bums on seats

Clicking can show approval for a specific line or phrase without being intrusive. It can also encourage a performer who is hesitating.

I posted not so long ago about audiences in a theatre acting hysterically, screaming and whistling (al la American talk shows) which disgusts me.

I don't go to concerts but if I did and the audience stood the whole way through and prevented my seeing it, I'd make that my last visit.

However, I do think complaining, politely perhaps, has its place because how can things change if the organisers don't know some patrons are fed up with what's happening?

hi lass. i did complain to the genting arena after our last visit. the response was that i was the only one who had complained about the smell of food in the auditorium (and the chips trodden into the carpet around the food outlets) and was also told that people standing were enjoying themselves. in other words, put up and shut up. i never book tickets now for the genting arena, no matter who is appearing

Whooping at a music concert, or during applause at a play I can live with - it's a sign of appreciation!

But I think it very selfish to stand throughout in a seating area; not everyone behind you will be able to stand and won't see a thing. There are very few 'access' seats around for those with mobility/stamina problems. Standing for a finale or ovation is inevitable but don't stand for the whole performance!

I don't think I have ever sat down at a concert- I mean rock not classical.
You surely have to stand to dance about a bit & get into the mood. I don't actually ever remember having a seat except once at a Stones concert at Wembly as my friend was short & wanted to be able to see but we still stood up when they came on & stayed standing. It would never occur to me to sit during the performance.

Audience participation is one thing, but standing for an entire concert when having bought seated tickets I cant understand, as for taking food into the venue I have never heard of it, and in and out of a concert to fill up with lager, whats the world coming to.What happened to having drinks during the interval!

Save your money to spend on something else

Petunia, I'm with you regarding people in the big stadiums getting up during performances to get drinks. Tickets for the big events cost such a lot these days and some people seem to miss half the concert. I never want to miss a minute. A couple of times I've seen people thrown out of venues right at the start of the performance because they were drunk and disruptive. Why would you pay a lot of money to just get drunk? Regarding people standing during concerts, I do have slightly mixed feelings. I'm one of these people who love to move to the music (depending on the type of performance) and can find it frustrating sitting down. But I am always respectful that not everyone wants to stand and I would never stand in front of sitting people unless it's got to the point where virtually everyone is standing. One other thing that infuriates me is that regularly at big concerts people persist in horrible shrill whistling at every possible opportunity. Or loud shrieking at the end of every song. It's awful when they are near you, and so unnecessary.

When I go to see a band play, I try to find out what the supporting band play. When I went to see my favourite Heavy Rock Band, they were playing with a Heavy Metal Screamer band who weren't my thing at all but in the heat of the moment I found myself standing whilst belting out the chorus which was rather rude in language. There were 2 young women sitting next to me (who was probably the oldest in the room) and I was rather amused when they changed places because I had terrified the life out of the one who was sitting next to me. I was with my Son and DIL so they still tease me about it several years on.

Im disabled. 2 friend gave me a ticket to see an Elvis tribute last year. They chose seats carefully with me on the end of the row. Almost as soon as it started everyone stood up. I spent the whole show looking at the backs of the people in the 5 rows in front of us.

My husband and I were given tickets to see "Thriller" in London some years ago. It was a tribute to Michael Jackson. We were in the 2nd row. As soon as the band came on the whole audience except for us rose as one and started singing in unison, swaying and applauding. All we could see was up the noses of the band and their feet thumping on the stage.
Having been deafened we left the theatre at half time and escaped into the London night. A ghastly experience.

I have stopped attending live events as I end up feeling so frustrated with the behaviour of many of those around me.
I understand the excitement of a rock concert with the audience on their feet and having a great experience.
But the endless drinking and eating in other types of performances is infuriating.

Parents are clutching ‘coffee to go’ at school performances. Then the mobile phone is held up throughout and spoils the view for everyone behind them. I have now started tapping them on the shoulder and telling them to put their phones away as they are spoiling it for everyone else. I can do a very good death stare!

but standing for an entire concert when having bought seated tickets I cant understand

But so many places bands end up playing nowadays don't have standing options.

I don't go see a band to sit looking stoic

I prefer standing, or mixed venues. A lot of those venues have closed down so touring bands end up in theatres without movable seats instead of fit for purpose music venues

I did actually manage to see Neil Diamond but was shocked at the number of people who got up and walked around during the performance to get drinks and food.
At a Bob Dylan concert which was extremely expensive I was amazed that the couple behind us talked the whole way through about inconsequential things. Surely they could have gone to the pub instead.
I used to go and see the stars at the Leeds Empire when I was a girl and sat in the gods for a shilling. We saw everything and had a great view.
I recently went to see Take That at Wembley and was so far away that i could not tell one from the other except on the screen and it took hours to leave the venue due to the sheer numbers attending.

I have accepted I am too old for concerts these days.

I don't go to venues where people don't know how to behave.

I went to see Muse at the cinema. What a soulless experience that was, I walked out after the first couple of tracks. Live gigs aren't perfect but you just don't get the atmosphere any other way.

This standing up throughout a performance isn't exactly a new thing. About 20 years ago this happened at a Gloria Estefan concert we had booked to see in Birmingham. Our seats were about 4 rows from the front and and the minute she came on stage the clapping ,cheering, and standing up began....all the way through the performance. We used to go to lots of concerts in those days, and this was not exactly the norm then, and we were quite surprised, not to mention tired after standing up throughout. We were only just about 50 then and had the stamina to do so, but wouldn't like to do it now. I would probably find the continual eating and drinking you have mentioned much more of a nuisance with the smells of the food and disruption of people constantly getting up to buy more of it. Whatever happened to waiting for the interval for food and drinks?

I went to see the wonderful Sheridan Smith in “Funny Girl” in our local cinema.
She was incredible and I couldn’t resist ? at the end of
every song, however, after awhile I realised I was the only one doing it.?
It was a soulless experience as others have said and completely lacking in atmosphere.

PEOPLE WHO EAT DURING THE OPERA.

Yes, the capslock is justified. I could shoot them. A silent drink is one thing, but the crisps and the nuts and the chewing and crunching, my god.

When I am the despotic autocratic ruler of my country, eating during operatic performances will be a criminal offence.

I recently went to see the four tops and accompanying bands at my local theatre. My bottle of water was found during a search of my bag. When the security person insisted on removing the lid (in case i intended to use it as a missile apparently) she refused to listen to my warning, then grumbled when she was showered in a fountain of carbonated water

At a recent trextasy concert I knew in advance that the audience would be up and bopping for the whole performance, so wore my comfy trainers so I could join in.

The last concert I went to was a Rolling Stones one, in a football stadium. I paid extra for a seat on the field, about 30 rows from the front, but the "stand up and wave" immediately became "stand on your seat and wave" . I spent 3 hours standing on a flimsy plastic seat, wobbling about and feeling very unsafe. And the Stones were so far away, I was better off to watch them on the big screen. I'm happy to watch concerts on the TV now, it's a lot safer and cheaper .

Can you sit at the front of the area, or on the end of a row?

Having been to some wild gigs in my youth I was horrified some years later to see pick’n’mix sweets being sold before a Meatloaf concert ?

Notana2
There are those who enjoy these musical events as much as the next and suggest you widen your horizons to the fact and take on board there are those who may have no option other than to be seated .My self as someone who has friends with disabled family it is not unusual for them to get together with others in similar situations for musical events who need to be seated.As for' sitting blankly' may I suggest when you yourself attend these events you concentrate on what you are there for and not on how you believe others should conduct themselves .

I hate the whooping and whistling that goes on . Whats wrong with clapping.

This grumpy old bag is on the loose again.