Standing up at concerts

[FloraFauna]

My husband and I went to the Rod Stewart concert on Tuesday night. We paid a lot of money for these seats because we are big fans of his. Our seats were on the floor and everyone was sitting down. When Rod walked out eveyone stood, so we did too. He sang some of his up-tempo hits and everyone was standing and dancing. Everyone was having a good time. Then he left the stage and there was a 15-minute intermission. When he came back, not only did he change into some tails, the whole stage was transformed into beautiful set that looked like it came out the 1940's big band era. He asked that everyone take advantage of their "expensive" seats for the next few numbers.

Wouldn't you know two women would not sit down. They kept standing and shaking their hips to the music. A man in front of me nicely asked them to sit down, but they looked at him and said no. Finally a security guard asked them to sit down and after about two minutes of persuasion, they sat down. A few people around us started clapping.

I know people have a good time and enjoy the music, but we paid a lot of money to see Rod and not somebody dancing in front of us. Anyone else ever had that happen to them?

 

[BHFan25]

I'm guilty of not siiting down or standing still at a Beach Boys concert.

Sounds like a great concert BTW.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

When we went to a Fleet Wood Mac concert a few years back there were these drunk women behind us. They would stand and hold their full beer cups in the air and "dance " to the music. We kept having beer drip on us. Finally someone told them to knock it off. It was really annoying.

 

[Melann]

I have seen Bon Jovi (2x), Britney Spears, and Limp Bizkit/Eminem in concert, and at all of these concerts, I don't think there was one person sitting down...it just seemed like everyone was standing up! Especially the last time I saw Bon Jovi...at the Vet in Philly, everyone was up and moving around!

 

[TLinden16]

I had that happen at a Bruce Springsteen concert at Fenway Park last year. Everyone sat down for some of the less energetic songs, but the people in front of us were standing even though everyone else in the section was sitting. People were yelling at them to sit down, and they started yelling and swearing back. They were very drunk, though, and one of them got kicked out.

Karen

 

[poohtown]

almost every concert (and I've gone to alot) people stand through the entire, or at least, most of the show. I think the only show no one stood for was Harry Connick Jr. and even that audience stood during the end. Especially floor seats -- everyone stands the whole time.

 

[Stepharoonie!]

I went to a Weird Al concert last year and there were literally zero seats...standing room only. My legs were killing me by the end of the concert. My ears were killing me from the volume. My eyes were, too...from all of the scary dressed up fans that were there.

 

[ValerieK]

I took my DS, 10, to see a Rush concert and he asked why we paid so much money for the seats if no one was sitting down. It was pretty funny.

 

[tkyes]

Depending on the type of music, I don't like sitting down at a concert. That being said I always sit down when others do. I am usually thrilled when there is a large group in front of me standing because that means I get to stand too.

I really wish they would group arenas in "stand" and "sit" sections! It would make things so much easier.

 

[Keli]

I usually like to stand at concerts too although I would definitely sit down if we were asked to as Rod asked his audience. I also sit down if everyone behind me is sitting out of respect for them. But I really want to stand up the whole time I'm sitting down. I just enjoy the energy of the concert better when I'm standing.

I also went to a concert that had no seats at all. It was a Newsboys concert a couple of years ago for their Love, Liberty, Disco tour.

 

[Micca]

I have been going to rock concerts all my life and I've never understood the standing up through the whole concert thing. I understand ovations, standing when the artist first appears on stage, standing during a particularly rousing performance, but NOT THROUGH THE WHOLE SHOW. Who wants to stand anywhere for 2-3 hours???

 

[scarlett873]

depends on the concert...i like to stand and dance a bit during a concert, but only if everyone around me is doing the same!

 

[minniecarousel]

Being vertically-challenged, I hate it when people stand throughout a concert. Why assign us seats unless we're gonna use them? If it's billed as a standing-only concert, I have a choice to not go to that concert. 2 years ago at the Reno Hilton, a drunk woman kept bumping into DH - we finally switched places and I told her to knock it off - to back off. She fell down later and security helped her out!

