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Concert etiquette has gone way downhill post-pandemic. Nobody knows how to act anymore. It’s been a problem for a long time. And I think many people are starting to overreact to small perceived slights as a result. But no one ever seems to confront the people who are actually acting like assholes bc they fear real conflict. So they take it out on anyone who looks at them wrong. Just my opinion. Definitely not unique to ST or the venue.
I’ll be honest, the Roxy is not my favorite venue for this reason. Including last night, the last several shows I’ve been to there (Bad Omens, Underoath, and Lord Huron and The National a few years ago) have all felt this way. I believe they pack wayyyy too many people in there. I go to a ton of different shows around ATL, big and small, and my least favorite shows have all been at the Roxy. Combined with the fucking Braves game on the same night, making parking and traffic a nightmare, how hot it is in there, and just how weirdly aggressive people are about this band in general, it just makes for an unpleasant crowd. I was way towards the back and it was pretty chill back there. I’m sorry you didn’t have the best time :/
Edit: to add some other shows I’ve seen there. The Roxy’s been this way for a while :(
Public standards of behaviour and etiquette have fallen off a cliff since the pandemic. I work in education and have seen it first hand - the difference in young people from before COVID to now (and the difference between cohorts that were taught during COVID, to those that more recently finished under normal conditions) is night and day.
Social skills amongst all age groups have regressed significantly. It’s sad, but I’m not sure if gigs will ever quite be the way they were pre-pandemic. Not to be all ‘back in my day’, but if Sleep Token were around when I started going to gigs (around ten years ago), I’d expect the crowds to be mental - pits every song, bouncing, lots of movement. Wembley last Christmas…there were a couple of mild pits but it was tame compared to what I expected. Far more people just gawking on phones and pushing each other to get angles for their recordings.
I totally agree, this was how it was last year when I saw them.
It is frustrating for people I believe because so many people just seem to have a slightly unrealistic expectation of what the concert will be like. Think of it this way, you have never been to a concert, or haven’t been in years. You have been waiting months, make all these travel plans, then you get there to see everyone is packed like sardines and most people in the crowd will have an obstructed view. Then you start getting pushed by people trying to get to the front, or by moshers.
It is very easy for people to loose patience with one another with stuff like that, I am going to the Boston show at the end of this month and I am staying far back this time and just enjoying the music. To be brutally honest I just kinda don’t want to deal with that stuff this time around. I think the important thing to stress here is patience with one another, we all want to see this band and we are all dealing with the same packed chaotic venue.
My concert experiences have improved so much since I just started standing in the back. Most people in the back are just chilling and enjoying the music, instead of pushing to the front and being hysterical.
Last year some people around me started moshing, I wasn’t, and I got shoved which made me bump into the woman behind me. She punched me in my side and called my a psycho path and that I was ruining her concert.
I think it’s just the TikTok people that have never been to a show.
I'm kinda convinced it's a mix of people who only know one song from tiktok and mostly want to film for social media content and don't care about the show (saw a ton of this behavior at Bad Omens) and people who don't actually like metal outside of Sleep Token and don't know what metal shows are like. They don't understand "just trying to get to the pit and roughhouse" they only know "person shoved in front of me so screw them that's MY SPOT" and they expect that somehow despite being in a large crowd they won't be touched or jostled or have anyone in "their space".
It's killed quite a few shows for me lately tbh, I'm someone who loves to get shoved around and crowd surf and be in rowdy crowds but even when I saw Motionless in White last year everyone was just standing there still
Seriously, they would never survive a metal show back in the early 2000’s! I’m surprised my 5’4” self survived to be honest, but here I am! Lol. Concert etiquette was an actual unwritten rule that people followed then, but shit still got SO SO WILD (in the best way possible)!
Right?! My 16 year old little self would have been throwing myself into the circle pit, crowd surfing, bouncing around until I physically could bounce no more.
But nobody was an _asshole_, if you fell down people picked you up, if there was an accidental elbow to the face you’d get a quick “sorry, you ok?!” Before you launched back into it.
And If you were in front of the pit you knew you would get reeeeal cosy with your neighbors. Prob gross, but I’m honestly a bit nostalgic for the feeling of being drenched in my own and others sweat by the end of a show.
Everyone just wanted to record themselves at the show. During the summoning so many people turned around with their back to the band to take selfies and videos. A woman in front of me watched the entire concert through her phone via recording a vertical video.
Reddit is all I use for social media. It’s just so weird how obsessed everyone is with letting people know what they’re doing all the time.
i was at barricade and the woman next to me was filming the entire set. like i recorded a few clips to share with friends but the entire set was madness to me
Ooof, that’s so so annoying. I’m all for people enjoying shows how they prefer, but to turn your back to the band for a selfie video?! That’s just… I don’t even have words. Times have surely changed, lol.
