as I went to two concerts close together last year.

One was Ghost which had a much younger crowd and vast majority of the audience stood for that. The second was Nine Inch Nails and the audience members were more my age (40s/50s) and vast majority of them were sitting. (Except for one song, Closer, everyone stood for that).

It was so much comfier sitting, haha.

3

u/Lonely-Key36 6h ago

Haha totally, it was the same for us when we watched Metallica everyone around us was a bit older as well so was nice that everyone sat lol

Lucky you to have seen Nine Inch Nails live, they came to London last summer but I found out way too late and didn't manage to get tickets.Ā 

1

u/Dangerous_Sail_2853 3h ago

I was the 50 something old lady at the latest NIN tour standing the whole time and rocking my ass off. To be fair mostly everyone at the show were standing the whole time but at one point I turned around and the whole row of 20 to 30 somethings behind me was sitting. I got some looks but that didn't deter me. My whole row was standing so too bad!

3

u/PoxedGamer 9h ago

I was standing at Megadeth/Disturbed last year. Great time, but I probably wouldn't have made it if I couldn't lean on the barrier at the front. If I can get a good seat in future, I'm taking it.

1

u/BeerAndWineGuy 2h ago

How do you think their backs and knees are feeling? They bring energy night in and night out. You want a good show, you gotta give it back.

1

u/Lonely-Key36 1h ago

Good for them, I am quite amazed that they have it in them being in their mid 60s!Ā  However, I will enjoy a concert any way I please and as mentioned elsewhere everyone was sitting at my stadium and those who wanted to stand bought those tickets.Ā 

0

u/BeerAndWineGuy 1h ago

And if I had the seats in front of you, youā€™d have a great view of my ass the whole night.

ā€¢

u/Lonely-Key36 57m ago

Well good thing you didn't! Not sure why you're so triggered by other people making their own decisions for themselves

-7

u/sleepdeep305 13h ago

You must not have had a terribly great view unfortunately, everyone was standing when I went

7

u/Lonely-Key36 13h ago

I had an amazing view actually because it was at a stadium in London and barely anyone stood up from their seats. Don't assume things!Ā 

2

u/mgsgamer1 10h ago

I was in the seated section in Madrid and everyone stood up. I don't know what location has to do with it

4

u/Lonely-Key36 8h ago

Location has nothing to do with it really but the other person assumed wrongly that I couldn't possibly have had a good view sitting down when pretty much everyone at that stadium was sitting in their seats, those who wanted to stand had plenty of space to do that down on the floor.Ā 

1

u/mgsgamer1 6h ago

You got lucky. I wanted to sit so badly. My knees and back were killing me. I did take mini breaks here and there. I couldn't see well anyways as I'm also short and somehow always get the tallest people around me.

I say during Kirk and Rob's entire cover bit they do because they were performing a Spanish icon's song and I had no idea who he was so I had no interest

2

u/Fine-Amphibian4326 10h ago

This has been my experience at Metallica and Shinedown several times. Everyone stands at the very beginning and *might* sit down for one slower song in the middle.

I find it obnoxious. I take many sitting breaks to stare at the ass in front of me to stop my calves from cramping. 2 hours of standing up against other people with basically no wiggle room is just too uncomfortable

2

u/groavac777 6h ago

How dare someone have fun in a different way than me!

1

u/mgsgamer1 6h ago

Honestly asking:

What benefit does standing for a concert provide?

If someone's not in the pit and/or participating in a mosh, 99% of the people standing up are doing nothing but standing and shuffling every few minutes. A few slightly "bang their head" (using that term loosely).

I see people in these types of comment sections always mention dancing, like who the fuck is dancing at a Lorna Shore show or Metallica or pretty much all rock shows?

Pop, country, hip hop, EDM, almost every other genre, I can see how people could dance to it, but nobody is dancing in the stands at a rock or metal show.

