People Talking During Concerts

[drumrnmuzik]

If it's a rock concert, I'll bring ear plugs. My tinnitus is bad enough.

 

Don't really mind watching cuties dancing around though...

[Jon S.]

That happened at a Gillian Welch and David Rawlings show I went to a couple years back. The sound was low(too low IMO), and there were groups of people chatting it up. We didn't even stay for the whole show, because the people yelling at the talkers ended up being more annoying. I think they wrote about how ridiculous it was the next week in one of the Nashville papers..

[dem00n]

It happens to me at the movies alot.

Its good to have friends who are 6'4, workout alot and now how you beat someones skull in.

God bless this wonderful country.

[TommyK]

Yup.

 

Was at a jazz / blues / classical solo concert of a guit tar picker. It, too, is a small venue. It's a locally owned coffee house (The picker owns it). Most people who'd eaten before the concert had rotated their chairs to watch the show. There was a copse of morons in the back carrying on a disruptive conversation. As he about to start the next piece, he just put his right arm on the upper bout and just looked at them. They were the only ones making a sound in the place. He just panned the audience and said... "They haven't a clue, have they?" Eventually, they got the hint or an elbow in the ribs. Then he finished the set.

 

Unless it's dinner music, SHUT THE FLIP UP OR GET OUT!

 

Here's a clue if they turn the house lights down, it's time to shut up and listen.

[pohatu771]

I saw Barenaked Ladies a few weeks ago, and the people behind me were loud, drunk, and clearly knew nothing about the band other than "If I Had $1,000,000."

 

Kevin Hearn (the keyboard/accordion/guitar player) walked out with a guitar (he had been playing piano so far) to do a song that he wrote and sings. The people behind me seemed angry, shouting "Who are you?" I had a strong desire to tell them that he had been in the band for fifteen years, but didn't.

 

At some point towards the end of the concert, I turned around, and they were gone.

[flem snopes]

Went to a Jerry Jeff Walker concert a loooong time ago.

 

He stopped in the middle of his set and read the riot act to the crowd.

 

Everyone was much better behaved after that.

[ShredAstaire]

I dunno how i feel about the artist reading the riot act or giving the crowd ****....i'm torn.

 

Sure I hate when people are talking/doing stuff that distracts from the show, but ****, they PAID to be there and didn't sign a contract to stay quiet the whole time.

 

If I pay to go somewhere, to see a band or whatever, I shouldn't worry about *****ed out if I ask my buddy a question while someone is playing.

 

I think its a bit pompous to expect total silence (I suppose it depends on what type of music is being played) from the crowd. Humans have short attention spans.

 

So I don't blame the artists for being upset...but i dunno if thats the best way to handle it, ya know?

 

When they start paying me to go see shows, thats when that expectation can be legit...

[TommyK]

Outside of a Classical performance or Opera, most events tolerate a certain amount of audience feedback. There is a difference between applaudin', hootin' and hollerin' to let the musicians know you appreciate that last lead guitar solo and either heckling the musicians or just plain complaining about your ex lover.

 

If some in your audience are being dis-respectful, you owe it to the other attentive, appreciative (see above hootin' and hollerin') ticket purchasing audience, to remind the Neanderthals it's time to shut up or leave.

 

For every ticketed numb skull heckler in the crowd there are a dozen paid ticket holders who are annoyed by their presence.

 

One can always get up, go to the back of the auditorium and ask an usher to ask the guy behind you to be respectful of the others.

 

And yes there is a contract. Most ticketed events come with the caveat to behave yourself or you will be tossed out on your kiester with no refund. Ask the ticket seller for the fine print.

[ShredAstaire]

Right...but i believe that 'contract' is more about not setting the venue on fire or starting barfights than talking/making noise during the performance.

 

Trust me, I'm not condoning folks who do that - I don't get why they would spend the money and chat away while the artist they paid to see/hear is playing on stage. But then again, who wants to be scolded by an artist that you paid to see/hear?

