Regional Concert Culture

[Mbelle]

So I was just wondering if you stand or sit at a concert?  I'm am talking more rock/pop type concert.   I tried to creat a poll, but I don't think I got it right.  I just found out that this could vary greatly.  I have never sat at a concert and am usually singing and dancing the entire time.  I simply can't imagine sitting at a conert.  I don't know if I'd even be able to manage staying seated even if it were required.  When I was young I went to some very wild concerts and learned to never be up front.  I once thought I was going to be crushed or stomped on so I've learned to be careful at certain places, although I'm way too old to enjoy those types of concerts anymore.  This past year I went to Bryan Adams and no one sat down and the year before we went to Midnight Oil which was 70% male audience and there was no sitting there either.  

What is the rock/pop concert culture where you live?

edit: typo

Edited November 6, 2019 by Mbelle

[BarbecueMom]

I saw Foo Fighters in concert a couple years ago.  I think we sat through most of the opening act (lawn seats, we brought a blanket), but once Foo Fighters took the stage we stood the whole time.  I think the only people sitting were trying to block the breeze so they could light a joint.

[vonfirmath]

The only concert I've been to like that was AL Franken. It was at the Puyallup Fair and we sat through some and stood through some and it was too loud and I won't go back.

[Farrar]

Well, the last concert I went to was Sleater-Kinney. Definitely a standing show. It was at a large indoor venue where the only seating is on the sides - you pay extra for it.

However, I saw Sufjan Stevens last summer and it was a large outdoor venue. Definitely sat on the lawn. It was very crowded on the lawn - if you wanted to stand and dance, you'd be blocking people. The encore was everyone standing though.

In general, I think a big lawn seating arena type concert for most  bands - people sit except on the edges.

[Wheres Toto]

I haven't been to a concert in ages but usually went at Giants Stadium or Madison Square Garden.   It was usually a mix of sitting/standing.  Everyone had seats but especially during certain songs, a lot of people would stand and dance.   Dd goes to a lot of concerts and people stand and dance a lot (usually young people), but I was talking to another mom around my age (50-ish) and she mentioned going to a concert recently for a 80's era rock band and most of the people were older and most sat.

[Carol in Cal.]

Local concert culture here is to have knife fights at Santana concerts.

#wistful #butnotgoing

#theresaSantanaandWarconcertherenextweek

#VERYwistful

[Mbelle]

4 hours ago, BarbecueMom said:

I saw Foo Fighters in concert a couple years ago.  I think we sat through most of the opening act (lawn seats, we brought a blanket), but once Foo Fighters took the stage we stood the whole time.  I think the only people sitting were trying to block the breeze so they could light a joint.

It does seem to depend on the opening act, sometimes they are great and other times people are sitting or ambling around getting refreshements.  Foo Fighters would be a great band to see.

 

4 hours ago, Farrar said:

Well, the last concert I went to was Sleater-Kinney. Definitely a standing show. It was at a large indoor venue where the only seating is on the sides - you pay extra for it.

 I like these kinds of places!

 

2 hours ago, Carol in Cal. said:

Local concert culture here is to have knife fights at Santana concerts.

#wistful #butnotgoing

#theresaSantanaandWarconcertherenextweek

#VERYwistful

Oh my! gosh, that sounds crazy, but I would love to go to a Santana concert!

1 hour ago, Arctic Mama said:

 But when we go see Steven Curtis Chapman in month?  That will be mostly standing.

Have fun!

 

I wish I could afford to go to every concert I wanted to.

I totally regret going to the beach instead of going to U2 the last time they came through (last year I think?) and were only 10 min from my house.   

[Farrar]

I used to go to more concerts, but I've been trying to make it a goal to go once or twice a year to see something. I forget to check the venues and then by the time I see something, it'll be like, oh, that's sold out and tickets are a bajillion dollars. I don't like any music enough to pay a bajillion dollars to see it.

[Mbelle]

4 minutes ago, Farrar said:

I used to go to more concerts, but I've been trying to make it a goal to go once or twice a year to see something. I forget to check the venues and then by the time I see something, it'll be like, oh, that's sold out and tickets are a bajillion dollars. I don't like any music enough to pay a bajillion dollars to see it.

I agree. 

U2's cheap tickets were $500 so at that time we decided to spend a few extra days at the beach instead.

edited: wrong the decent tickets were $500, but the others were behind the screen.

