Crowd Tolerance

[Barney McGrew]

On the flip side... I was blissfully enjoying myself at a festival, I was a little tipsy and dancing away but as I'm fairly old and not exactly skinny it's more of a butt shake interspersed with a bit of pogoing, on looking behind me a guy said rather grumpily that I was pushing him back and gave me a filthy look, I was mortified, stepped aside and stuck me hands in my pockets.

Killed it.

With the benefit of hindsight I wish I'd ignored him and carried on, the crowd wasn't dense (I'd purposely sought a hole in the crowd) and matey could have stood still and held his pint somewhere else. 

So, all I'm saying is before you rip someone from their happy place just consider whether you really have to.

 

 

Edited June 4, 2019 by Barney McGrew

[kalifire]

Sometimes you can’t win. When Radiohead played in 2017, I was so bored I left their set. I did so as discreetly as I could, but some guy decided to make a huge fuss (creating far more noise than me), responding to my courteous apology for moving through the crowd mid-set by loudly telling me that I wasn’t sorry at all and that I don’t give a shit. About what exactly, I don’t know. 

I understand that he was probably a big fan and was offended I’d be leaving during something he was enjoying, but goodness me what a gigantic tosser. I responded quite unkindly towards him unfortunately, reducing him to shouting after me I that was a “very mean” person. Truthfully, I was still in first gear. 

[jfaragher]

4 hours ago, Chef said:

... on the other hand at Glasto I get angry with the picnic blanket/ fishing chair brigade tutting every time someone walks past. 

The next time someone tuts at me as I carefully step over their temporary living room, because they're blocking off about 1/4 hectare of field...

[Robyn91]

24 minutes ago, Barney McGrew said:

So, all I'm saying is before you rip someone from their happy place just consider whether you really have to.

This. 

[Barneym]

I feel there is a massive difference between a festival and a band you have paid to go and see.

I think you have to accept people will talk and not be as interested as you at a festival and move accordingly.

i would however have no issue telling someone to shut up as I did at The National last year because everyone in that room has paid c£50 just to see that band so it baffles me why someone would then talk.

[jfaragher]

26 minutes ago, kalifire said:

Sometimes you can’t win. When Radiohead played in 2017, I was so bored I left their set. I did so as discreetly as I could, but some guy decided to make a huge fuss (creating far more noise than me), responding to my courteous apology for moving through the crowd mid-set by loudly telling me that I wasn’t sorry at all and that I don’t give a shit. About what exactly, I don’t know. 

I understand that he was probably a big fan and was offended I’d be leaving during something he was enjoying, but goodness me what a gigantic tosser. I responded quite unkindly towards him unfortunately, reducing him to shouting after me I that was a “very mean” person. Truthfully, I was still in first gear. 

Reminds me of my nearly getting into a fight in 2017, because people just don't know when to give up...

I was waiting to watch Lady Leshurr mid-afternoon at Sonic, and a scrawny wee bloke with a backpack stumbled back into a couple.  They made some snide comment, he "you what mate?"-ed them, they had a half-hearted go, he squared up, the man in the couple stood up a bit straighter...

I intervened with a "hey lads, no need for this" kind of thing, and they both backed down, backpack bloke turned away.  Thought we were done, then backpack geezer turned back around and apologised - he was wasted, sorry for being a dick, nice one mate, all smiles etc - then turned back away.

The couple immediately started up with the snide comments again, and then started to try to engage me in some kind of 'bants' about the other fella.  I tried to ignore them, but they kept on going, and I could see the backback dude could hear and was trying not to keep his happy vibe.  Ended up telling the couple to shut the fuck up, at which point they accused me (me!) of being unreasonable and aggressive.  I was about to get upset when the backpack lad looked at me and gave me a raised eyebrow and silent "mate??"

I shut up, they fucked off. 

[Honeybane]

The Worst -

1) The Alpha Male -

The Alpha Male is someone who, down the busy front, over aggressively shields their missus from getting accidentally elbowed or pushed during mosh pits and starts fights with people who might accidentally push her in a surge - get in the bin. Go and stand at the back you melts. You ruined Royal Blood in 2017.

2) The Backpackers - 

Leave it at the tent. Nothing worse than having someone's great big fuckin backpack giving your chest friction burns whilst you're dancing to your favorite band. 

3) Talkers -

I don't know you, i don't want to know you and therefore i couldn't give how your loft conversion is going. I'm trying to watch Radiohead. 

4) The Setlist.FM Brigade -

If you've been on Setlist.FM because you want to know the order of songs that's great, you're obviously very excited for the gig and i sincerely hope you have a lovely time but please - do not broadcast it. It's so annoying and just makes you sound like a massive prick. It can ruin gigs for people.

