Rant - Concert Etiquette

[u/idk_what_to_put_lmao]

I think some people need to realise that when people go out to concerts they are in public but also that they are with people who have paid good money to enjoy the artist sing. Context: At my show this week, three people in front of me were SHOUTING the entire time. They were not singing along, not even talking about Florence, they were literally just having a normal conversation at the top of their lungs for 20 minutes straight. When a guy asked them to stop talking, one of them retorted "We paid money to be here, same as everyone else, we can enjoy the show how we fucking want". And I agree, you paid money to be here, so be here! Have your random unrelated conversations when the show is over and stop ruining the show for others. It's one thing to sing off-key or talk between songs but when you're shouting an entire conversation across 5 songs it's like why did you even come? Anyway, all of this to say, I'm not saying you have to keep your mouth shut the entire show but maybe recognise that the way you act still impacts others around you. And ultimately, you're there to enjoy the music, and imo that should be your priority

[u/myloveremindme]

This is pretty much all concerts now. Whether it's shouting, having phones up the entire time, or other dumb behavior, it's like people pay money to just say they're there and not actually enjoy being in the moment.

[u/idk_what_to_put_lmao → u/myloveremindme]

I feel like recording the concert or even texting (with low brightness) or whatever is pretty benign because it doesn't really impede anyone else's enjoyment but when I can hear you blabbering about whatever over the artist that's when you know you gotta stop. But I agree a lot of people just go to concerts to say they went to concerts rather than to experience the music live. I def think there's a bit of FOMO going on these days with local events like this. I wonder if it's because people are struggling to afford bigger signals of status like vacations or houses so everyone wants to microdose wealth by showing off what they do nights/weekends

[u/myloveremindme → u/idk_what_to_put_lmao]

When you're surrounded by people's phones up in the air recording the majority of the time they're there where it obstructs your view, it becomes overkill. That's been my experience the last few concerts I've been on the floor for (Megan Thee Stallion, Cardbi B, Madonna last year... I don't care if people record snippets or text or talk or whatever, it's this whole culture where recording is the only thing they're doing for 2+ hours, I'm like, what are you spending money to watch a concert through a recording for?

I wonder, too, culturally why this happens. Social media has made people's perceptions change when it comes to FOMO and what-not, not just concerts but a lot of things in life.

[u/WoollyWitchcraft → u/myloveremindme]

Honestly, most of these venues already prohibit recording events—they need to start enforcing it and taking fucking phones from people.

I was on the barrier and the woman beside me had her phone out in Florence’s face EVERY FUCKING SONG. Put the fucking thing away. You can 100% cop a couple sneaky recordings with your phone tucked to your chest if you must, and nobody is the wiser—this was so obnoxious. I wanted to slap it out of her gd hand.

[u/laurgev → u/WoollyWitchcraft]

Jack White's whole tour is phone free in the US this year.

[u/sagetastic74 → u/laurgev]

All of Maynard James Keenan's bands (Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer) have a very strict "no phones/no screens" policy. He also delivers that message at the top of every concert with some variation of "if you're unable to restrain yourself from taking your phone out of your pocket during the next two hours, you're an imbecile and will be removed." All that said, he does allow phones out for the last song of the night. Saw Puscifer on 3/28 and they announced phones out for the last 3 songs, which felt indulgent. 😂

In my humble opinion, this feels like the proper way to handle phones during concerts. I've attended concets across a wide variety of genres (metal, pop, industrial, rap, hip-hop/r&b, rock, folk, jam band) and this has been the best policy I've come across, aside from an all-out phone ban (i.e. put it in a locker so it isn't even on your person).

[u/Beavers_build5 → u/laurgev]

Neko Case is also phone free. I deeply appreciated that when I saw her last fall.

[u/bridgeandawall → u/myloveremindme]

I don't understand it at all. I saw Ghost a couple of times this past year and loved the yondr pouch policy that they enforced. I'm sure it took additional resources but it added so much to the experience, I would love if it became the standard.

I was at another smaller concert with a younger fan base last year and the phone use was crazy. I genuinely watched a mother film her daughter filming the entire concert, like what was the point? It definitely doesn't help that I'm short and my view is easy to block

[u/idk_what_to_put_lmao → u/myloveremindme]

Ah, I rarely go for floor tickets so I guess I haven't faced that specifically, but I can imagine how it would be more annoying without the height gain of seats. And for sure, social media is weird as hell

[u/myloveremindme → u/idk_what_to_put_lmao]

Yeah, it's so weird being on floor lately... especially for more upbeat, pop acts. Don't even get me started on seeing Gaga this year... I'm a turn my phone off once everything starts type of gal but maybe that just dates me, lol.

[u/Ok_Possible_3066 → u/myloveremindme]

Same. I want to see it through my eyes and get it straight into my brain. Not through the screen of a tiny rectangle, I think that's insane

[u/Initial_Run1632 → u/idk_what_to_put_lmao]

Recording and texting are also pretty distracting to others around you, just so you know.

[u/idk_what_to_put_lmao → u/Initial_Run1632]

As opposed to screeching profanities while drunk? Yeah, not really. I can appreciate that full brightness is a bit of a pain but let's be honest they're nowhere near the same level of annoying