Etiquette in Crowds

[SteveTLizard]

There are only two things I can't stand in this world. People who are intolerant of other people's cultures... and the bloody Dutch

[pentura]

Plonk your 3 piece suite down in the front circle.

 

Fixed that for you. But definitely this. People setting up chairs and blankets and feckin' coffee tables and what have you in the middle of the crowd and not moving once it kicks off. They won't even see the gig so what's the point?

[Hugh Jass]

Fixed that for you. But definitely this. People setting up chairs and blankets and feckin' coffee tables and what have you in the middle of the crowd and not moving once it kicks off. They won't even see the gig so what's the point?

At the Stones we were pretty close to the front and fairly central. After about three songs a woman is attempting to get out with a pushchair. A fucking pushchair!!! Why the shuddering fuck would you take a kid in a pushchair into that crowd?!? One of the most stupid and irresponsible things I've ever seen.

[Tigerdragon]

My brother retells a fond story of a crowd getting particularly fed up with picnic blankets and chairs and, almost as one, moving past them (read through them). I can only imagine chairs tumbling everywhere. A bit like moody arsehole dominos. 

[pentura]

At the Stones we were pretty close to the front and fairly central. After about three songs a woman is attempting to get out with a pushchair. A fucking pushchair!!! Why the shuddering fuck would you take a kid in a pushchair into that crowd?!? One of the most stupid and irresponsible things I've ever seen.

 

That's proposterous! I understand having a pushchair for your offspring when wandering around but not in the middle of circa 100,000 people

[Ponyegg]

Rule number one:

Never ever talk loudly during a folk band as folk fans get very hissy about this. I've been to a few folk festivals and when people talk they can get a rather stern talking to by the hardcore folk lot.

 

Absolutely, it's the height of rudeness :-)

 

It can go one step further. My father was a regular singer on the folk scene during the 60/70/80s. He sang traditional Irish folk (which, a bit like the Sean Nós style is usually unaccompanied by musicians) he would break off mid song if someone had the nerve to start playing an instrument let alone talking, then he'd just give them his Paddington Bear Stare which would usually be enough. I can still remember as a child being 'shusshed' by my Mum if he or anyone else sang and we were in the pub and not behaving/quiet.

 

[**claire**]

I got berated once for standing up a few feet in front of a woman who was sat down in her chair reading the Daily Mail, clearly not watching whoever was on stage at the time (can't recall who now).  

 

Don't be that woman.

[shoptildrop]

Sorry to start another 'what irritates you' thread, but I'm curious to know what people find annoying actually in the crowds. Do people walking through a crowd really get your goat, even the more apologetic? What should tall people do? I saw someone on another website have a good ol' rant about people singing along to the songs. What do you all think ?

oh sh*t I sing badly to songs all the time, but try and get close in so people can't hear me lol....saying that if anyone asked me to stop they would just get my WTF look!!

[Ponyegg]

I got berated once for standing up a few feet in front of a woman who was sat down in her chair reading the Daily Mail, clearly not watching whoever was on stage at the time (can't recall who now).  

 

Don't be that woman.

 

Reading the Daily Mail?...... At Glastonbury?!?!?!

You sure you weren't in the Cabaret field and it was one of the comedy acts like the 'No Smiling' brigade?

Otherwise there are serious questions to be answered from the Eavis'.

1] Where the hell did it (the Daily Mail) come from?

2] How in the name of all that is holy did it get past security?

3] How come the police didn't arrest her?

4] Won't somebody think of the children?

The Daily Mail at Glastonbury????? The world is going nuts I tells ya!

[**claire**]

Reading the Daily Mail?...... At Glastonbury?!?!?!

You sure you weren't in the Cabaret field and it was one of the comedy acts like the 'No Smiling' brigade?

Otherwise there are serious questions to be answered from the Eavis'.

1] Where the hell did it (the Daily Mail) come from?

2] How in the name of all that is holy did it get past security?

3] How come the police didn't arrest her?

4] Won't somebody think of the children?

The Daily Mail at Glastonbury????? The world is going nuts I tells ya!

 

Unfortunately she was deadly serious - had her kids set up in a full-on tent next to her about 2/3 of the way back in the Pyramid field, they clearly spent every day just sat in the same space...

 

 

I guess the type of paper she was reading at the time is slightly irrelevant.

[Bradders]

I'd say it's people not letting you through the crowd rather than people trying to push through. They're obviously happy in that spot and people behind them want to be further forward, what's wrong with that? Nobody would have to push through if people were more accommodating to those trying to get past.

 

I don't really mind walking over people's picnic blankets either. I once fell straight over the top of someone in a camping chair because of the roadblock they were causing and people behind me pushing to get through, I don't blame the pushing I blame the block of chairs.