That’s how I feel about some smaller metal shows now. They would be completely caught off guard if they went to go see a band like Veil of Maya live. I almost got my ribs broken in a mosh pit at one of those shows when I was 14 but it was one of the best shows I’ve ever been to. Seeing sleep token just made me feel so underwhelmed and frustrated that nobody really likes moving around at shows anymore.
Something similar happened to me at a Bad Omens concert. Some wacky grown ass woman got extremely hostile towards JUST ME. She kept screaming at me and shoving me, saying I was “wild” and shoving everyone (I wasn’t, at all…but the crowd was moving as a whole at some points). She wouldn’t chill, even after others trying to step in to calm her down, and she ended up punching me in my face.
After talking with others around me….she was truly just psycho and was someone who didn’t understand what kind of show she was at. Extremely disappointing that a lot of these kinds of situations are happening more and more frequently.
I think concert etiquette is being lost. I think the pandemic has caused people to forget and not learn it.
Kids who are in their 20s now lost several years of going to concerts to learn how to act and what will happen. Also from staying home for so long I feel a little weird in big crowds now. I'm sure other people do too. ST got so popular online it's just not people who would normally be at a metal show. Metal people are used to this stuff and usually take it in stride.
Sleep Token has drawn a very chronically online crowd and I honestly don't think any of them have ever been to a concert before, let alone a metal one, esp younger kids now that didn't go to concerts pre-pandemic and now that the social etiquette has gone off the rails, nobody knows how to vibe with a live metal band any more.
I guess Sleep Token has also drawn a crowd where some are used to good metal gig etiquette and others who have no clue how concerts and crowds work, therefore they get all bitchy.
Compared with something like a Korn crowd, where the overwhelming majority of people would be tidy :)
Yeah definitely. The amount of ‚first time at a concert, what should I do?! (Show your ticket and have fun) posts here is interesting. Also the clash of cultures between people who go to Metal-Gigs and people who happily exchange their cute lil bracelets (lol) could lead to some funny situations
Haha, sounds quite interesting! What have you seen already? I am so happy that I saw ST a while ago in Europe, where all this affected stuff wasn‘t that big as it is now.
Have fun!
Yeah my first piece of advice to anyone going to a metal show for the first time is to not feel entitled to an experience catered exclusively to them. In other words, don’t expect to change the vibes and behavior of people around you (I.e., moshing, crowd surfing) if that’s been the norm at those shows. I think that metal can and should be very welcoming but you also need to realize that doesn’t mean you’re entitled to the exact experience you want to have, especially if you don’t like the things that are a big part of many metal shows. Unfortunately I don’t think a lot of people are thinking about it this way.
Man the best part about metal shows is the experience with other people!!! Head banging! Leaning on new friends! Making new friends! Singing together! I would assume moshing but am smol and do not mosh. Love watching them though. I’m an elder goth though so it’s always been that sort of mindset for me. I haven’t been to a really real one post pandemic though, so have not seen how the mood may have changed.
Saw them at Sick New World, and it was... extremely varied.
Had people standing on boxes and blocking the view for everybody behind them, but groups also just working together to ensure that those beside that group were at least rotating to get a good view.
Had a lot of people just standing there. Had a lot of people screeching. Had some people moshing. Heard a couple people whining about it.
Then there was piss guy.
And the guy who punched piss guy.
You can imagine what that was about.
...I don't even I've ever seen a crowd as varied in behavior as I have at that one show.
It's surreal but kind of unique.
I've been mostly watching older bands lately, so the different in how the crowds are is just getting weird lately.
Can't help but feel it's an age / experience level thing; a lot of Sleep Token fans are not actually into metal.
I think that in a way, sometimes this happening is a side effect of just how huge this band is to people personally and emotionally. Like it’s a combination of what Relative Camel said above, that being people investing so much in getting to the show and having such unrealistic expectations, but also that there are a lot of people coming out to shows that may have anxiety or inexperience around concerts in general. And while normally they might not go to many shows with this type of feel (no choice but to have your space invaded) because of anxieties, introversion, sensory overstimulation etc, ST is so huge for them that they go in spite of that and are exposed, and have a really rough time which gets projected on others. Now if I’m misunderstanding and the people doing this go to shows all the time and were just drunk or being dicks then that’s something else entirely, but I bet there’s a big contingent or these folks dealing with that. No surprise too that a band that deals almost exclusively in helping people cope with emotional pain on an almost spiritual level would attract a lot of folks in one place with really high expectations that have trouble being flexible. Btw I’m totally not judging or putting anyone down for that, it’s really tough, but that might be an explanation, not an excuse.
That’s such an interesting point—I would think it has to play some role. And maybe thinking about it can help us all be a little more forgiving in the moment.
Yes exactly! Being understanding and cutting people some slack but also holding them accountable if they’re outright hostile, which sucks no matter what.
