Now we can’t all be as great as good guy Greg. But there are still a couple things that you can do to be more like him at your next concert.
Concert Don’ts:
1) Don’t run into other people
Now this one seems fairly self-explanatory, but I’ve seen it happen multiple times. You’re at a really great show, and you just get so excited that you start jumping around, accidentally elbowing your neighbor in the process. Or maybe you decided to pregame the show, and now you’re having difficulty standing up straight and must therefore take up all of the extra space involved in your flailing to maintain balance. DO NOT BE THAT GUY.
Everyone else at the concert is here for the same reason that you are. Respect that. Getting shoved all over the place by a drunk and/or hyper concertgoer is not going to add to their concert experience. You wouldn’t want someone running into you when you’re trying to enjoy the concert, so don’t do that to anyone else.
2) Don’t randomly start clapping along to the song
So you’re at a concert and you are loving the beat of the current song. That is not an invitation to start adding your own percussion (i.e. clapping). I understand that this may upset some readers, but unless the artist explicitly cues you in, just don’t do it. Additionally, there is another rule regarding clapping at concerts and that one is:
3) Don’t clap out of beat
For this one, I don’t care if the artist cued you in. I do not care if they are conducting you personally. If you cannot clap in beat, then just don’t clap at all. Feel free to tap your foot, or bob along to what you perceive as the beat, but if you have no rhythm do not clap along. All that will happen is that you will either throw off everyone around you or you will just make it extremely awkward. And no one wants that.
4) Don’t experience the concert through the lens of your camera
Cameras are great. They allow you to capture moments of time that you can then replay later. In moderation, they are great to have at a concert. Feel free to snap a couple of pictures for later, or to take a short video if the venue permits it. However, do not use your camera for the entire concert. Not only is it extremely considerate to the person behind you, who may now have to also witness the entire thing through a screen, but it also means that you will not get the most out of this experience. If you are really that into experiencing your concerts through a screen, I would recommend just going on YouTube and saving the actual concerts for people who want to experience the show without digital assistance.
5) Don’t yell at the artists during the songs
Honestly, I didn’t want to believe that this one happened but apparently it does. I’m unsure as to why you would want to interrupt the music that you ostensibly came to see, but I am willing to bet that whatever reason you have is not worth marring the experience for everyone else. Not only is it incredibly disrespectful, but it doesn’t make any logical sense. Do you really think that the artist is going to hear you and respond in the middle of their set? Keep your comments to yourself. If you really must express them, now is not the time. Find a meet and greet, or post on their Facebook page wall or something. Just keep it out of the concert.
Concert Dos:
1) Do feel free to enjoy the concert
You do not have to look like a zombie to be polite at a concert. If you’re excited, express that. Feel free to bob your head, tap your feet, or snap some quick pictures. You are here to enjoy your experience like everyone else. It is only once you start to disrupt everyone else’s experience that it becomes a problem. It’s like the Bill of Rights that way. You may do everything that is allowed by the venue so long as you are not infringing on anyone else’s experience. Keep basic courtesy in mind and you will be the model of good concert etiquette.
