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The 10 Most Annoying Concert Behaviors The 10 Most Annoying Concert BehaviorsPut your smartphone away, stop shouting 'Freebird!' and start enjoying the show already
Members of the audience hold up their cellphones while Nicki Minaj performs at HMV Hammersmith Apollo in London, England on June 24th, 2012.
JANUARY 14, 2013 3:33 PM ET
Going to rock concerts has always meant dealing with a bunch of unruly people, many of them very drunk – but it seems like lately things have been worse than ever. Attention spans are at an all-time low, and the ubiquity of smartphones has resulted in a huge percentage of the audience at any given show barely paying attention to the action onstage. Here are the 10 most annoying behaviors at rock concerts: 1. Taking pictures the entire freaking show. I get it. You want to show all your friends on Facebook and Twitter that you saw a cool concert. Fine. Take a photo. Take five if you want! But please, don't take 77. You always manage to hold your camera right in my line of sight. You don't even look like you're enjoying the show while you're doing this. All your attention is on the photos. And you know what? Those photos are all going to look like shit. Every single one of them. You're too far away. You'll probably never even look at them. Also, you see those guys right in front of the stage with the giant cameras? They're taking great professional pictures. There's really no need for yours. 2. Checking e-mail, Facebook and Twitter every couple of minutes. Unless you're a surgeon or a firefighter, everything can wait. Live in the moment. Enjoy the show. You paid good money to be here. You can e-mail your friends when you get home. Also, that cellphone emits a very harsh and distracting glow. For the love of God, just turn it off.
3. Incessantly talking to your friends. You might not like whatever song is playing. You may be bored with the show in general. You may have been dragged here against your will. But you've been chattering the entire show, and I can hear every word. It's driving me crazy. Please shut up. Please. I can't tell you how many shows I attend where the two people in front of me are yelling in each others' ears the entire night. Not only is my sightline blocked when their heads come together, but I can hear them. Maybe go to a coffee shop when the show is done. Lie under an oak tree and talk until the sun comes up. I don't care. Just quiet down so I can enjoy the show. 4. Yelling out requests. Look, I hope Morrissey plays "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" also. That would be cool – but stop screaming for it. Most of the time the set list is pre-determined, and you're screaming in my ear. They're going to play what they're going to play. Go along for the ride. And to the guy screaming for a super obscure B-side from 15 years ago? Nobody thinks you're cool. 5. Yelling out "Freebird!" This request deserves its own subcategory of irritation. This joke has never been funny. Not once. Just stop. It was lame in 1981. Now it's just infuriating. 6. Pushing your way to the front. If a concert is general admission, the people in front earned their spots. They got there early and laid claim to their space. The people all the way in front might have even spent all day camped out by the doors, so when the lights go off and you shove your way to the front, you're being a huge asshole. Don't do that. If you show up late and there's only room in the back, you've just gotta deal with it. 7. Getting so drunk you puke. At pretty much any big concert, you'll see a janitor emerge after a couple of songs with a big broom and a bucket of sawdust. It means somebody puked. It's a bummer for the puker, but the people all around have to deal with the aftermath. Don't be the vomit guy. There's no worse kind of person to be at the concert. 8. Loudly complaining after the show because the band didn't play your favorite song. Not all artists take the Rod Stewart/Billy Joel/Tom Petty approach of "nothing but the hits." Performers like Neil Young or Van Morrison are unpredictable. This is actually a good thing. Try to enjoy the show you're getting as opposed the one you wish you were seeing. Besides, haven't you heard "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Southern Man" enough? 9. Filming the entire show on your iPhone. This distracts people even worse than taking pictures, and usually results in an equally horrid product. The sad irony is that people tend to film their favorite songs, but the smiles on their faces are gone when all their concentration goes into capturing these moments on film. Tomorrow morning, YouTube will be cluttered with crappy cellphone videos of every song from whatever show you're seeing. There's no need to add to that. You paid good money to see a show, and you're joylessly watching it through a tiny screen on your iPhone. It just doesn't make any sense. 10. Yelling "Sit down!" at people who are standing up. This is a real problem at theater and arena shows that attract fans over the age of, say, 40. Nobody can quite agree when to stand or when to sit down. Inevitably, there are some people standing right in front of people that wish to remain seated. Between songs, someone will scream "Sit down!" The stander either obliges, or yells back something like "Go fuck yourself." The person in the seat just seethes with rage, and the tension seeps through the whole section. Often the person is standing only because someone in front of them is standing. It leads to chaos, and grumpy old people spending the entire show miserable. This has to stop. Here's a simple rule of thumb: If you can't see, stand up. It's very easy. Inversely, if everyone in front of you is seated, sit down. Go with the flow and just relax. We're all in this concert together.
