Thursday, June 25, 2009
Show Review / Last Night / Shit Talk Confidential to That One Jerk at Last Night's David Byrne Concert
Posted by Eric Grandy on Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 9:54 AM
When you're at a rock concert with seating and the people in front of you stand up, you basically have three options:
1. Remain seated and quietly seethe because you can't see anything.
2. Remain seated and yell, like a dick, at the people in front of you to sit down, because they're ruining it for everybody, man!
3. Stand the fuck up and go on watching the show.
So, you know, when the people in front of me stood up, I weighed my options and decided to stand up as well (#3); I cannot believe you actually chose #2—don't you know there was like a whole SNL sketch about you?
A proper review of last night's otherwise totally amazing concert coming soon.
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1
I hate those fun-haters, and was thrilled that none of them were sitting near me. I usually say to them, "It's a rock concert, not the fucking opera." Sorry you got stuck in front of such a jerk. That show was amazing.
2
Where was the show?
When I saw The National and Menomena at the Moore, I was in the first balcony. Some girls in front of me stood up during The National's last song.
There are some problems with this:
1.) Everyone behind them must now stand up.
2.) They could EASILY move to the sides of the balcony if they're so intent on standing.
3.) If you want to stand at a show with seating, buy a fucking floor ticket and go stand down there.
4.) Standing in the balcony doesn't QUITE work because there are rows of chairs, and these rows are of varying heights.
In short, IT'S DAVID BYRNE ANYWAY, no need to be standing, sit the fuck down. Glad I wasn't at this show.
When I saw The National and Menomena at the Moore, I was in the first balcony. Some girls in front of me stood up during The National's last song.
There are some problems with this:
1.) Everyone behind them must now stand up.
2.) They could EASILY move to the sides of the balcony if they're so intent on standing.
3.) If you want to stand at a show with seating, buy a fucking floor ticket and go stand down there.
4.) Standing in the balcony doesn't QUITE work because there are rows of chairs, and these rows are of varying heights.
In short, IT'S DAVID BYRNE ANYWAY, no need to be standing, sit the fuck down. Glad I wasn't at this show.
3
Oh wait, I have more to add:
Good for this guy for taking option 2. Standing in the balcony is essentially forcing the people behind you to stand, as I've mentioned, thus directly influencing how another person enjoys or does not enjoy the show. That guy officially has the right to directly influence or ruin how other people enjoy/don't enjoy the show as well.
Good for him for exercising that right.
Good for this guy for taking option 2. Standing in the balcony is essentially forcing the people behind you to stand, as I've mentioned, thus directly influencing how another person enjoys or does not enjoy the show. That guy officially has the right to directly influence or ruin how other people enjoy/don't enjoy the show as well.
Good for him for exercising that right.
4
if the person in front of you stands, you stand, and everybody stands. that's what it is.
it's not the opera.
it's not the opera.
5
@2: The floor was all seating, too; no option for would-be standers.
Also, if I'm three rows back, and the rows in front of me stand up, am I now responsible for making them all sit down? Fuck that.
Also, if I'm three rows back, and the rows in front of me stand up, am I now responsible for making them all sit down? Fuck that.
8
Choosing #2 is choosing to have a shitty time for yourself. You're not going to enjoy the show if you spend it yelling at other people. It's totally counterproductive. OH NO, you have to stand up now... you're night is RUINED. Give me a break.
9
I was at a Seahawks game last year when EVERYONE in the ENTIRE Stadium was standing ....except for the very annoying family in front of us. They kept complaining to the usher trying to get the people in front of them to sit down.
It was the most retarded thing I'd ever seen. IF you want to sit down at a ROCK concert or FOOTBALL game stay home and watch it on TV or rent a concert DVD.
People dance at shows and stand and cheer at football games. It's how its supposed to be.
It was the most retarded thing I'd ever seen. IF you want to sit down at a ROCK concert or FOOTBALL game stay home and watch it on TV or rent a concert DVD.
People dance at shows and stand and cheer at football games. It's how its supposed to be.
10
Everyone throwing out the "It's a ROCK CONCERT" card:
It's David Byrne. It's the Moore. If I'm sitting in the balcony, and the guy in front of me wants to stand, send him elsewhere.
I saw Iron & Wine at the Moore, should I have expected the people in front of me to stand then, too?
"Rock concert" isn't a blanket term for behavior at shows. When I see These Arms Are Snakes on Saturday, I'm not going to expect people to sit the fuck down like I did at The National. I'm gonna go nuts because there is a time and a place for different styles of show behavior.
It's David Byrne. It's the Moore. If I'm sitting in the balcony, and the guy in front of me wants to stand, send him elsewhere.
I saw Iron & Wine at the Moore, should I have expected the people in front of me to stand then, too?
"Rock concert" isn't a blanket term for behavior at shows. When I see These Arms Are Snakes on Saturday, I'm not going to expect people to sit the fuck down like I did at The National. I'm gonna go nuts because there is a time and a place for different styles of show behavior.