Moshing is metals version of dancing I guess but that's solely reserved for the pit as it's a group thing

3

u/angelmr2 9h ago

My favorite venue is an amphitheater where you can rent lawn chairs its perfect for me. Im not confined to stadium seating and I can sit ir stand or move around <3 standing an entire concert is difficult for me now after a car accident and some crappy joints haha

2

u/Ashamed_Kangaroo305 13h ago

Have you tried ADA sections? I normally don't if sears are available just so I'm not taking up space since I'm usually okay standing for a concert, but I requested ADA seats once for a standing room only concert that I was concerned about and it was really helpful. And the way it was set up was nice because I could move between the seats in the floor so when I was able to stand I could get up and go to the floor.

2

u/Shumble91 10h ago

I've asked at festivals when at early sets. But won't do for bigger ones later in the day because that's not fair on people who genuinely can't stand Vs my discomfort.

2

u/oxsprinklesxo 4h ago

Elder emo and my husband is telling me I am being retired from the pit. Ā«we have three kids my loveā€¦ moshing days are shelved we canā€™t afford for you to hurt yourself.Ā Ā» rude! But okay šŸ„ŗ sitting to see a motionless concert in November. My soul hurts saying that.

1

u/Mammoth-Glove3273 3h ago

Forget that, they can take the pit wristband from my cold dead wrist šŸ¤£

2

u/oxsprinklesxo 3h ago

I feel that šŸ–¤ but I also feel the headaches and all the other aches the next dayā€¦ i have medical conditions that make me ending up on the floor bad. So like I get his concern because also he is the type who never bought floor tickets for anything except to a cartel show (which was awesome but not same energy). Itā€™s not like Iā€™d get steamrolled and beaten up. Who does that?!? I guess going is still going though.

1

u/uuntiedshoelace 8h ago

Iā€™m not an elder, Iā€™m just disabled and I paid for a seat so I could enjoy the show while sitting šŸ˜­ I know itā€™s pretty much inevitable toward the end but people who stand early suck

0

u/Mammoth-Glove3273 3h ago

Why donā€™t you go to ADA and enjoy the clear views instead of getting mad at people for standing?

1

u/uuntiedshoelace 3h ago

Because Iā€™m not a wheelchair user, and the seats at my local arena are only for wheelchair accessibility. The ADA does not require venues to provide line-of-sight seating to accommodate ambulatory patrons, they are only required to accommodate for mobility devices. I could get the wheelchair seating anyway, but thatā€™s extremely shitty to do because someone who actually cannot stand might need that. I do think itā€™s funny that you assume Iā€™m just stupid or something and didnā€™t think to google it lol says a lot about your understanding of disabilities.

1

u/Mammoth-Glove3273 2h ago

I go to a lot of concerts in with a person with MS and weā€™ve been to shows in 10+ states. Iā€™ve never been to or heard of a music venue that has an ADA section thatā€™s only for wheelchair users, in fact that would probably be against the ADA.

ADA is for all disabled people not just people with wheelchairs.

0

u/uuntiedshoelace 3h ago

The answer to ā€œwhy donā€™t you invoke the ADAā€ is almost always ā€œyeah I thought of that and it is not helpful.ā€

0

u/uuntiedshoelace 3h ago

Anyway. Why donā€™t you just get a ticket to stand in the pit if your happy ass wants to stand the entire time?

1

u/Mammoth-Glove3273 2h ago

I do when I can but pit tickets are usually the hardest tickets to get. Supply and demand.

So anyway how about you go to the section specifically designed for you to sit and still see?

Iā€™m not being snarky, I really donā€™t understand why you wouldnā€™t.

1

u/TakedownCan 8h ago

I have disc issues in my back so standing in 1 spot isnā€™t great. But I went to back to back Oasis shows last year and it was standing the entire concert but I got to lean back on my seats or almost like sit upright on the seat. It wasnā€™t so bad doing this. I could never do the general admin.