 

[buddy&wooz]

It depends on the concert. In the Rod Stewart case, those women should have sat down for that part of the show.

When I saw Springsteen last summer I saw two shows from the stands and two from the floor. When I was up in the stands I sat for the quieter songs, but no way am I going to sit down for most songs, I'm there to dance! On the floor no one sat the entire show. Those rickety chairs probably would have collapsed if we had, anyway ! But some people insisted on standing on the chairs (daredevils!) We had to call security to get them down when they ignored the 20 or so of us yelling at them, and even then they gave security a hard time about how they'd spent hundreds of dollars for those seats and they'd stand on them if they wanted to .

 

[Dan Murphy]

Originally posted by Micca
I have been going to rock concerts all my life and I've never understood the standing up through the whole concert thing. I understand ovations, standing when the artist first appears on stage, standing during a particularly rousing performance, but NOT THROUGH THE WHOLE SHOW. Who wants to stand anywhere for 2-3 hours???

It was easier for me to quote Micca.

 

[msdznyduck]

Guilty.........Guilty.........Guilty ..of standing, dancing, singing, and having a great time at Springsteen, (but not drinking).... but also respectful of others who also wanted to have a great time!!!
Elaine

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

Oh gosh, I'm guilty, too.

I'm going to start this by saying that I have many health issues. I have a HARD time standing for the two hours for a concert to happen...but I take extra pain medication and I go HAVE FUN. I look at it this way...if you purchase tickets close to the stage, you better plan on being on your feet.

I am willing to sit, however, when everybody in front of me is seated. And I have been at Rod Stewart concerts where that has happened. I have no problem with that at all and if it's an artist like Rod Stewart (one that I like, but not one that I get zapped with adrenaline rushes for) I actually appreciate the down time. But when everybody else is up and dancing, i'm up there, too!

I've also been in situations in which every single person in front of me is standing and the people immediately behind me demand that I sit so they can see...to which I refuse. I'm not about to pay 100 bucks to sit in my seat and stare at the **** of the person in front of me. Why do people make such rediculous and downright foolish requests? Do they REALLY think that I'm going to sit and not see the show?

I've been to a lot of concerts and I know that some artists do NOT like it when people are very mellow. My favorite band, Indigo Girls, have expressed discomfort when they do a show and people sit through it. They've been known to actually come out and say that it creeps them out. They've also come out and told security to let people storm the stage. So, when considering how people behave at concerts, you also need to consider whether or not the artist is encouraging the behavior. In the case of Rod S...he's trying to get people to relax through some of the tunes and some people refuse...which is ignorant and rude to the people behind them, IMO. I always take my primary que from the performer. If they ask us to sit, I sit!

 

[bubbleprincessmom]

Guilty as charged (some of the times). When we go to Rick Springfield concerts, not only do we stand, we stand on the chairs. Rick comes out into the audience and sings with you and signs things, takes your roses and "plays" them with his guiter (which he encourages you to sign even!). Its a high energy show and seeing it from the top of a chair is the only way to go!!!

 

[CBRorBust]

I stand for the whole concert!

The way I see it, if you want to sit, get the cheap seats and have a good time! I want to see the artist and dance the night away! I don't want to have to deal with people behind me not being able to see! I paid just as much as you did for the tickets, and if I want to stand because that's how the music makes me feel then more power to me!

It's a concert. Not a symphony. JMHO!

 

[Kallison]

We're too old to stand up the whole concert, that is why we rarely go. Only for the BOSS -- where you have to stand and scream all the lyrics at the top of your lungs for 3 hours.

We were at a Bryan Adams concert where these women wouldn't sit down, they weren't blocking us but people behind them kept yelling. Security came and I thought they were leaving but next thing we knew they were in the front row and turned around and gave that section the finger. I guess Bryan saw them and had them pulled down. It was rather amusing! It was a small concert hall in Easton, PA.