In addition to the quality of the performance, concert atmosphere can make or break a concert experience. I have been to too many concerts where other people have ruined my night. A live show is memorable because of many reasons and not just the band alone - atmosphere, people, venue and enthusiasm all have a role in the experience besides music. I've been to a few concerts where the band is so-so, but the enthusiastic audience made the show fun. As an avid concertgoer, I'm detailing a list of do nots in order to ensure everyone has a good time.
1. A concert venue is not the right place to get wasted. If you want to drink, go to a bar. Yes, I know there are bars at most every venue, but that doesn't mean you have to be intoxicated. In fact, these bars are usually very pricey, so it takes plenty of cash to drink at concerts. If I've spent a lot to see a band play, I'm not going to waste my money by drinking and forgetting half the concert. I've been known to knock a few back at a show, but not to the point of drunkenly stumbling around, bumping into people actually enjoying the music and screaming at the top of your lungs so people around me can't hear the band. Most people are at a show to listen to the band, not drink. I have witnessed musicians on stage being annoyed at drunken comments from the audience at many shows. If no one else thinks you're funny, chances are you're not. And if your friends dragged you to a concert you weren't interested in so you decide to drink away your night, make sure to sit at the bar and not bother the rest of us who are there for the music.
2. Don't yell "Freebird." Please. It's just stupid and obnoxious, not to mention overdone. And I'm sure the band doesn't appreciate it or find it amusing. Also, related to that, don't raise up your lighter for every single quiet song. Most of the people who do that also scream "Freebird," I'm not really sure why.
3. Stop crowd surfing to acts such as Beck. There's no need for it and it just ends up irritating people up front. Also, short people like myself really get screwed because we can't see when someone's coming. The worst is when you're really into the music and paying attention to the stage and, whack, someone's foot or butt smacks you in the head or, worse, someone's entire body falls on top of you.
4. Dancing like a spaz and flailing your arms all over the place is fine when people aren't crammed like sardines at a sold-out show. But, when the closest person is half an inch from your head, do not kick and head bang to the point when you're hitting every single person in your vicinity. It's great that you're enjoying the show, but dancing is possible without elbowing others and stomping on people's feet. This just ruins everyone else's fun. If you really want to do the running man in a 5-inch square foot of space, at least make sure others around you want to join in.
5. I understand you want to take some pictures of your favorite band with your digital camera or cell phone, but don't snap away incessantly. Someone with a large camera high up in the air not only blocks everyone else's views, but is also distracting to everyone around you. After all, don't you want to enjoy the performance as well as get good pictures? I don't see how you can stay focused on the music while looking for the perfect angle or lighting for your shot. If you're not a photographer, you don't need hundreds of pictures of the band.
If you follow these simple guidelines, people won't want to beat you up after a concert and everyone will have a better time. A concert is something to be enjoyed; don't ruin it for others.
E-mail music reporter Benita Mehta about your concert stories at mehtaben@msu.edu.
