Concerts - to sing along or not?

Y A N B U

It would drive me crazy!!

Imagine what it was like during Beatles-mania with people (women) crying and screaming over them, like having orgasms!! Good god, I'd have had to gag them!!!

Not.

My 9 year old went to see The Beatles =, Birmingham Town Hall 1972 or 3. Hordes of sobbing teenagers. She came out looking less than delighted because ‘The big girls were all standing up and screaming!’

I remember going to see The Beatles in concert in the 60s and couldn't hear them singing due to the deluge of constant screaming, but I was taken up with the atmosphere at the time and I was glad I went to see them in the flesh! Since then I have been to several different types of concerts and I would only sing along when invited to do so by the performer. Some people seem to think they are in their own living room and are oblivious to them spoiling other people's enjoyment.

Just after I was reading this thread the other day, this popped up on my YouTube feed:

youtu.be/2KnjdRzc_VM?si=btbE1Vb1kRnVAkHz

Long ago I enjoyed. Tom Lehrer concert from the front row in Birmingham Town Hall. Looking every inch the Harvard professor he pleasantly said ‘Some of you may know the words and wish to sing along - kindly refrain!!’ As he said the last two words his eyes flashed behind his glasses and his voice became icy. Needless to say no one did sing along!

AuntieJemima Unlike you, I am not a "moral absolutist" but I can't think of any circumstances when it is acceptable to call an OP out for posting "silly questions".

I have attended live performances of 'The Rocky Horror Show' where it was part of the fun to dress up and join in, sing along, throw pieces of toast, squirt water pistols and wave torches etc. Perhaps I should add that I would not do anything like that at a normal live performance.

You are not being unreasonable at all. I like those that list alternative showings in theatres so I can avoid the join in the singing options . In my head I’m singing away but I paid to hear not ruin everyone else’s enjoyment.

Of course it is horses for courses. In the past I had the chance to go and see the Beatles. The tickets were expensive and in the end I decided not to go as I knew I wouldnt actually get to hear much with people screaming etc. So stayed at home and a friend who actually went , said you couldnt hear a single song for the raquet but that the atmosphere was great etc. But the expectations for a pop concert are very different to other things.

I am a classical singer and have also been in opera etc. After all the effort and work to become word and music perfect for something, I would be rather miffed if it was all spoiled by someone singing aloud and spoiling all the dynamics etc. and of course they may also not be in tune. Some things seem to lend themselves to a certain amount of joining in chorus and I find especially the chorus in G@S as the audience are usually devotees who just about know every word. But when it comes to other classical things, I dont like people joining in. Partly when you have a chorus singing or perhaps a duet or trio by the singers, a lot of the pleasure is hearing how the melodies of the different singers intertwine with the other singers making a lovely pattern to the song, which is what the composer wants you to hear. So I recommend people remember them and enjoy singing them on the way home!!

Back in the far distant 1970’s I went to see David Cassidy in concert. It was impossible to hear him due to all the screaming girls in the audience (including the friend I’d gone with). It was so disappointing and I feel the same about people singing along loudly. You are not being unreasonable.

When we went to an REM concert in Hyde park people sang and danced but that was fine, it was almost expected.

My daughter and I are big Bruce Springsteen fans, it's our 9th gig together later this spring. One of my best memories is looking around at one concert to see thousands of people roaring out Born to Run in the pouring rain. It certainly looked like everyone was having the time of their lives and no-one was complaining.
ViceVersa was right - it depends on the concert.

Namsnanny

Indigo8

AuntieJemima

You are being completely unreasonable, to go to a concert means listening to the performance that took them hours of practice. To sing along brings away attention and makes yourself seem like you need to be the centre of attention. Please be careful before posting silly questions on this thread again.

Please explain what is silly about the OP's question.

Though GN's seem unanimous in thinking it is nearly always unacceptable, there must be people out there who disagree or it would never happen.

AuntieJemima must have surely misread the post?

I am in a clear mind. I am a moral absolutist. And by all accounts singing along in concerts is an abhorrent thing to do. Even without my hearing aids I can hear the out of tune ramblings surrounding me. Anyone who sings in concerts is a detriment to society.

I had a friend who complained that her husband never took her anywhere and as she didn’t drive I arranged various outings with other friends. I took her to a performance of the Merry Widow. She sang along . No one else did and I never took her anywhere like that again. I went to listen.

Indigo8

AuntieJemima

You are being completely unreasonable, to go to a concert means listening to the performance that took them hours of practice. To sing along brings away attention and makes yourself seem like you need to be the centre of attention. Please be careful before posting silly questions on this thread again.

Please explain what is silly about the OP's question.

Though GN's seem unanimous in thinking it is nearly always unacceptable, there must be people out there who disagree or it would never happen.

AuntieJemima must have surely misread the post?

Unfortunately, my daughter is one of those annoying stand-uppers. I have to continually remind her that there are people behind, whose viewing and listening will be ruined. But there are a few like her, who get thoroughly involved with the music . I do my best to control her exuberance 😂 I apologise on her behalf

We love going to concerts and enjoy the singing along. If I was an artist or a band I think I’d rather see my fans loving every minute of it rather than everyone sat quietly in their seats. Most artists we see actively encourage participation and to be honest I don’t hear any unacceptably bad interaction from fans. But I guess if it was classical then that would be different.

I went to one last week. The singer did mention that the audience could sing along with her but most just wanted to listen. However, we had a gentleman a couple of rows behind us who loudly mooed to every song and wasn't deterred that he clearly did not know all the words. I didn't mind him enjoying himself but wished he had a volume button that I could have turned down several notches.

Can’t get along with audience participation. Even incessant audience clapping that I see on tv in some programmes drives me mad!

No, this really annoys me. I want to hear the singer or group, not you or anyone else.

AuntieJemima

You are being completely unreasonable, to go to a concert means listening to the performance that took them hours of practice. To sing along brings away attention and makes yourself seem like you need to be the centre of attention. Please be careful before posting silly questions on this thread again.

Please explain what is silly about the OP's question.

Though GN's seem unanimous in thinking it is nearly always unacceptable, there must be people out there who disagree or it would never happen.

You are being completely unreasonable, to go to a concert means listening to the performance that took them hours of practice. To sing along brings away attention and makes yourself seem like you need to be the centre of attention. Please be careful before posting silly questions on this thread again.

I was singing a hymn at a service couple of weeks ago, I'm a rubbish singer but enjoy it. The lad next to me was loudly singing completely out of tune & it was great because I could sing out loud rather than under my breath - I mayn't have been completely in tune but at least I went up when the music went up & down when the music went down, unlike him!

NOT unless invited to do so 🎶🎶
The audience didn’t pay good money to hear you !

I was at a concert last year which was totally ruined by several people in front of us who decided to stand and "sing along" with the performer..

We'd paid quite a lot of money and in all honesty, the evening was totally spoilt.
What made it worse, was in order to see anything we also had to stand and my friend struggles with this after some time.

The staff present did absolutely nothing and from what we could hear, a number of other people weren't happy.