 

On the other hand, my absolute favorite thing to see at gigs is random people embracing for their favorite songs. It's amazing how people come together through music.

 

[FloorFiller]

One person complains? Take note, but maybe they could just move a bit themselves if it’s getting to them that much.

Multiple people complain? Maybe it’s time to shut up/calm down.

Although festival crowds are obviously full of a lot more casual viewers who might just be there out of curiosity so don’t expect everybody to have the same level of quiet chin stroking fandom that you do. But also don’t be a dick and move far forward and then talk away. 

[Tranquility of Solitude]

2016 at Adele, my daughter and I were quite far back, as we (along with a lot of others) had chairs. I don’t support taking chairs to a gig, but the mud was horrendous, my wee lassie was exhausted, and plenty others had them that year. Family, with three youngsters in front of us, talked constantly, kids were running around and being shouted at by their parents, and generally annoying the hell out of everyone around. After a while, I thought no; my daughter was really looking forward to this, I’ve sacked off New Order to join her, I’m not having it ruined. Moving wasn’t an option by then, so I had words. To be fair, they did quieten down. However my actions only served to embarrass my daughter, who informed me later I need to “be a bit more Glastonbury “ about the whole thing.

Roll forward to Radiohead 2017, which I was SO looking forward to. Got there early - I was on my own - got a great spot, but four young girls in front of me were chatting constantly through the opening 20 or so minutes. Remembering my daughters sage advice, I moved further back.

[Tommy Dickfingers]

That’s it mate. Just move. Makes everyone’s life easier. 

[incident]

18 minutes ago, Honeybane said:

4) The Setlist.FM Brigade -

If you've been on Setlist.FM because you want to know the order of songs that's great, you're obviously very excited for the gig and i sincerely hope you have a lovely time but please - do not broadcast it. It's so annoying and just makes you sound like a massive prick. It can ruin gigs for people.

I've actually only seen this happen once, for the Pet Shop Boys at Bestival a couple years ago - yes it was annoying, but also kind of amusing seeing the guy getting embarrassed when they played something he wasn't expecting. He shut up a bit after that.

[Quark]

It's pretty simple to me. Don't be a dick.  If someone calls you out for being a dick or asks you to moderate your behaviour, take a moment to look at yourself before you get defensive.  If they have a point, moderate.  If they don't, debate moving. Before you call someone else out for being a dick, consider whether you're just being precious or if they're actually being a dick.  Unless you're absolutely wedded to the spot you're in, debate moving.

[Old_Johno]

22 minutes ago, Honeybane said:

The Worst -

1) The Alpha Male -

The Alpha Male is someone who, down the busy front, over aggressively shields their missus from getting accidentally elbowed or pushed during mosh pits and starts fights with people who might accidentally push her in a surge - get in the bin. Go and stand at the back you melts. You ruined Royal Blood in 2017.

2) The Backpackers - 

Leave it at the tent. Nothing worse than having someone's great big fuckin backpack giving your chest friction burns whilst you're dancing to your favorite band. 

3) Talkers -

I don't know you, i don't want to know you and therefore i couldn't give how your loft conversion is going. I'm trying to watch Radiohead. 

4) The Setlist.FM Brigade -

If you've been on Setlist.FM because you want to know the order of songs that's great, you're obviously very excited for the gig and i sincerely hope you have a lovely time but please - do not broadcast it. It's so annoying and just makes you sound like a massive prick. It can ruin gigs for people.

 

On the other hand, my absolute favorite thing to see at gigs is random people embracing for their favorite songs. It's amazing how people come together through music.

 

You missed the “waiting for the next band” crew! Often caught peeing on the ground in order to Mark their territory 

[deadpheasant]

24 minutes ago, Honeybane said:

The Worst -

1) The Alpha Male -

The Alpha Male is someone who, down the busy front, over aggressively shields their missus from getting accidentally elbowed or pushed during mosh pits and starts fights with people who might accidentally push her in a surge - get in the bin. Go and stand at the back you melts. You ruined Royal Blood in 2017.

2) The Backpackers - 

Leave it at the tent. Nothing worse than having someone's great big fuckin backpack giving your chest friction burns whilst you're dancing to your favorite band. 

3) Talkers -

I don't know you, i don't want to know you and therefore i couldn't give how your loft conversion is going. I'm trying to watch Radiohead. 

4) The Setlist.FM Brigade -

If you've been on Setlist.FM because you want to know the order of songs that's great, you're obviously very excited for the gig and i sincerely hope you have a lovely time but please - do not broadcast it. It's so annoying and just makes you sound like a massive prick. It can ruin gigs for people.