[shoptildrop]

actually I try not to let too much bother me...but people who talk loudly is annoying and people who just shoulder barge past you, a special mention goes to groups of people who try to intimidate you into moving as they want your spot - standing really closely to you, "accidentally" pushing into you, dropping drinks on you etc.. I had this at recent Foos gig but was having none of it (it was hard to stay cheery but I was enjoying the gig so let it slide) but people can be total d*cks!!

[brightyoungthing]

I've learned just to take a very relaxed approach on crowd behaviour. Yes it's annoying that people push their way through, urinate right behind you, block views and film on their phone. All of that's going to happen like it or not, so better just to accept it for what it is and focus on why you're there. It's never so crowded you can't shift position a bit to move away from those people.

 

The only time I'd really draw the line is if anyone around me chucks a bottle or anything. That's really not on at all and they'd be told in no uncertain terms. Also, anything that's deliberately done with malicious intent to spoil somebody else's time. I've never seen that happen at Glastonbury but I've seen it elsewhere and it's really scummy behaviour that should be challenged.

THIS!!  Also... there's a lot of people saying piss throwing 'simply does not happen at glasto'. It does. Absolute victim of piss here. Only once, but it definitely was enough and it does happen! 

[The Placid Casual]

I'd say it's people not letting you through the crowd rather than people trying to push through.

That's true as well, both sets can be really annoying in certain circumstances.

 

1. You could be trying to get through a sparce crowd and there could be 3 people standing still stopping you from getting through despite you asking politely. Those people can get bunned.

 

2. People in a dense crowd forcing their way through causing discomfort to others. Those people can get bunned.

[marcoolio]

There are only two things I can't stand in this world. People who are intolerant of other people's cultures... and the bloody Dutch

 

What? Dutch hater!

[bennyhana22]

So, my big ones echo much already posted.

 

It's the loud, incessant talkers that do my head in. I am very much a believer in gigs/festivals as one of the best times to spend carefree times with pals, of which chatting and talking crap is an inherent part. But don't bloody do it right in the middle of the densest part of the crowd to where everyone has made an effort to get, in order to listen to the band! 

 

I'm not talking about the occasional comment to each other in between songs ("..that baseline was incredible..." etc.), but a full blown conversation at increasing volume as the band have the bare-faced audacity to play louder, rudely interrupting your essential jabbering. I refer you once again to one of my all time favourite lyrics from the mighty Brakes:

 

Hi, how are you?

What do you do?

What do you listen to?

Where do you go?

Are you with them or are you with us?

How do you dress?

Who are your friends? 
Won't you shut the fuck up?

I'm just trying to watch the band.

 

I've had lots of chats about this with people, and I wouldn't feel it was in anyway against festival spirit and kindness to put signs up at stages along the lines of 'We want you all here, and to enjoy yourselves, but if you want to chat and watch the band, there is some lovely space AT THE BACK!!'

 

The other one is the pervasive practice of watching gigs (and life in general) through a 4" screen. WTF? Taking endless video, in shitty visual and audio quality...THAT YOU'LL NEVER WATCH AGAIN!!! Oh man, does that drove me bonkers. I'd take flags at every stage if people would put their frickin' mobile phones away! Why not go mental and watch the band...through the miracle of direct vision?!

 

People moving through the crowd? Come on, it's a gig, people move. What annoys me is when you're trying to move forward where there is actually a fair amount of space, only for some miserable tit to get all indignant because he (and it's always he) chose to stand further back and doesn't see why you think you should be closer than him. You should jolly have got there earlier if that was your intention.

 

I thank you.

 

Ben

Edited June 15, 2015 by bennyhana22

[PabloCoke]

THIS!! Also... there's a lot of people saying piss throwing 'simply does not happen at glasto'. It does. Absolute victim of piss here. Only once, but it definitely was enough and it does happen!

I never saw any piss throwing at Glastonbury until I stood at the front for Blur, piss everywhere.

[Spindles]

The thing that bothers me most about people filming on their phones is that at some point, some poor sod is going to be forced to watch it and feign interest, probably on their fag break. 

[carreg_cennen]

Disappointed with myself last year for losing my temper with the person who stood directly in front of me wearing a big straw hat inside the acoustic tent watching Alison Moyet,  despite the fact that there was a good space in front of me. Surely it would have been better to stand close behind someone at the back of the main crowd? I was well back - he did move but I wasn't exactly subtle in my request

[sheffieldlady]

I guess this would be the thread to ask this question:

 

Should camera phones be banned at gigs?

My views are 'Of course not, you can't police that!'  But when you go to a gig and you see fans filiming gigs on their phones and tablets (I mean, why bring an iPad with you??). 