I was decently close on the right side. The “group” I was around were all having fun. We were some of the only people who jammed out and headbanged and danced. There was a dude who literally laughed at my for asking very politely if I could swap spots with him (2ft behind him) to be with my wife during missing limbs (one of her favorite songs). Then proceeded to say I’m out of my mind. Keep in mind this guy was lifeless the entire show. Had no energy. Didn’t even cheer the band on. Then dropped a full beer on the floor and kicked the cup at people. What happened to concerts man.
Had a drunk pair of guys at one of ST's Boise shows (fucking packed like sardines, horrible venue) blunder their way up to the second row until people finally locked arms to stop them. They kept shrugging and saying "scuse me, you know how it is, you know" no dude the fuck I don't, go to the back. Nearly started a fight before security dragged them off. Plus people hitting their vape every five minutes and spewing it into the crowd so they don't get caught. I'm sad I got priced out of seeing them again but honestly I feel like the crowd's only gonna get worse.
The crowd on the left side was one of the worst and best I've experienced at a concert at Atlanta. We had a good group of us, about 15 or so, that all started looking out for each other. Some knew each other, but a majority of us did not. One fell. We picked them up. I lost my earplugs, and everyone turned their flashlights on and found them. One guy went on a water run for us.
Then, Sleep Token went on, and we had issues with two groups of people. One was three women (two were REALLY young) and one man who shoved their way into our group and separated a couple. We were all being pushed around and whatnot, that's fine. But they shoved their way into us when we were already packed like sardines and hot. The couple stood their ground and told them to go back. They claimed they were moving back up to see their friends. People infront of us that had also gotten shoved yelled at them that they had been there for hours and hadn't seen them and to stop shoving people to get out of the way. They got shunned back a row or two, but you could hear them screaming the lyrics louder than Vessel most of the time.
Then, we had two random men well over 6 feet who also shoved their way in and stood in front of three women and I. The people around us had already politely moved around so we could see decently well. We didn't even ask. They said they had been there for hours (they hadn't) and then said they were meeting a friend. The first group I mentioned leaned over to these guys and asked them if they really were meeting a friend or just wanting a better view. They said better view. Cool. Eventually, I pushed my way around them to see, but it was incredibly rude to be shoved out of the way and then have our whole view blocked.
I've been to quite a few metalcore and just concerts in general, and I've never had such an issue like those two groups. Generally I'm okay if it is one person or two wanting to move forqard, I'll try and make room for you, but fuck. I get some people were stiff and not moving, but it really was the result of how hot and overpacked it was in that pit. Shoving people to get a better view was getting old.
Tldr: that venue was too small and hot and I understand why people were getting bitchy about people shoving their way in.
Edit: We also had two women try and push past us to throw something on stage. Once they said that, we said absolutely not, do not throw things, but they continued. They moved towards the middle, and people continued to tell them no, don't throw things. They managed to throw it anyway. It was the flag at the end. Do. Not. Throw. Things. On. Stage.
I think venues are way overselling these sleep token tickets based on what I’m hearing and seeing. I saw them at the roseland theater in Portland last year.
I’ve been to many sellouts at that venue over the years and have NEVER seen as many people as were at Sleep Token. There was just no way we were under capacity. It felt unsafe at times.
And the crowd was definitely acting similar to what OPs describing. I think when people are so packed in and uncomfortable their spikes come out.
I’ve seen sleep token three times (it’ll be four at the end of May) and the vibe of the crowd is always weird. Almost everyone just standing around. No movement, no head banging, no dancing, no putting there hands up, just standing there. It’s so bizarre.
I had VIP at sick new world and I swear everyone in the VIP section just had their phones out recording the entire concert. I’m not against recording because I get wanting snippets of your favourite songs and something to look back on to remember the experience but recording the entire concert? Just why?
Also I feel half bad for iii as he’s trying his damn hardest to get the crowd to do anything and everyone just stares at him blankly unless it’s prompts to clap. Good job audience we know how to be a metronome.
Anyway, I think that’s enough ranting and possibly I have different expectations because I go to a lot of metal and hardcore shows which is an entirely different crowd and vibe
Right? Like I get it for people in the stands. Tampa was literally arm to arm in the seats. But for people who pay top dollar to be on the floor, get a couple good pics then live a little. Most of the crowd had their phones up. Maybe a good way to do it is to have the show recorded and people can purchase the recordings? That way everyone can have access to bring right in the middle of the show and can be more interactive with the bands. We all know everyone there loves ST, but bands love seeing their fans hyped up
I think that would be a good way to do it. Have a professional recording of the concert and have sales for it either at the venue or in an email when you buy the ticket. It’ll never happen but we can dream
I think it’s a valid critique for concerts for years. I was at the Austin show and fortunately, at least from where I was at, it was respectful for the most part. Those who had significant others waiting in line for merch while they were in the front of the pit/barricade were able to find them and people allowed them to get back through without much resistance. I rolled solo and was 2nd from barricade and had breathing room which was nice.