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The most annoying concert experience for me was in Wilkes Barre PA during the "Hit & Run" tour when this massive gal in PLEATHER fuckin pants decided she was gonna stand ON the her chair as if I had paid to watch her big ass shake-n-bake right in my face in those cheap tortured pants. [Edited 1/19/13 22:27pm] | |
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Thats some Ageist shit right there............I am over 40 and party harder than any of those young whippersnappers at any concert I have been to.
One thing they missed off is people who sing along so freakin badly to songs, they should be thrown out
When I was at the O2 to see Prince, I was unfortunate enough to have 5 Guys behind me who sang horrendously, all through the show, so loudly at some points I found it difficult to hear what Prinec was singing (We was at teh back of the arena).
Listen, If I wanna go to a Karaoke and listen to 5 Pissed people singing like Cats being electrocuted in a bathtub, then I will go to my Local Pub on a Friday night. Don't do it when I paid to listen to a show by a pro singer..............In other words keep it down or STFU !!!!! Life is short, don't be a dick.
R.I.P Prince - Thank you for your Music, Your Talent and for helping me find out who I was and am. | |
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My most annoying, besides the drunk skanks trying to get to the stage thinkin they gonna get some.. Was at Lady Gaga, this big ole drunk guy SOBBING hysterically and its not that he was crying that pissed me off, its that everytime he sobbed he blew a big breath of air right on my ear ON TOP OF he couldnt hold his drink and was spilling it EVERYWHERE! We were packed in like sardines at the stage!
His friend kept apologizing cuz she cud see I was PISSED!! ~~~~~ Oh that voice...incredible....there should be a musical instrument called George Michael... ~~~~~ | |
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Screaming and Crying...
Standing... It depends.
Pictures...
Those who experience the entire show from the bar/bathroom:
And finally:
"Love Hurts. Your lies, they cut me. Now your words don't mean a thing. I don't give a damn if you ever loved me..." -Cher, "Woman's World" | |
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They finally left after the usher and I got into it and I wouldn't back down.
personally i hate when REALLY tall people make a point of hogging the front stage & when people try to push past to get nearer the front & the people at the front who keep leaving their spot to buy beer & then wade back spilling it over everyone | |
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Ill always have a soft spot for "Freebird" just cause when some drunk yelled it at a concert, Ben Fold went right into it. The Most Important Thing In Life Is Sincerity....Once You Can Fake That, You Can Fake Anything. |
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Most of the concerts I attended were in 2004 when Prince toured the entire east coast. One show was in D.C. at a venue that only allowed standing room. I was not too far back in the line to the entrance, so I got a good location near the stage, about 15-20 feet away. Like I said, it was general admission, standing room only, but I spotted on lone stool against a wall. I confiscated it and drug it near the front of the stage but in front of a pole so I was not blocking anyone's view. Sitting on the stool gave me a good view of the stage because I could see over most people's heads. Then up walked this dude about 6"5" tall who proceeds to stand in front of me. I politely tapped him on the shoulder and told him, "You have the advantage of towering over everybody in here, but I'm not the one...not tonight."
At all the other concerts, I had front row seats, so I didn't have to worry about folks standing in front of me. | |
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He had his date with him and she had the nerve to ask if she could "borrow" my stool. Bitch, you must be out yo mind if you think I"m going to surrender the only seat on the floor. Go find your own or suffer in them 5" heels! I wore "sensible shoes," but I knew I couldn't handle 2 hours of standing.
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That's probably the most annoying thing I've ever experienced at a concert. Everyone don't smoke that shit and don't want to smell it! "It's not nice to fuck with K.B.! All you haters will see!" - Kitbradley
"The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing." - Socrates |
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At a Steve Earle concert last year, some guy screamed out a song he wanted to hear and Steve said, "It never fails - there's always at least one psychic at my shows".
LMAO, it shut that guy up but GOOD. | |
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Most annoying thing is when fans are singing louder than the artist on stage, it often happens with anthem songs like Purple Rain. It's fun for a minute or so, but gets quite annoying when they keep singing during the 90 minutes of the show... -_- When the power of love overcomes the love of power,the world will know peace -Jimi Hendrix | |
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#6!!! Prince fans are the worse! I've never had a fight in my life but I was about to punch a bitch in the throat when she got mad I wouldn't let her get in front of me. Then her and her mutually drunk ass friend started dancing to each side of me making contact each way. I said politely: I'm only going to ask once. If you touch me again, I will fuck you up.