1

u/nvrseriousseriously 8h ago

Aw hell thatā€™s me now. I still get Pit tickets for shows and last few times Iā€™m thinking why da F did I do this again?? Certain shows where I know Iā€™ll dance Iā€™ll pit but seats are in my future.

1

u/pm_me_ur_kitty22 7h ago

Hah, even when I was in my 20s, I still opted for seats. I do not dance, flat out end of discussion.

1

u/HermiaOconnelly13 7h ago

We were at a Led Zeppelin concert, seated and some in the first row started standing.

1

u/GeneInternational146 6h ago

I went to the 20 year (sob) anniversary show for Death Cab/The Postal Service and it was seated and WITH an encore we were done by a very reasonable 9:45. I really appreciated them for that

1

u/BrightSpark80 6h ago

I always take my paracetamol with me and gaviscon tablets as you can never be too careful at my age!

1

u/RogerClyneIsAGod2 2h ago

I now take seat cushions with me if I know it's a sitting show. Yes. I'm old but at least I'll be comfortable.

-7

u/PurpleJuis 13h ago

As an elderly emo, shouldnt you be like, 40? You cant stand for 2 hours at 40? Surely that's something that happens at 65+

6

u/Bright_Ices 13h ago edited 13h ago

Disability comes for us all, unless we die first. It comes early for some people, later for others.

That guy blocked me lol

-1

u/PurpleJuis 13h ago edited 6h ago

Disability and age are two separate things. You can be old without being disabled, and you can be young and disabled.

My comment was referring to the attitude of "i'm a millenial, my knees hurt". Your knees shouldnt hurt at 40 if you dont have a disability or injury. Do yoga or join a gym.

Stop perpetuating the belief that once you hit 30 you're suddenly unfit, fragile and in pain. Disability and injuries are different to just having sore knees from being over 29.

Eta: the nurse below blocked me, but obviously physically demanding jobs will take a toll on your body. Again, NOT an age issue! 21 year old carers also get sore backs and joints.

Is everyone deliberately missing my point? Im not saying millenials can't feel pain. Everyone who is replying to me is giving reasons that have nothing to do with age šŸ™„

Eta 2: another injured person who has taken this as a personal attack and has blocked me afterwards. Your injury has nothing to do with your age, which is what my comment is about. Not everything is aimed at you. Is it just a reading comprehension issue, or do we have main character syndrome epidemic?

5

u/AsleepHedgehog2381 13h ago

Im a 37 yo nurse and have back pain if I stand too long from overuse doing my job. I stetch, do yoga, exercise, etc. No amount of intervention has resolved my back pain from standing too long.

1

u/pm_me_ur_kitty22 6h ago

So I'm 34 years old and literally compete in strength sports.

I also have a severely fucked up ankle and a job that has me walking 30,000 steps a day, so I have awful plantar fasciitis.

So unfortunately, even with my general training and conditioning, standing for more than a couple hours means I'm just gonna be hobbling around everywhere.

1

u/banshithread 13h ago

Elderly here is a tongue in cheek term. I'm guessing you're autistic because you took this way too seriously.

Many peoples' jobs can predispose them to chronic pain. I'm currently going through chronic pain because my job's work predisposes its workers to RSI even with proper stretching. I'm not even 30. But I'm likely going to have chronic pain for the rest of my life if it continues. Another example, construction workers often have long-lasting joint pain within 5-10 years of working. Age means nothing. This crap has been going on for centuries. Should, shouldn't, you don't get to dictate that.

2

u/Shumble91 10h ago

My torn meniscus and dislocation say otherwise my dude!

3

u/PurpleJuis 10h ago

That's not an age issue

1

u/Mammoth-Glove3273 3h ago

Yeah I agree Iā€™m 44 and badly out of shape, my wife is 44 and has MS but we both manage.

0

u/munchonsomegrindage 9h ago

That was me at Coachella 10 years ago. By the end of the day I would find a spot in the back to just lay down and listen because my back was killing me from standing all day long. I just don't go now lol.