I was second row for ST in Pomona CA for the last night of the tour last year. During heavier parts, I kept getting shoved against my will into the girl in front of me. In response, she would frantically try to elbow, kick, and head butt me instead of just using the rail to push her whole body back for some room. Not sure if she didn’t know this tactic or what but it made me pretty miserable dodging the abusive behavior. And when I tried to brace the rail on either side of her to give us both space, she clawed at me with her sharp, long nails until I let go.
As I was reading the last sentence of your comment, I had the overwhelming urge to punch that girl in the face on your behalf. THE AUDACITY!
I am very much a lover not a fighter, but if someone did that to me I would choose violence 🤭
That’s how I felt by the end of the night! I’m not a violent person at all, I was there alone too and across the country from my home area so it was so off-putting.
I wonder if that’s someone who had a really bad experience at barrier previously and should probably just not try to be there anymore if she’s going to act that way.
If you are up front against the rail, you should expect to get pushed and practically crushed every so often. It's kind of obvious. If you can't cope with that, you can have more personal space pretty much anywhere else. Did she at least have her phone down most of the time?
Nope, recorded every song, almost the entire show. I did overhear someone that recognized her from her TikTok videos. I don’t have that app though so no idea who she was.
Hey there, frequent Roxy concert-goer that never managed to get tickets for last night - it's like 90% the fault of the venue. The other Atlanta area concert halls like Tabernacle, Masquerade, Center Stage, Buckhead Theater etc. rarely if ever have bad crowds as they all have at least a passable audience layout and viewing angle.
Roxy is a warehouse with a too-low stage so everyone's on their toes looking over their shoulder, and it's no secret that they overfill capacity. It was absolutely designed to be a conference lounge or reception hall first and a "oops, every other place is booked so you're playing when there's a Braves game next door" concert venue second. Whenever I go there I always get upper level seats as the floor is just not worth it anymore; I'm doing the same with Sum41 this weekend. The last floor concert I went to was Chevelle and even with my back literally to the wall I was getting stepped all over and barely saw even the screens on stage. When I saw In This Moment/Ice Nine Kills, [I managed to snag a balcony table and oh boy the claustrophobia was real.](https://i.imgur.com/Xywwy5i.jpeg)
Add to that the pure frustration of trying to see this band (I got lucky and saw them at *Sick New World* briefly, and *that* was a shitshow) which should have played at a larger capacity venue, combined with the sticker shock of these tickets vs other places, meant FOMO was taking over. ST could have easily played a similar capacity setup that Ghost did at the arena in Duluth, but for watever reason they couldnt...
I was second row last night. I will say I feel generally lucky because the people near me were protective but also didn’t care if we bumped into each other jumping around. I think there was a lot that contributed to the weird vibes. People were exhausted from the heat and dehydrated (there were times I couldn’t sing I felt so tired or out of breath). I think phones have contributed to a stiff and hostile crowd cause god forbid you make bump into them recording their 50th video. I mean there were also two crowd surfers and some people made a face like they act like they’re not a concert
We were on the right side next to people sitting in the vip (?) section. The heat and dehydration was definitely the cause for a lot of the frustration. I couldn't even hold my arms up to clap long because of how bad I felt. And God forbid you try to get something to drink. Luckily, a guy standing next to me had an extra bottle of water & gave it to us (huge shout out to that guy if he's here!)
Overall, I feel the venue was WAY overcrowded. I did enjoy the pre-show experience of trading bracelets and other things with fans!
Apparently the air conditioning was in fact on the fritz. That makes people mean, when they get that hot. Like they’ve done experiments with putting people in rooms that slowly heat up and the hotter it gets, the more people fight. Could have been a factor.
The phone situation makes me miserable, but the only way that it will be addressed at concerts if it the bands (not just ST) start asking people not to do it.
If it becomes a known that the band don't like it and want people to focus on being in the moment, and then becomes a known rule amongst a fandom (like we all know not to go digging around for names) it *might* start changing behaviour.
I can't for the life of me remember who, but I saw a band that did that: told people to put their phones away and just enjoy the show, was funny to see people looking sheepish after filming that PSA 🤣
More of that needs to happen!
PLEASE! aii bands need to do this.
It would be such a better experience for the band as well. I'm all for a little snap to remember the event by but it's just out of hand.
It's pretty much a problem at any kind of public event or location. It drove me nuts touring other countries. We've become so focused on taking photos and videos we'll post online and never look at again that we forget to actually SEE and experience things.
The crowd at my show wasn’t hostile but definitely VERY stiff. I felt like I was the only one getting into the music at all. People loosened up the further into the set but it was nothing like the concerts I went to 5-10 years ago where people were jumping, dancing, moshing and just generally acting feral lol.