Edited November 7, 2019 by Mbelle

[Farrar]

See, I wouldn't even vaguely entertain $500 tickets. Heck, just now I was like, huh, concerts. What IS coming up. And I saw a Thievery Corporation show and was like, I'd go see Thievery Corporation... but they were $50 and I was like, ahem, no.

I think you made the right call on the beach. Then again, I also think U2 is the most overrated band of all time. Not that they're bad, just massively overrated.

[Mbelle]

i went through a spell of not listening to U2 for several years and then my kids asked who was on the radio one day?  I thought I had failed in my homeschooling and made them start listening not only to U2 but lots of other people in the car.  In the process I really started to like U2 again.

Bryan Adams was around $50 and it was so much fun!  We invited some of our friends and they are old like us and almost bailed and they ended up having a blast too!  HIs new music is good too. an

[Annie G]

We do mostly country (Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, etc.,) and some old artists such as Elton.  Our experience is that people who want to stand buy floor tickets. In the regular seats, most people stay seated except for signature songs or encores.   However, the concerts we took our teens to generally had people standing the entire time. And back in the days of Hanson, they also screamed the entire time. Holy cow that was crazy. 

[Joker]

I think it just depends on the crowd and venue. Dh recently went to a Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) concert that was in a smaller space and was full of older people and everyone stood the entire time.

Ds recently saw Elton John in a stadium and sat most of the time because everyone near him also sat. Ds goes to a lot of concerts though and says it's really a mixed bag. 

Edited November 7, 2019 by Joker

[Mbelle]

1 minute ago, Annie G said:

We do mostly country (Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, etc.,) and some old artists such as Elton.  Our experience is that people who want to stand buy floor tickets. In the regular seats, most people stay seated except for signature songs or encores.   However, the concerts we took our teens to generally had people standing the entire time. And back in the days of Hanson, they also screamed the entire time. Holy cow that was crazy. 

I  haven't ever gone to big country music concerts (I used to listen to Alabama back in the day), but I do live in walking distance to a "music barn" where they play mostly blue grass, but some country.  It's been around for many decades and it's a really a fun place to go.  it is strictly sit down.  The lady who started it was a religious lady who didn't believe in drinking, so it's still not allowed even though she's long gone, but you can get pie!   

 

[Bluegoat]

I was at a concert recently where this came up.  It was a tour for the 35th anniversary of Copperhead Rd.  I'd seen Steve Earle 30 years ago at a stadium type venue, which was not only standing but standing on the rickety chairs, which I can't say I really enjoyed even though I was a teenager.  More recently I'd seen him at a smaller venue, all seated and really a great show.  

Then this concert for the anniversary was the same venue, but a totally different crowd, they initially stood up and were rather raucous, and after the first song he asked people to sit and said that it was a seated show, lots of the audience members were older and wouldn't be able to see if people at the front were standing.  Mostly people did after that though there were a few who kept carrying on at various points and were ejected in the end.

The only other person I've seen recently in a hall was Joe Jackson, also a seated concert.

I mostly see music in pubs these days or smaller concert halls, I can't bring myself to pay big prices for arena shows where all I can see is on a screen, (even $50, I can't imagine $500!) I'd just as soon watch the former sort on tv. 

[TrixieB]

Last concert I went to, there were no seats.  

[TheReader]

13 hours ago, Annie G said:

We do mostly country (Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, etc.,) and some old artists such as Elton.  Our experience is that people who want to stand buy floor tickets. In the regular seats, most people stay seated except for signature songs or encores.   However, the concerts we took our teens to generally had people standing the entire time. And back in the days of Hanson, they also screamed the entire time. Holy cow that was crazy. 

ah, yes, this. 

We've seen all kinds of artists, in all kinds of places, and this seems to be mostly accurate. Some standing at certain times/songs, but mostly sitting. 