That was my last GA show. | |
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LOL
Every band should have that in their back pockets just for such an occasion My Legacy
http://prince.org/msg/8/192731 | |
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That happened to me at the Empire. Some dumbass in a fishnet shirt kept hitting me so he could get in front of me. (He damn near knocked me down when Prince handed his guitar down to Toni and Caroline.) At one point, he told me to "move my fat ass." I said, "For someone who doesn't like my fat ass, you sure are spending an awful lot of time pushing up on it." And all the people around us got on my case!
He finally realized he wasn't getting in front of me, moved behind some people down the line and started harrassing them. One of them apologized to me later, saying, "Oh, my god - we had no idea!"
Jerks all around at that show! We don’t mourn artists because we knew them. We mourn them because they helped us know ourselves. | |
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The shows at Empire were a special kind of fuckery.
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They certainly were!
That show is the reason I didn't want to pay $250 for Friday night at the Dakota. Granted, Minnesota people tend to be more polite. But I wasn't taking any chances. We don’t mourn artists because we knew them. We mourn them because they helped us know ourselves. | |
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People still say ''play Freebird?''
Well it depends on different shows...
At a metal show when i was younger yeah i went intot he mosh pits sometimes i won't lie A. people who get way to rough, start a huge fight and push other people into it so they don't have to get involved anymore B. People who throw beer bottles and shoes! save that shit for a Patti Labelle concert.
with hip-hop and country shows it's always the ratchetness that comes with it. Hip-hop & country shows people dress skimpy as hell... and some are honestly just to big yet will show off all that flubber. People sometimes also spill drinks on you and if you say anything they start a figth as if it's your fault
Jazz or Blues concerts are always nice though
Pistols sounded like "Fuck off," wheras The Clash sounded like "Fuck Off, but here's why.."- Thedigitialgardener
All music is shit music and no music is real- gunsnhalen Datdonkeydick- Asherfierce Gary Hunts Album Isn't That Good- Soulalive | |
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it's the one type of concert were i feel people actually try to act decent besides orchestral.Oh and as for number 8
I went to see Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson & John Mellancamp in concert.
People were flipping out at the Dylan concert cause he played very little hits and did mainly newer songs and when he did hits he changed the arrangements dramatically.
Dylan has done this since the 70's did the people there not know this?
After the concert tons of people screaming ''What the fuck Dylan'' and ''The musicians were good but i didn't hear my so and so song i lost respect''
Pistols sounded like "Fuck off," wheras The Clash sounded like "Fuck Off, but here's why.."- Thedigitialgardener
All music is shit music and no music is real- gunsnhalen Datdonkeydick- Asherfierce Gary Hunts Album Isn't That Good- Soulalive | |
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When I saw Prince in AC, I was in the 4TH row on the end... People kept coming down front to dance. The usher kept making people go back to their seats. This heifer told the usher she was in my row, and pushed her way in, shoving my mom and sister over. To "prove" that we were together, she put her arm around my waist.! When I objected, she said, "Hey, Love for One Another!" I told the usher we weren't together, and she was escorted back. I saw that b**** in the bathroom later, and she called ME a bitch! Really?!
(typing on Kindle edit)
[Edited 1/22/13 15:35pm] "Love Hurts. Your lies, they cut me. Now your words don't mean a thing. I don't give a damn if you ever loved me..." -Cher, "Woman's World" | |
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I'm uber guilty of #1 especially within the last decade, depending on the show. I have some wonderful pics from the effort.
I get annoyed when it seems like most of the tall folks get within the first ten rows. I'm kinda short when it comes to concerts, so it makes it hard to get good shots and see well.
Ditto on the weed!
Oh and drinkers who spill or drop their drinks. It causes slippage, sticky floor, and shoes, which is annoying.
8. That almost happened when I saw Hall & Oates. I was not leaving that show until they performed Private Eyes. Fortunately. it ended up being the last song, 2nd encore. So I spared my cousin whining about it afterwards.
10. That happened when I was in VIP seats for Duran Duran. HELLO! I paid over $$$, I'm going to stand from beginning to end Thank you! Question for those who prefer to sit is why are you at the show and in good seats, if you are not going to get into the music. Everybody else around you is standing and enjoying themselves, but you want everyone to sit during The Reflex? I think not! "Funkyslsistah… you ain't funky at all, you just a little ol' prude"!
"It's just my imagination, once again running away with me." | |
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No offense but...
It's art people, if you're wrapped this tight maybe you should just rent the conceret video.
The smell of weed annoys you? The smell of your perfume/cologne you took a bath in annoys me but once the music starts every little thing that once bothered me or world events I was concerned with all go away.