 

On the other hand, my absolute favorite thing to see at gigs is random people embracing for their favorite songs. It's amazing how people come together through music.

 

Haven't had any problems with the setlist brigade... Must be one of them ??

You can add excessive PDA to that list as well. Multiple times I've been to gigs where the whole time there are couples making out rather than enjoying the concert. Save that stuff for home... Or anywhere else. 

Also the "I'm not moving" squad. Dude I just went to the toilet and my friend is right there let me go past.

[gigpusher]

1 hour ago, Joe Shez said:

The most annoying of the talkers is when they're talking to you. So hard to not completely pie them but give them enough hints that you're not up for conversation.

I was at a festival the other year, and as the band came out on stage to applause, the friend of a friend next to me said, "so, what do you do?" - time and a fucking place pal

I'd probably reply I'm here to review the gig so need to listen! 

[gigpusher]

1 hour ago, kalifire said:

Sometimes you can’t win. When Radiohead played in 2017, I was so bored I left their set. I did so as discreetly as I could, but some guy decided to make a huge fuss (creating far more noise than me), responding to my courteous apology for moving through the crowd mid-set by loudly telling me that I wasn’t sorry at all and that I don’t give a shit. About what exactly, I don’t know. 

I understand that he was probably a big fan and was offended I’d be leaving during something he was enjoying, but goodness me what a gigantic tosser. I responded quite unkindly towards him unfortunately, reducing him to shouting after me I that was a “very mean” person. Truthfully, I was still in first gear. 

Although in his defence I have 3 times at Glastonbury been in a position where about 300 people have gone past me during a set and whilst you are ok for the first couple when it's an artist you really want to see it gets really fucking annoying after over a 100. I am not even exaggerating about 300 people as well. The worst was Dolly Parton to the point where I can't even really say I enjoyed it. It got so irritating towards the end that my husband, another 3 women and I started linking arms and dancing to make it bloody obvious that we didn't want to let anyone else out and they could find another route out. 

The annoying part for me was that almost all of them always seem like the sort of people who go right to the front so they can take a selfie with the artist on stage and then bugger off after doing the look at me I saw Dolly. If you are going to see something and think it might not be for you and you have plans to move on if it's not for you I'd always go to a side or somewhere that's not right in the middle of things. 

[Avalon_Fields]

I’ll move on, at least at a festival it’s possible to do, unlike a seated gig. I won’t be confrontational as it’ll just wind me up and I’d rather keep happy. If I have to move it doesn’t bother me. 

In the wider sense of the thread title, I just can’t be bothered to be in the midst of a mass of people for over long so I keep more to the quieter stages now. Having said that, I’m hoping an hour in the heaving masses for Kylie will be just great fun and I don’t really care if everyone is singing along, that’s more about the overall experience rather than the music as such. 

[Spindles]

I'm ok with having the occasional drink spilled on me, the occasional toe stood on or someone accidentally bumping into me at a gig.  It happens, it can't be helped and most importantly there is no malice or aforethought involved.

Some of the antisocial behaviour mentioned (talkers, the over-protective boyfriend, the people who won't let others get past them) however does annoy me, as it is a conscious decision on the part of those responsible.

I tend to move til I find what appear to be likeminded folk in the crowd who are seeking the same experience as me.  I'm a timid character so I know that I'm not going to impinging on anyone else's enjoyment with my own behaviour.

[Fearless_Fish]

What I find is that my girlfriend and I will arrive early, and get as far forward as we can until such a point where we'd have to "force" our way through to get any further forward - then we stop. What we're then subjected to - like @gigpusher mentioned above - is hordes of people forcing their way past us as our area fills up. Whilst waiting for a Pyramid headliner my girlfriend will get almost knocked to the ground several times by people just steamrollering through the crowd - not even slowing down. I'm sure she'd have hit the deck if it wasn't for everyone else around (who then are upset by my girlfriend crashing into them).

After multiple times I sometimes snap and have a go at a culprit, who then gives it the "calm down, why're you so aggressive" act. I'm aware that their action alone might not warrant me having a go at them, as it might've been an accident - but it's the constant stream of people barging into us that's unbearable. I think part of the problem is that as we're considerate people, we stop at a point where it's getting too tight to get past without impinging on other people and so stop. And because we stop before it gets too busy we end up being the "walk through" for everyone else.

I wouldn't care, but if someone taps me on the shoulder and says "excuse me" I always try and let them past!

As for the comments above about the best thing to do in some situations is just to move. I ordinarily would at most stages, but when you're close to the front of the Pyramid (I say close, we rarely make it past the mixing desks), it's almost impossible to even get out, let alone saunter off for a nicer spot.