Man, I wish we could afford all the concerts I'd like to go to.....DH says I'm addicted to concerts, LOL! We manage one or two a year.....DH has a rule that I have to know (be able to name, off the top of my head) 5 songs by the artist before we can consider it. I find this grossly unfair because, especially with new/popular/current stuff, I never know who sings what (I have an old-tech radio that doesn't tell me the name/title scrolling across like his does....). But probably he's right, because really, I'd go to anything. I'll tell him, "Oooh, I love them!!!" and then know roughly 1.5 songs they sing......he just laughs. :sigh: 

 

 

[Annie G]

1 hour ago, TheReader said:

 

Man, I wish we could afford all the concerts I'd like to go to.....DH says I'm addicted to concerts, LOL! We manage one or two a year.....DH has a rule that I have to know (be able to name, off the top of my head) 5 songs by the artist before we can consider it. I find this grossly unfair because, especially with new/popular/current stuff, I never know who sings what (I have an old-tech radio that doesn't tell me the name/title scrolling across like his does....). But probably he's right, because really, I'd go to anything. I'll tell him, "Oooh, I love them!!!" and then know roughly 1.5 songs they sing......he just laughs. :sigh: 

 

 

You’re ahead of me- Unless it’s an artist I really love, I generally only know the chorus of the songs the artist sings.  Our kids roll their eyes when halfway through a song I declare “I know this one!”  No, I really don’t. 

[TheReader]

6 hours ago, Annie G said:

You’re ahead of me- Unless it’s an artist I really love, I generally only know the chorus of the songs the artist sings.  Our kids roll their eyes when halfway through a song I declare “I know this one!”  No, I really don’t. 

well, by 'know the song' I mean "can kind of sing along on the radio, and can come up with enough of it when telling DH that he knows what song I mean. 

For example, if Nickleback ever comes, I was able to convince DH I do in fact "know" 5 of their songs. The conversation went like this:  

Okay, so, there's that drug song. Oh, also, umm, Eyes Wide Open. 

DH: Nope, that's (someone else I have no idea)

Me; What, are you sure?! No, Nickelback sings that!

DH: No, they don't. Look it up. 

Me: You are wrong; it's Nickelback. (looks it up) Oh, huh.....who knew.....

DH: ummmm, me. 

Me: (resumes naming NIckleback songs) Okay, but, they sing....ummm, that one....about being a rock star...? YOu know? Also, ummm.....the one about Kim's the first girl I kissed, was so nervous that I nearly missed.....you know??? 

DH: stifling laughter as he rolls his eyes and mumbles actual song titles under his breath

Me: oh! and, ummm, that other one!! Remember? Ummm, shoot....Umm, the one about finding a person....somebody out there for me....you know! That's 5, isn't it? 

DH: four, because you got one wrong.

Me: Danggit. Okay, ummm....also that other one. With the girl, and the DJ, and don't mess with my girlfriend.....you know! 

DH: hmm, okay.  

Me: oh! Also, if today was your last day!!! See, that's *six!* I *definitely* get to go to Nickelback if they ever come!!! 

DH: (begrudgingly) Fine, yes, okay

also, laughing, because.....this is really as good as it gets with me -- I still to this day confuse 2 songs that DH swears are nothing alike, and I swear sound so similar they MUST be by the same group (they are not).  The two songs are referred to in our home as "The Seinfeld Song" and "Not the Seinfeld Song" because one was played in the final goodbye episode of Seinfeld (stops to think, hard, which one it was.....), "Time of Your Life" by (I have no idea). (but it's subtitled Good Riddance). The other one was, as you might guess, NOT played in the final episode of Seinfeld. "Closing Time." (by someone else, apparently). We've been having this conversation for decades now, and I still pause when either one comes on and ask DH "This IS the Seinfeld song, right??" (usually  these days I am actually right, but it took a long time to get there....).

As you can see, I use the term "knows the song" very loosely.......

[TheReader]

I am the same way with movies, though. I once told DH I wanted to rewatch a movie. Didn't know the name of it. Described it to him as "the one with the grass, remember??" 

When that, surprisingly, did not immediately jog his memory I was able to elaborate with: "Yes, you know....it had sharp grass. And an assassin. Or something. A girl assassin person. Remember? With the sharp grass????" 

He was able to figure it out from there (Aeon Flux), because that is one of his super powers, interpreting and understanding my vague references to things. 

[Carrie12345]

I don’t do concerts very often, but they’ve almost always been primarily standing.  This actually really bothered me for Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden, because we were pretty high up, second row behind the railing, and I had a whole height/anxiety thing going on. I really didn’t want to stand, but I did want to see over the people in front of us, and they were standing!

My most recent concert didn’t have seating on the main floor.  My aging body didn’t handle standing on concrete for hours very well, but it was totally worth it!