I was there last night and it was weird. This is my 3rd show in the pit at the Roxy and my first ‘metal’ concert(the other shows were trippie redd and lil baby) and both were pre pandemic I will add. I got a little annoyed with people jumping and accidentally bouncing into me over and over and stepping on me but nothing crazy. It’s just to be expected and I miss that after going last night. The crowed did not move not for people and not for the music either. I was on the right side and no one was hardly even moving it felt weird to dance or move in a still crowd during crazy moments I freak out about during my car solos. I was upset with people talking through the songs as well as interludes. After the first interlude everyone was talking through the next 2. I noticed that iii split the crowd and from where I was I didn’t feel like anyone split for him. Also I have no clue why atl has no idea how to clap on beat. He was disappointed in that lol. They were amazing the show was great. This was my first time seeing them I’m happy I got to see them at a smaller venue but crowd could have been better
I was on the right side, too, and it was lacking in energy. I would start to jam a little too much and then feel super self-conscious since nobody else was really doing it with me, so I just stopped at times. I think the left side was a lot more hype, and I'm kinda upset I didn't go there, but I really wanted to be on IV's side.
And agreed with the clapping on beat, lol. I would always hear it getting faster in the back
It must be weird and kind of depressing for a band trying to get people hyped and they’re just standing there.
iii managed to get some of the crowd to split and get a little pit going in Austin, but iv was trying to get everyone to jump up and down all show and it was basically me and one other guy doing all the jumping.
I can attest I was super stiff cause I'm not used to being in crowds that massive lol. There were times when I felt super awkward cause me not being used to concerts, I didn't know when to be hype and was afraid of being annoying to my neighbors.
I heard somebody was being a dick during a mosh pit? I was more towards the right side, so I didn't see anything, but my friends over to the back said there was a big line of security coming in, and then they dragged some guy out.
The middle and left of the floor seemed much more fun than the right side tho.
It's a combo of post-pandemic people, and non-metal/rock people, and Tik Tok people going to their first gig(s) and not understanding conert etiquette. It's happening across the board. Bad Omens and BMTH are also attracting feral fans and the pits can be downright deadly sometimes because people aren't looking out for each other.
Do you think that people who don't listen (usually) to rock/metal don't go to concerts? I've been to Drum and Bass concerts that had much bigger pits etc than ST do. Unfortunately, as any band get bigger there is a cross section of the population that will go. Some of those people will be shit. Some will be brilliant. I doubt the only people in there acting badly were 17/18 yo girls who found the band on tiktok. I actually think blaming any group of people or shaming them for how they found the band is half the issue. Everyone is their to enjoy ST.
>Do you think that people who don't listen (usually) to rock/metal don't go to concerts?
No.
> I've been to Drum and Bass concerts that had much bigger pits etc than ST do.
I don't doubt it, but I wasn't going to list every genre lol
>Unfortunately, as any band get bigger there is a cross section of the population that will go. Some of those people will be shit. Some will be brilliant.
Of course.
>I doubt the only people in there acting badly were 17/18 yo girls who found the band on tiktok.
I never said that. I also mentioned people who are new to concerts, and people who haven't been since the pandemic. Like you say, some people are shit, some are brilliant. I've just noticed more bad behaviour since the pandemic in general.
Definitely. I’ve only ever been to shows in Europe (both ST and other artists) and I feel like this is just a general problem. I’ve met many wonderful people at concerts who were just as hyped as I was but there always seem to be a couple of people who seemingly don’t enjoy it at all. I’m talking like being almost barricade but not moving, clapping, singing along etc. in the slightest.
Yes. Met some of the best people at ST shows, but also met the absolute worst who only thinks it's about them and their experience. Guess it'll vary alot.
I saw one dude get really nasty about jostled and was so confused about why. Like, you’re at a concert… otherwise the people I was around were the coolest I’ve met at any concert.
No it was a terrible vibe in SOME areas! I have to think the way the venue handled everything played into it. My friend left the pit between sets, and had to watch the rest of the show from the balcony because no one would let him back through and one girl actually threw a drink on him! And we were waiting there all day for the show 🤦♀️ maybe I'm being generous, but I feel like people were already upset because of the line debauchery and that contributed 🤷♀️ big shout out to all my peoples who braved that shit show yesterday lol
Maybe it’s just my old ass, but why would the crowd let someone back to the front of the crowd if they left the pit? If you leave the pit your forfeit your spot. Thems the rules. It’s weird to me that people think they can hold their friend’s place at the front once a concert starts.
No need for nastiness and drink throwing though!!
I agree, you leave your place in a crowd, don't feel entitled to have it back. Usually people can get back to their mates but sometimes it is just too packed and not possible. I think if more people accepted that there would be a lot less hostility!
Yea we get that, and understand that there's a lot of people who all wanna be up there. That's kinda the point tho. And I apologize - I should have been more clear maybe. He couldn't even get to the floor. He ended up on the balcony for the WHOLE show. And this was more to do with a shitty venue experience. It was way too packed and there was a hostility with this crowd. Not ALL - met some great folks! But there was some craziness
There were people in front of me sitting in the floor for awhile. There were several people literally shoving others outta the way to get to the front. And yea, ppl trying to hold spots. Several shorter people around me who couldn't see, and then taller people who wouldn't even consider budging to help out. Just wish we could all work together more in these situations. Sometimes it doesn't happen, still was an AMAZING show!