[TommyK]

If someone wants to purchase a ticket to sleep through a concert, that's his business. If he wants to talk through it, then okay, but if that talking or snoring interferes with other people's enjoyment of the concert, who collectively spent more money than he did, then he is out of line and should be asked to leave.

 

I liken it to a family who goes to a restaurant and allows their toddler to roam around the restaurant, disturbing other patrons. The parents should be asked to control their child or leave. The restaurant owner will make more of their patrons happy, and therefore more likely to return, by preserving their right to an enjoyable meal. Some restaurants, geared towards young families, address this by having a play area.

 

Boorish patrons do not have the right to interfere with other patrons simply because they paid the price of admission.

[ShredAstaire]

I agree, but its not the law. The fact is that people have their toddlers roaming around during dinner at a restaurant and that people will be talking and carrying on at a concert.

 

Nice thing about most of the shows that I see is that its General Admission...if i am near people who are detracting from my experience at the show, I can and will move to a different area of the floor.

 

Again...i don't like when people do it, but there is no law against it....its simply a matter of respect and class.

[Big Bill]

its simply a matter of respect and class.

 

I think that's the whole point of the conversation. Here in the U.S. general admission concerts are mostly a thing of the past since The Who incident in Cincinnati, so we are limited to the seats we have purchased. I agree with Tommy, most of the folks that goes to a concert is there to hear the artist, not the rude asswipes near them. Although there's no laws preventing people them from being jerks, there is still the matter of respecting others.

[ShredAstaire]

See, i'm typically not going to see big name bands at stadium shows...i MUCH prefer club shows anyway which are pretty much all GA...the beauty of underground/Indie music. :)

[TommyK]

Well, yes, it is not against 'the law' to be a jerk at concerts or in restaurants.

 

However, it is also not against 'the law' for the owners of the venue to toss you out for inappropriate or disruptive behavior.

 

Some customer centered venues are pro-active on this and will deal with disruptive behavior when they see it. Most won't do anything until someone (another customer) complains.

 

I've seen loud, obnoxious patrons at baseball games get tossed for being obnoxious and using abusive language. This is usually met with applause. In most locales, there are actually ordinances against using profanity. This also gives the venue legal grounds for exiting a loudmouth, not to mention they probably have a legal, fiduciary responsibility to prevent this kind of behavior.

[ShredAstaire]

Agreed! But its the venue's responsibility in that case....someone who is being paid to perform should do what they were hired to do....not ***** and whine because all eyes are not on them...most of the time.

 

Like I said, i'm conflicted about it...

[Big Bill]

Agreed! But its the venue's responsibility in that case....someone who is being paid to perform should do what they were hired to do....not ***** and whine because all eyes are not on them...most of the time.

 

Like I said, i'm conflicted about it...

 

 

Some musicians have to deal with these fools day in and day out, they just get fed up.

 

When I gigged, I got sick and tired of hearing drunks scream "Play Free Bird Maaan".

[Riffster]

At the last Metallica show a guy in front of me was there to socialize and nothing else, the guy was drinking heavily, talking, texting, screaming in his friend ear because the friend couldn't hear. Everytime the guy took a break his friends where rolling their eyes and shaking their heads in dissaproval.

 

The guy wanted attention so bad and when he could not get it anymore he started tearing up, so he drank more.

 

One of my friends was annoyed, I told him (in James Hetfield words) "The Brightest Flame Burns Quickest" - he said what does that mean? -I said you'll see.

 

Sure enough 30 minutes later the guy was away from his seat leaning on a hand rail, ***-drunk and looking sorry, still trying to get attention or pitty from his friends.

 

All of this behavior from a grown man.

 

People texting at shows? don't even get me started. At the Unknown Hinson show there was a guy next to me (right in front og Hinson) texting half the time, he was telling everybody how close we where to the stage. He could not wait hour and a half.