Pet hate - talking through sets

[frostypaw]

The stop singing along is AMAZING! Did your jaw physically whack into the floor? I'd be lost for words and that's rare.

On a more positive note even in the little Hurts audience there was a girl in front of me who clearly didn't want to be there - not watching, texting all the time and giving her boyfriend and his mate who were rather drunk and utterly loving it some very understanding looks

Big props to her - didn't bother anyone, was being very nice to her fella and ushered me in front after a while that's the way to be disinterested!

[WS_Jack_III]

That and people with cameras help up filming the set or taking hundreds of photos.

Happens at gigs and festivals too much. Take a few photos and then watch the set. What is the point in watching it through a tiny screen?

I was very happy when Jack White banned photos from being taken on his world tour last year. Made the gigs more enjoyable.

[gizmoman]

It's incredibly annoying and can ruin a gig, Leeds is particularly bad for it, i put it down to it being a student town, students go out in groups, not all are music fans some just tag along, get bored and start talking, guess it's the same at glasto, they tag along to acts they don't know (Nick Cave was infested with them) and talk continuously. You can't really say anything until it's become a problem and by that time they've ruined 2 or 3 songs for you, you have become steadily more annoyed and find it hard to ask politely as you really feel like punching them! At least at Glasto you can move if they are too bad.

[giantkatestacks]

That person who asked you to stop singing reminds me of 3 middle aged ladies sat behind me once at a prince gig at the O2. He came on, we stood up and started dancing and they tapped me on the shoulder and said,' are you going to be stood up and dancing for the whole time?'. Er yes, damn right I am.

I couldnt believe it, I wish I had asked them,' are you planning to sit down for the whole gig?' in an incredulous voice.

[Mardy]

hehehe some great stories on here. Good work, people

I don't really have a problem with people talking, it's kind of inevitable at the bigger stages and that.

This year I went to see Evan Dando at the Avalon on Sunday evening. He's a shambles of a man these days, clearly fried and all over the shop. But it was really good, I enjoyed it plenty enough. It was a low key set, him and his guitar which he gently strummed while playing lots of classics. Re-inventing them, turning them from the wistful guitar pop classics that they were on the album to melancholy, slowed down dissertations about love and loss.

However, this seemed to have bypassed one group of 3 or 4 people who every time he played a tune from 'It's a Shame about Ray' in a mournful, ponderous way insisted on leaping up and down and dancing around like they were at an indie disco in 1993. They were clearly listening to their version fo the song, the one they knew from the albums, not the one he was actually playing. Very odd.

[Matt42]

The fucking nerve of the group of people infront of me for Dizzie going

"bring on the arctic monkeys, bring on the arctic monkeys". In their stupid lad chants.

Seriously the arctic monkeys will be on in like 30 minutes shut up and just enjoy Dizzie fucking rascal.

[cokebabies92]

I was there and had the same thing. Group of people relatively near the front all talking to each other constantly were stood just behind us. Was really annoying but they then asked us at one point to stop singing along as they could barely hear each other! Didnt really know how to respond

[georgiebarn]

I was halfway between the stage and the sound desk for The XX - who I was most looking forward to seeing the whole weekend - after worming my way through a pretty relaxed crowd. I was followed by a chain of about 10 people who, instead of carrying on to get closer, stopped in front of me. That's annoying as it is, THEN two girls climbed straight up on to boys shoulders, annoying thing #2. The group didn't shut up talking for a single song while they planned how "fucked up" they were going to get later (annoying thing #3) so I, very politely, asked them to quiet down for a little while (seriously, The XX practically whisper through a set) and got the reply "fuck off you fat bitch why don't you just move". Nearly made it through a G without crying.

Still my favourite of 8 festivals though

[ethereal]

Every festival, every concert these days, even at the barrier. The Park was the best listening stage I visited this year, as with years past. Pro-filter ear plugs can do a great job of filtering out people talking around you I find

[pedmills]

You know how people say "that has restored my faith in humanity" when someone does a good deed, hands in a wallet or whatever? Well this thread has done the opposite of that for me.

[pedmills]

I was halfway between the stage and the sound desk for The XX - who I was most looking forward to seeing the whole weekend - after worming my way through a pretty relaxed crowd. I was followed by a chain of about 10 people who, instead of carrying on to get closer, stopped in front of me. That's annoying as it is, THEN two girls climbed straight up on to boys shoulders, annoying thing #2. The group didn't shut up talking for a single song while they planned how "fucked up" they were going to get later (annoying thing #3) so I, very politely, asked them to quiet down for a little while (seriously, The XX practically whisper through a set) and got the reply "fuck off you fat bitch why don't you just move". Nearly made it through a G without crying.