 

[gigpusher]

Just now, Fearless_Fish said:

What I find is that my girlfriend and I will arrive early, and get as far forward as we can until such a point where we'd have to "force" our way through to get any further forward - then we stop. What we're then subjected to - like @gigpusher mentioned above - is hordes of people forcing their way past us as our area fills up. Whilst waiting for a Pyramid headliner my girlfriend will get almost knocked to the ground several times by people just steamrollering through the crowd - not even slowing down. I'm sure she'd have hit the deck if it wasn't for everyone else around (who then are upset by my girlfriend crashing into them).

After multiple times I sometimes snap and have a go at a culprit, who then gives it the "calm down, why're you so aggressive" act. I'm aware that their action alone might not warrant me having a go at them, as it might've been an accident - but it's the constant stream of people barging into us that's unbearable. I think part of the problem is that as we're considerate people, we stop at a point where it's getting too tight to get past without impinging on other people and so stop. And because we stop before it gets too busy we end up being the "walk through" for everyone else.

I wouldn't care, but if someone taps me on the shoulder and says "excuse me" I always try and let them past!

As for the comments above about the best thing to do in some situations is just to move. I ordinarily would at most stages, but when you're close to the front of the Pyramid (I say close, we rarely make it past the mixing desks), it's almost impossible to even get out, let alone saunter off for a nicer spot.

 

Yes the couple of occasions that I am talking about moving would not have been an option particularly Dolly really disappointed me as I was solooking forward to it and when people talk about her being a highlight now it really annoys me that my experience of it was so ruined by other people who clearly weren't that interested. The flocking out started literally halfway through the first song. 

[Hugh Jass]

1 hour ago, Tommy Dickfingers said:

That’s it mate. Just move. Makes everyone’s life easier. 

Why should I have to move because of someone else's behaviour?

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

1 hour ago, Honeybane said:

The Worst -

1) The Alpha Male -

The Alpha Male is someone who, down the busy front, over aggressively shields their missus from getting accidentally elbowed or pushed during mosh pits and starts fights with people who might accidentally push her in a surge - get in the bin. Go and stand at the back you melts. You ruined Royal Blood in 2017.

2) The Backpackers - 

Leave it at the tent. Nothing worse than having someone's great big fuckin backpack giving your chest friction burns whilst you're dancing to your favorite band. 

3) Talkers -

I don't know you, i don't want to know you and therefore i couldn't give how your loft conversion is going. I'm trying to watch Radiohead. 

4) The Setlist.FM Brigade -

If you've been on Setlist.FM because you want to know the order of songs that's great, you're obviously very excited for the gig and i sincerely hope you have a lovely time but please - do not broadcast it. It's so annoying and just makes you sound like a massive prick. It can ruin gigs for people.

 

On the other hand, my absolute favorite thing to see at gigs is random people embracing for their favorite songs. It's amazing how people come together through music.

 

Although "live and let live" is my personal mantra, I do get a bit annoyed with the teenage girls holding hands in a human daisy chain, barging their way through. I appreciate that in the main they're physically slighter than most but I don't understand their need to force their way through a packed crowd with attitude and very little manners. I'm more than happy to let anyone though, as I'm sure most others are. Just be polite and patient and you'll get where you need to be.

[thrillhouse188]

I just try and go for the "have fun while not being detrimental to the fun of others" policy

[AmyShambles]

1 hour ago, Honeybane said:

The Worst -

1) The Alpha Male -

The Alpha Male is someone who, down the busy front, over aggressively shields their missus from getting accidentally elbowed or pushed during mosh pits and starts fights with people who might accidentally push her in a surge - get in the bin. Go and stand at the back you melts. You ruined Royal Blood in 2017.

There is nothing more irritating than this, especially if it's a rowdy crowd.  Really does my head in.

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

39 minutes ago, Fearless_Fish said:

What I find is that my girlfriend and I will arrive early, and get as far forward as we can until such a point where we'd have to "force" our way through to get any further forward - then we stop. What we're then subjected to - like @gigpusher mentioned above - is hordes of people forcing their way past us as our area fills up. 

A relatively new phenomena that I've noticed creep in over the last year of gig-attending is those who make the last minute rush to be within the first ten or so rows of the gig, stay for the first three songs, spend most of that time taking photos and videos then head back to where there's more space. It's almost as if they're subject to the same rule as the official photographers. On a positive side, you do tend to get a little more space nearer the front from the fourth song onwards. With this and the fact that so many people spend half the show chatting, I'm convinced that a large number of attendees do so for social media numbers