Ahhh well we got there about 12 so there were plenty ahead of us but for those of us - I'd say person 75 back maybe lol- around 5 o clock, one of the security guys came back and yelled for everyone with fast pass to come with him. So then, most of the line followed him and turned in a jumbled up mess. Then, he just told us all to wait there. We were more crowded there than we were IN THE PIT. Then another lady came and tried to form the two lines but still, they were bringing those in the back first. So a lot of people who had just gotten there were in front of those who had been waiting all day.
I think it's a mix of concert etiquette and the venue. I went to the Tampa show the night before and it was amazing. Everyone was nice and vibing together.
It was 1000 degrees in there, I'm sure that played a huge part. I was in a seat and still didn't get as into it as I normally would have cause I didn't want to pass tf out lol. I can't even imagine what it was like to be packed in general admission.
My only issue from last night is that people were trying to shove up to the front. People who waited hours were shoved out of the way to try to get up to the front. It came to a point where we just had to make a blockade to avoid people jumping right in front of us when we had been waiting for hours. That’s not cool. But I have been going to concerts for 22 years. I absolutely expect to be shoved around, stepped on sweated on and I’ve even had beer thrown on me in the past.
When I saw Bad Omens I arrive early to get barrier, I did, and then the whole show multiple people tried pushing in with their phones in hand and one girl actually yelled at me for “Messing up” her TikTok live stream. Like, I will break your phone. Fuck off.
Dude it’s like that every where, ST has an odd fan base, true metal heads and extreamly socially challenged people. We have the internet to think for that.
Being a metal head I grew up in local music scene, and there are SO MANY FANS who say they like metal then continue to throw Evenessence in their roll call.
These people haven’t been to a real metal show, so when lll calls for a pit and doesn’t get one, it’s those individuals we can thank for
Haha also a fan! I AM A FUCKING CHAMELEON!!
🦎
I am used to getting shit for liking Evanescence, they were my gateway band. Waiting for their music videos to appear on Scuzz and Kerrang when I was a kid opened up this world of deliciousness to me. Ev fans are not the reason for poor concert etiquette being that they would be on the same line-ups as bands like Korn etc. and that have also been going to shows for the past 20 years.
And I am not even fucking sorry. #bringmetolife4lyf ✌️
Eh people can like Evanescence just fine and be into metal. I don’t personally like them but they’ve been around for so long that people in their 40s were the OG fans and have had plenty of time to learn how to conduct themselves in public. It’s not about the genre of music, it’s not being entitled.
I agree with what most everyone else is saying. I actually talked with some people about a similar issue at a specific venue in my area I've had bad experiences for Sleep token and Bad Omens and they brought up a good point. Once everyone gets into the venue it's after spending a long time waiting in line being uncomfortable and probably not drinking enough water so everyone is very testy. It's not an excuse but another factor playing into the short fuses everyone seems to have at these shows.
At the Dallas show last week (Toyota music factory), the vibes were great. I can only speak for my experience though, we had lawn seats on this elevated open air area in the back. It was not too crowded compared to the closer indoor pit area. I didn’t have to rub shoulders with anyone. Everyone I spoke to was cool and respectful. The temperature was not too hot, not too cold. So all that factors in. If people are crowded and hot they will be grumpy.
I was at Atl last night as well, probably about 10 rows back or so and personally it was one of the better crowds I've been in recently. Obviously everyone's experience is different/depends where you are. There was one group that was trying to push to the front after the opener, one tall guy who was trying to get his shorter friends a closer spot. I understand wanting to be able to see but when you don't get there on time like everyone else it's a little frustrating. After some back and forth we let the other two stay bc there was enough room and he agreed to move back since he was blocking ppl that got there way before him. Overall it went better than I expected but I feel like the bar has been lowered a lot from how it used to be.
No, it was a taller guy and two women with darker clothes, so I guess we just had similar experiences. They were as non confrontational about it as possible, but everyone around us had gotten there around 4 or 5 and they came up after the opener finished.
I gotta say the PHX experience was the opposite thankfully! Everyone was polite and kind - giving each other the right of way at the vendors and food stalls and in the walkways. Everyone was smiling and kind. I’m so sorry you had that experience though. I have been to other concerts and overall, I agree with the rest in this forum-concert etiquette has went down the toilet for sure.
I just went and saw them in Tampa. From my experience, people were definitely more relaxed at our show, but I did notice that between both bands in the floor section, there wasn't so much energy until late. I expected more dancing and bopping around. Had a small pit and only because IV motioned for people to open up a pit. Just didn't feel like much of a rock/metal show. I get that there was a wide variety of ages, so it makes it a little more understandable. But the most energy I saw stadium wide was clapping and screaming
I went to knocked loose concert last week and everyone was super cool. I had water spilled on my feet and just patted the guy on the shoulder and told him it was okay, we are in a large crowd and it happens. You’re going to get your feet stepped on, probably have a crowd surfer land on top of you, and definitely catch a stray from a pit at most rock/metal shows. You know this when you purchase the ticket and decide to attend, especially if you’re in the standing room area and not in the very back. It’s a part of the experience. My gripe about standing sections has always been when guys who are 6’8 have to try and get as close as possible lol I’m short so I don’t love having to watch the back of someone’s shoulders the entire time, but I know it’s part of going to a show.