Still my favourite of 8 festivals though

[Perks]

people who stood right infront of me at nick cave obviously waiting for mumfords wouldn't shut up , when he said to his girlfriend who the fuck is this guy singing I had to walk away they were so annoying

[Dan R]

That's shocking, ruined quite an expensive gig just so they can hear whatever inane drivel their friend is spouting, hope its not the same QOTSA in November.

[sanyo]

Was really enjoying Jagwar Ma at the Stonebridge Bar down the front dancing away with everyone else when 2 massive Australian guys pushed through to stand in front of me and just stood there for about 15 minutes chatting about their day and slagging off the band. It really ruined the atmosphere of the gig and they were way too big and drunk for me to say anything. Seriously if you want to have a chat then stand near the back.

[dentalplan]

Was really enjoying Jagwar Ma at the Stonebridge Bar down the front dancing away with everyone else when 2 massive Australian guys pushed through to stand in front of me and just stood there for about 15 minutes chatting about their day and slagging off the band. It really ruined the atmosphere of the gig and they were way too big and drunk for me to say anything. Seriously if you want to have a chat then stand near the back.

[Starchild771]

Had this during Bobby Womack, non stop talking and the sucking of balloons. No stop pumping of their little gas bottle, selfish pricks!

[sanyo]

Haha, not far off mate. Regular gig/festival goers can spot these types a mile off, if only there was some kind of means test we could do when purchasing tickets so we can weed them out.

[r_eg]

I mentioned this in another thread. I don't have a problem with people talking. But when they come near the front so they have to shout at eachother and continue to do this for 20minutes or so, it makes me so angry!

I mentioned in another thread this happened to me for Portishead. They were incredible but were ruined by 3 or 4 different groups of people talking around my brother and me.

One group even pushed passed us and stood slightly infront to turn their back and chat and play with their phones. WHY?!

They then had the audacity to moan when I sat on my brothers shoulders for half of my favourite song. I know this can be annoying but they weren't even watching/listening!

Well played the man who shouted SHUT UP. From now on I will adopt this way of dealing with these people.

[olive123]

Get over it.

[Ed209]

Get over it.

[ghandi]

No it's not a library, but if you condone going to the front at a gig and turning your back on the performer to talk then does that make you selfish in your reply? Not only to the performer but to those around you trying to listen. It's a festival . but why would you not take the opertunity to stand away fro those trying to watch the set and then push to the front when the act you want to see comes on, that's what these people do anyway.

[The Nal]

No it's not a library, but if you condone going to the front at a gig and turning your back on the performer to talk then does that make you selfish in your reply? Not only to the performer but to those around you trying to listen. It's a festival . but why would you not take the opertunity to stand away fro those trying to watch the set and then push to the front when the act you want to see comes on, that's what these people do anyway.

[russycarps]

this isnt a new thing though. It's always been like this for as long as I can remember.

People of all ages, of all social backgrounds, are largely self centred horrid twats

I recall watching paul mccartney in 2004 stood next to a group of people who kept shouting "Play the beatles!" everytime he did a solo song or a wings track. Very annoying (though I sort of knew where they were coming from, the solo stuff he was touring then was dung)

[ThomThomDrum]

Depends on the gig Im at and to what extent people are "being disruptive" but I am certainly not going to expect thousands of people not to interact with each other and talk during a gig.........thats ridiculous.

I get the whole "yabbering on, not interested in the gig, talking on a phone, sqauking like a dick" person who will make anyone's blood boil..........but to expect near to total silence during gigs is ludicrous.

Sushers can be annoying saps at gigs. I was at a Godspeed you! Black Emperor gig one time and a guy I was with never saw them before and during the gig he was so excited that he would now and again turn to me simply to say "ah man, this is brilliant", "Wow", "Fuck me this is good", "Aw, that visual is so apt for this tune" etc etc............Now to me this sort of carry on is perfectly acceptable at a gig. FFS it is the appreciation of the gig that is triggering this in him..........its great that someone gets this excited about live music.............

Well if the poor git was not sushed to death nearly by these comatosed knob jockeys that were swaying and gawking in front of us............fuck off ..........people appreciate gigs in different ways and to expect someone to keep stum so as you can wallow in your moment while in fact you are not allowing someone to enjoy theirs is selfish.

Edited July 11, 2013 by ThomThomDrum

[Morse Code]

I've had many gigs ruined by these selfish w*nkers who seem to have no concept of the fact they might just be pissing other people off!!

I don't know what the answer is but I'm thinking of arming myself with a taser for future gigs!!