11
Frankly the sheer, all-encompassing awesomeness of the show last night warranted standing for the majority of it.
Hoping this coming post is gonna have some nice photos... this thing was a real extravaganza.
Hoping this coming post is gonna have some nice photos... this thing was a real extravaganza.
12
it was a standing ovation from the second it began. if you sat, you were in a wheelchair. not that there's anything wrong with that.
13
The "down in front" people are the worst part about going to see yuppie-era acts. The DB show at Benaroya--Benaroya pepole!--was fortunately not marred by any of these pricks, but my Police show was ruined by them.
You absolutely have the right to make life miserable for the people standing in front of you, and I ABSOLUTELY HAVE A RIGHT TO KICK THE SHIT OUT OF YOU OUTSIDE.
You absolutely have the right to make life miserable for the people standing in front of you, and I ABSOLUTELY HAVE A RIGHT TO KICK THE SHIT OUT OF YOU OUTSIDE.
14
Case in point: Os Mutantes at the Moore a few years back.
Audience remains seated through 3/4ths of the show. Then, a few people got up to dance. By the end of that song, the ENTIRE audience was standing, dancing in the aisles and crowded around the front of the stage laughing, dancing and singing along.
Please tell me how this show would have been better had everyone stayed seated.
Also, Iron and Wine? Seriously? You think people would be moved to dance by a bearded folkie with an acoustic guitar?
Please.
Audience remains seated through 3/4ths of the show. Then, a few people got up to dance. By the end of that song, the ENTIRE audience was standing, dancing in the aisles and crowded around the front of the stage laughing, dancing and singing along.
Please tell me how this show would have been better had everyone stayed seated.
Also, Iron and Wine? Seriously? You think people would be moved to dance by a bearded folkie with an acoustic guitar?
Please.
15
@9:
The difference between watching a sports game on tv or going there is that there is no option to watch David Byrne's Seattle live show on television. That being said, those people standing up in the front row of the balcony last night were straight up douchebags; maybe we can get shows from the Paramount televised to Bellevue so these people and their rolled up sleeve starched shirts stay home.
Isn't it understood that seeing a show on the balcony at a theatre, even rock shows, are akin to seeing a movie. Show up on time, sit down, enjoy. The floor is were you stand and if you feel the need to freakout dance - there is plenty of room at either side of the theatre or at the very top of the balcony. I've seen another show at the Paramount were dancing people did not disrupt the show for the other people who paid a lot to see it - this was not among them.
Awesome show, thankfully those people weren't blocking my view.
The difference between watching a sports game on tv or going there is that there is no option to watch David Byrne's Seattle live show on television. That being said, those people standing up in the front row of the balcony last night were straight up douchebags; maybe we can get shows from the Paramount televised to Bellevue so these people and their rolled up sleeve starched shirts stay home.
Isn't it understood that seeing a show on the balcony at a theatre, even rock shows, are akin to seeing a movie. Show up on time, sit down, enjoy. The floor is were you stand and if you feel the need to freakout dance - there is plenty of room at either side of the theatre or at the very top of the balcony. I've seen another show at the Paramount were dancing people did not disrupt the show for the other people who paid a lot to see it - this was not among them.
Awesome show, thankfully those people weren't blocking my view.
18
@15:
wtf are you talking about? if you sit in the balcony you can't dance?!? were you even at the show last night? everyone was dancing! go hang with your starched shirts in bellevue 'cause guess what - you're one of 'em.
wtf are you talking about? if you sit in the balcony you can't dance?!? were you even at the show last night? everyone was dancing! go hang with your starched shirts in bellevue 'cause guess what - you're one of 'em.
19
@10 it wasn't Iron & Wine, it was David Byre playing uptempo, danceable stuff. And it was at the Paramount, not the Moore. And 99.9% of the crowd was dancing. When everyone around you is standing and dancing, you deal with it - you don't sit there and scream about it like an ass.
21
Seated rock shows annoy me. It's just not right. Especially with assigned seating. If the folks in front of you stand, you're screwed. You can't move around like on an open floor. And you can't properly dance amongst the chairs.
But folks who want to sit should be able to enjoy the show just as much as those of us who like to stand or dance. It's just not very easy to meet the needs of both. Some venues are set up for standers and sitters to coexist peacefully, and some aren't.
I think it's unfortunate that high-energy bands are often forced to book fully seated venues. I can't imagine a seated David Byrne show! Last time I saw him, the entire theatre was grinding away on the floor.
But folks who want to sit should be able to enjoy the show just as much as those of us who like to stand or dance. It's just not very easy to meet the needs of both. Some venues are set up for standers and sitters to coexist peacefully, and some aren't.
I think it's unfortunate that high-energy bands are often forced to book fully seated venues. I can't imagine a seated David Byrne show! Last time I saw him, the entire theatre was grinding away on the floor.
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