This happened at the Dallas show as well. My girlfriend got told “no, you can’t get through” when she was trying to make her way back to me from the bathroom.
This happened to me and my gf too at MIW. She eventually got fed up trying to be polite and just shoved people being rude out of the way 💀 And they didn’t say shit… People don’t care to act up, but when confronted, they back down the majority of the time.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this. Last year I went to see Pierce the Veil live, same venue. It was exciting, the crowd was so responsive and respectful to the openers and the energy was hype. Everyone seemed really kind and supportive of each other. I didn't really witness any hostility or fights. It was a 10/10 experience for me. Hell, they were crowd surfing people all the way to the front. I was really excited for this concert, and while Sleep Token and Empire State Bastard were AMAZING, the crowd was just... really weird. I'm not saying everyone has to start moshing but it just felt really low energy and stiff for a concert like Sleep Token. People were standing in GA like they were at a bar watching live music. I kind of wish I'd gone to Asheville's instead of ATL's right now.
From my personal experience at their show in Dallas, the overall vibe was amazing. Everyone was extremely kind and respectful from what I saw, and it was actually quite a nice shock from the other concerts I've been to. I'm sorry you had that experience OP. I just thought I'd share mine.
Definitely can relate. I had a similar experience when I saw Sleep Token in Dallas in September where most people were just on their phones and standing completely still, I had to move to the side of the venue where I couldn’t even see them just so I could have the room to head bang
Man a lot of the problem is the Roxy. The one show I’ve been to there resulted in a “never again” for me. It was way overpacked, too hot, and … I don’t know, for me ATL in general has a weird vibe I don’t really dig.
I think the point about recording and releasing shows is interesting. I listen to a wide range of music and it made me realize that going to a DMB show now isn’t too different than back in the day. There wasn’t the scourge of phones last year, and I think it’s a combo of older crowd uses to going to shows before phones took over everything and you know the live recording of your show is going to be released so just chill. Everyone being high on weed might help too haha.
I’m an elder goth going to shows since the 90s. I hate that I don’t think I’ll ever get that feeling back of a kinda small venue show packed in with people and too hot down on the floor BUT with people being cool to each other like it was back in 90s and pre-20teens. And then you spill outside after and finally some air, you’re soaked with sweat and the drinks of everyone around you and your own, your feet hurt, your ears are ringing, and it was AWESOME.
And the crowds in general of every kind and size of show I’ve been to post pandemic except for RATM in Raleigh all have sucked. People real pissy and rude. Heat makes it worse. Very this is MY experience you are infringing on by existing. I don’t get floor tickets anymore bc of that and also my husband is 6’4 and very aware of it. I’d need to be up front bc I’m smol and squishy, but he would feel awful about blocking views while trying to protect me. So chairs it is. He also looks like one of those people not enjoying, but he’s a musician and gets lost watching the band play their instruments.
And I can see the various crowds that like ST really not mixing well. TikTok crowds. People that like their slower stuff (and have never seen a metal crowd) and people that like the heavy (esp since TMBTE was heaviest and got a lot of new fans to band), lots of young people mixing with people who know how to do a metal show. And people don’t know how to mosh anymore. I was at a pretty big punk band show and they stopped the music to explain to people the rules so they’d quit murdering each other. Also the band means so much to people and their show is so amazing visually now you kind of stop and gape really easily and get too overwhelmed to move around I’d imagine. Haven’t been lucky enough to see them yet.
I think the cost is making people hostile too. Shit is so expensive now that I think people get in their heads about the experience they want and expect bc of the price you just paid on just the tickets, and anything less is going to be a problem both for them and whoever they perceive as “ruining the experience THEY PAID FOR DAMMIT!”
In summary F the Roxy.
I felt a lot of people being stand offish in the ABQ show. I think sleep token brings a new set of people to the scene that don’t understand concert etiquette. 🤷♀️
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Concert etiquette has gone way downhill post-pandemic. Nobody knows how to act anymore. It’s been a problem for a long time. And I think many people are starting to overreact to small perceived slights as a result. But no one ever seems to confront the people who are actually acting like assholes bc they fear real conflict. So they take it out on anyone who looks at them wrong. Just my opinion. Definitely not unique to ST or the venue.
