As the world's slowly reshaping itself into its new normalcy, one thing dearly missed is also coming back: live music shows. After the long absence of live music, gigs, parties, concerts, and festivals are now back in full swing, with multiple events often happening at the same time. The volume of shows and excitement is understandable since events like these provide a space for gathering and entertainment for a large group of people. With this, however, the issues that often trouble live shows are also coming back. Perhaps it's the uncontrollable euphoria, lack of concert-going experience for some, or just general disregard for others, but there are unspoken rules for watching live performances. For a better concert-going experience, we break down some of them here.
Don't harass people
First off the bat, an obvious one but somehow it still needs to be said. There's too many cases of women being harassed within large crowds since the perpetrator is unlikely to be found. Often, women in concerts are even approached, flirted with, or even followed through the venue by unwanted solicitors based on liking the same type of music. It seems ludicrous to even say, but concerts are not the place for you to do that-neither is everywhere else. Live shows are supposed to be a safe place to have fun, and everyone deserves to be comfortable in them.
Respect the performers
Live shows are driven by the exchange of energies between the performers and the audience. Interactions between the two are a big part of what makes live shows great. Stage dives, singing along with the performers, or shredding their guitars when they lean it toward the audience are all great, but know that every performer is different. Not all bands engage in these types of interactions since some need the utmost attention to perform. Bands like Teenage Death Star are known to sometimes let the audience replace them to play their songs, while the band members lean back and watch their "replacement band"—but Teenage Death Star is now every band and this is far from the norm. Storming the stage to the point of the performers being overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people should not be done. There's also been a rise of audience booing the performers since they're not who the audience wants to watch. Aside from being disrespectful, this is also absurd because aren't live shows the best place to discover new music?
Mosh pits are not a place to be violent for the sake of it
While it may be intimidating, mosh pits are a place where you can express yourself and react to music physically with your whole body. The point of mosh pits is not to get violent, but an exchange of energies is definitely involved. The golden rule is to pick up anyone you saw fall down, as mosh pits are a place of unity. The same goes with people's stuff if you happen to find glasses, shoes, or other things, help the owner by retrieving and giving it back if you can. You are not there to intentionally hurt people, but getting hit is to be expected. Don't seek revenge if you're accidentally hit. Also, not everyone would want to participate in mosh pits, so don't pull people in.
In general, just don't be a jerk
This applies to concerts and real life. For some, drinking enhances the live music experience but please be mindful of how it impacts the people around you. Being intoxicated to the point of needing help from others would defeat the purpose of watching live music. Also, be mindful of your own height as it can hinder the views of people around you. It's disrespectful to come late and push to the front, as the space is already filled with people. At the end of the day, it's all about having fun-but not at the expense of other people's experiences.
(alm/tim)