Good shows are like religious experiences to me, I feel drained and energized all at the same time when they're over. My attention is completely focused on the music and what the band is doing, not what shape the bathrooms are in or wether people are sitting or standing. If I pay the big money (which I really don't anymore) then I'm close enough to not even be concerned.
Maybe you all are just going to the wrong shows... | |
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Since I'm the one who originally posted about weed: Yes, yes it does... How about renting the video, and then you can light up as much as you want. I go to a lot of shows- the RIGHT shows for me and my friends. Someone else's weed won't change that part... I get my "religious experience" purely from the music without any aid.
"Love Hurts. Your lies, they cut me. Now your words don't mean a thing. I don't give a damn if you ever loved me..." -Cher, "Woman's World" | |
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As you all know, I am a vehement anti-smoker. But even I am not going to knock on someone for smoking weed at a concert. I think you're a fracking idiot for smoking anything, but I understand how weed and concerts go together.
Funny thing is, I never smell weed or see anyone smoking it at concerts any more. Of course, I'm going to see geezer acts in big arenas that have lots of security, so that might be why.
The last show I smelled weed at was a Sublime/311 show at the Woodlands Pavillion. Now, this place is outdoors, and there's a big hill behind the seated portion where you can spread your blanket and enjoy the show whilst sitting under the stars. The seated portion is covered, and there is a front portion close to the stage, and a farther portion of seats behind that.
At the Sublime/311 show, the front section was sold out. The hill was sold out. The middle portion? Pretty empty. This is because the music fans wanted to sit up close, and bought those seats. The stoners wanted to smoke weed, and the hill is the place for that. But there weren't enough music fans to fill out the second portion of seats. It was funny seeing a set-up that went: sold out/mostly empty/sold out, but that's how it was.
I walked through the hill once, and there was a lot of weed being smoked. Now, I'm no dopehead but I smelled a lot of weed when I was younger, as back then it was smoked at every concert, regardless of location or security.
And the smell I remember from back then was WAAAAAY better than what I smelled at the Sublime show. It smelled like the drug addicts were smoking coffee grounds!
Has the quality of you potheads' dope gone way down in the last 25 years, or what? | |
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Yeah, you missed my point because you're so focused on weed comment. Sounds like you have other issues with it other then concerts.
My point was to not let the little things (or in your case the big things, like weed) distract you from the experience happening on the stage. If you are that uptight about the people also attending the show, then watch the dvd and you won't have to worry about what people are doing (like the list originally posted from Rolling Stone).
Just my 2 cents on the whole concert going experience. I don't smoke weed...at concerts. They will kick you out if they catch you and I don't need the drama when I can smoke any other time.
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No, I got your point. I just chose to address that comment.
I agree that you can't let every little thing bug you, but someone constantly screaming or bumping into you is not a little thing. And big things will ruin the fun, even it we try to ignore them... As long as something doesn't directly affect my experience, I'm cool....
Live music makes me very happy. I'm there for that.
clarification edit
[Edited 1/23/13 12:05pm] "Love Hurts. Your lies, they cut me. Now your words don't mean a thing. I don't give a damn if you ever loved me..." -Cher, "Woman's World" | |
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Was that the 2009 Paisley Park show? Weren't you right behind and to the side of me? And when they got sick of bugging you they moved over to me and the girl kept HANGING on me, even though everyone around us up to that point had plenty of room to stand and dance and whatnot (we weren't even in the very front!). And I finally started dancing SUPER crazy and flailing my arms about to get her to understand she had to get OFF of me. |
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I'm glad I didn't also! They had the tables out for the dance night and when Prince got on stage there for his few little bits there was no WAY you could see anything from the floor unless you were in the first 3 people around that tiny little stage. I gave up and danced in back. |
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I wish I'd been on your side of the floor. We don’t mourn artists because we knew them. We mourn them because they helped us know ourselves. | |
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It was pretty funny after it was all over. The girl was wasted. I tried telling her several times to move and get off of me and she just wasn't comprehending what was happening. Drastic actions had to be taken. |
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At the Houston Tamar show, I needed a drink so I asked a couple to hold my space (which was right in front of Prince) and in return, I'd buy them a drink. They agreed.
Later, the girl started acting weird and was kind of hitting on me, and her boyfriend accused me of spiking her drink with a Mickey or roofie or whatever the kids call them nowadays.
I got onstage and sang "Play that Funky Music" and when it was over, I wanted to stage dive/crowd surf. I've never done that and I figured this was my only chance. I went to the end of the stage, put my arms out and was about to jump into the crowd when I saw that the boyfriend was going to be one of the guys to catch me.
I figured he was going to let me crash to the ground, so I just hopped off the stage. I'm too old, I don't bounce any more when I hit the ground! | |
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