 

On Frank Turner's last tour - he asked if people wouldn't film or record any of his new songs and said he was happy for people to record, take pictures etc of everything else but wanted to keep the new songs a surprise for people. I didn't see anyone with their phones out during those songs it was very refreshing to see people just enjoying the music without worrying what to post on their social media accounts - you know, to document how much of a fantastic time they are having! Some artist say that the performance is a moment you will never get back - you should step back, watch with your own eyes and enjoy the moment. 

I know that the Yeah Yeah Yeah's have also posted notices of "Please do not watch the show through a screen on your smart device/camera. Put that shit away as a courtesy to the person behind you and to Nick, Karen and Brian"

 

The Yeah Yeah Yeah's are right - it pisses off the people behind you!

 

So - what's people's views on it? 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2015 by sheffieldlady

[Koroviev]

I'm pretty chill about crowd movements and people wanting to move as long as it's genuine. I don't really care for an apology so long as they are actually moving.

 

I'm a pretty small guy, about 5'6/5'7 as covered before I generally accept I'm not going to get a fantastic full view, and it doesn't really bother me as mostly I'm content just to listen to the music. However there have been a few occasions of 'movers' making me lose my rag. It's not necessary about being a 'THIS IS MY SPACE!!!' but the ones who claim they are moving, so you either lean back or take a step back to let them through easier and then they just stand there in your place whilst you're huddled in a cram right behind them. It's so rude and obnoxious.

 

I had some prick do that to me last gig I went to (Hot Chip) who was about 6'5 and then proceeded to throw everybody sharp looks and get angry when our group were constantly bumping into him as we enjoyed the gig.

 

Had the exact same thing happen at Foo Fighters a while back where someone with his Gf pretended to move through the crowd only to decide to take the one spot a 5'7 person had for him AND his girlfriend to stand in, and then get aggressive and start confronting us and others when they kept on bumping into him or his girlfriend.

 

I know when tell people this story (mostly people who rarely go to gigs or festivals mind) they're pretty much always indifferent like 'oh why don't you just move then' but I'm stubborn and i think it's the principle that I'm not letting some selfish prick make ME move when it was him who caused the problem. Literally I've had people do this when there is hardly enough room to throw your arms up in the first place! It really can't be enjoyable for them surely?

Edited June 15, 2015 by Koroviev

[Koroviev]

 

I guess this would be the thread to ask this question:

 

Should camera phones be banned at gigs?

My views are 'Of course not, you can't police that!'  But when you go to a gig and you see fans filiming gigs on their phones and tablets (I mean, why bring an iPad with you??). 

 

On Frank Turner's last tour - he asked if people wouldn't film or record any of his new songs and said he was happy for people to record, take pictures etc of everything else but wanted to keep the new songs a surprise for people. I didn't see anyone with their phones out during those songs it was very refreshing to see people just enjoying the music without worrying what to post on their social media accounts - you know, to document how much of a fantastic time they are having! Some artist say that the performance is a moment you will never get back - you should step back, watch with your own eyes and enjoy the moment. 

I know that the Yeah Yeah Yeah's have also posted notices of "Please do not watch the show through a screen on your smart device/camera. Put that shit away as a courtesy to the person behind you and to Nick, Karen and Brian"

 

The Yeah Yeah Yeah's are right - it pisses off the people behind you!

 

So - what's people's views on it? 

 

 

 

It doesn't really piss me off, and unfortunately I have a friend who is chronic for it, or constantly instagramming her festival or gig. I just don't understand it really. It's as if these people need to have some sort of evidence or justification that they went to glastonbury or wherever. And really, are people going to watch these 4 minute crappy quality videos back or try and show it to their friends?

 

I prefer to just look at the professionally shot photos or if the festival has tv highlights, watch that back!

[pentura]

Sheffieldlady: Nothing more annoying than someone spending a whole gig in front of you with their camera phone waving about to try and get a good video. And 9 times out of 10 it's a sh*t quality recording anyway and you can barely see the band!

 

Now, I'm all for taking photos and cherishing memories and reminiscing over photographs but actually paying to see a gig with the artist right in front of you, and watching it through a tiny screen is propesterous! If you're gonna look at it through a screen then stay at home. Cause if you're not in the moment then you're not really there baby!

 

I've been in two-minds about getting disposables and getting them developed after the festival. It means for a quick snap and no screens waving about for the people behind. Yes the quality may not be great, and it may be out-dated but I'm a tangible man and like having a hard copy photo 

[sheffieldlady]

I prefer to just look at the professionally shot photos or if the festival has tv highlights, watch that back!

 

That's the thing with a festival that's heavily televised - you can watch the HD version when your back home! I like taking my compact camera and getting snaps from around the site (lots of interesting things) but it spends about 90% of the time away and I often forget I have it with me  

I went to a gig recently with the group of girls standing in front all whatsapping, snapchatting, instagraming the gig... all whilst sending text messages and not paying a blind bit of notice to what was going off on the stage!

[fightoffyour]

I've had lots of chats about this with people

not during the band I hope