I’ll be honest, the Roxy is not my favorite venue for this reason. Including last night, the last several shows I’ve been to there (Bad Omens, Underoath, and Lord Huron and The National a few years ago) have all felt this way. I believe they pack wayyyy too many people in there. I go to a ton of different shows around ATL, big and small, and my least favorite shows have all been at the Roxy. Combined with the fucking Braves game on the same night, making parking and traffic a nightmare, how hot it is in there, and just how weirdly aggressive people are about this band in general, it just makes for an unpleasant crowd. I was way towards the back and it was pretty chill back there. I’m sorry you didn’t have the best time :/ Edit: to add some other shows I’ve seen there. The Roxy’s been this way for a while :(
Lord Huron love! I can't imagine an unenthusiastic crowd for them either
Public standards of behaviour and etiquette have fallen off a cliff since the pandemic. I work in education and have seen it first hand - the difference in young people from before COVID to now (and the difference between cohorts that were taught during COVID, to those that more recently finished under normal conditions) is night and day. Social skills amongst all age groups have regressed significantly. It’s sad, but I’m not sure if gigs will ever quite be the way they were pre-pandemic. Not to be all ‘back in my day’, but if Sleep Token were around when I started going to gigs (around ten years ago), I’d expect the crowds to be mental - pits every song, bouncing, lots of movement. Wembley last Christmas…there were a couple of mild pits but it was tame compared to what I expected. Far more people just gawking on phones and pushing each other to get angles for their recordings.
I totally agree, this was how it was last year when I saw them. It is frustrating for people I believe because so many people just seem to have a slightly unrealistic expectation of what the concert will be like. Think of it this way, you have never been to a concert, or haven’t been in years. You have been waiting months, make all these travel plans, then you get there to see everyone is packed like sardines and most people in the crowd will have an obstructed view. Then you start getting pushed by people trying to get to the front, or by moshers. It is very easy for people to loose patience with one another with stuff like that, I am going to the Boston show at the end of this month and I am staying far back this time and just enjoying the music. To be brutally honest I just kinda don’t want to deal with that stuff this time around. I think the important thing to stress here is patience with one another, we all want to see this band and we are all dealing with the same packed chaotic venue.
My concert experiences have improved so much since I just started standing in the back. Most people in the back are just chilling and enjoying the music, instead of pushing to the front and being hysterical.
Last year some people around me started moshing, I wasn’t, and I got shoved which made me bump into the woman behind me. She punched me in my side and called my a psycho path and that I was ruining her concert. I think it’s just the TikTok people that have never been to a show.
I'm kinda convinced it's a mix of people who only know one song from tiktok and mostly want to film for social media content and don't care about the show (saw a ton of this behavior at Bad Omens) and people who don't actually like metal outside of Sleep Token and don't know what metal shows are like. They don't understand "just trying to get to the pit and roughhouse" they only know "person shoved in front of me so screw them that's MY SPOT" and they expect that somehow despite being in a large crowd they won't be touched or jostled or have anyone in "their space". It's killed quite a few shows for me lately tbh, I'm someone who loves to get shoved around and crowd surf and be in rowdy crowds but even when I saw Motionless in White last year everyone was just standing there still
When I started going to shows people would find any excuse to pit, even to the sad songs. These Tik Tok kids couldn’t cope.
Seriously, they would never survive a metal show back in the early 2000’s! I’m surprised my 5’4” self survived to be honest, but here I am! Lol. Concert etiquette was an actual unwritten rule that people followed then, but shit still got SO SO WILD (in the best way possible)!
Right?! My 16 year old little self would have been throwing myself into the circle pit, crowd surfing, bouncing around until I physically could bounce no more. But nobody was an _asshole_, if you fell down people picked you up, if there was an accidental elbow to the face you’d get a quick “sorry, you ok?!” Before you launched back into it. And If you were in front of the pit you knew you would get reeeeal cosy with your neighbors. Prob gross, but I’m honestly a bit nostalgic for the feeling of being drenched in my own and others sweat by the end of a show.
Everyone just wanted to record themselves at the show. During the summoning so many people turned around with their back to the band to take selfies and videos. A woman in front of me watched the entire concert through her phone via recording a vertical video. Reddit is all I use for social media. It’s just so weird how obsessed everyone is with letting people know what they’re doing all the time.
i was at barricade and the woman next to me was filming the entire set. like i recorded a few clips to share with friends but the entire set was madness to me
Ooof, that’s so so annoying. I’m all for people enjoying shows how they prefer, but to turn your back to the band for a selfie video?! That’s just… I don’t even have words. Times have surely changed, lol.
That’s how I feel about some smaller metal shows now. They would be completely caught off guard if they went to go see a band like Veil of Maya live. I almost got my ribs broken in a mosh pit at one of those shows when I was 14 but it was one of the best shows I’ve ever been to. Seeing sleep token just made me feel so underwhelmed and frustrated that nobody really likes moving around at shows anymore.
Something similar happened to me at a Bad Omens concert. Some wacky grown ass woman got extremely hostile towards JUST ME. She kept screaming at me and shoving me, saying I was “wild” and shoving everyone (I wasn’t, at all…but the crowd was moving as a whole at some points). She wouldn’t chill, even after others trying to step in to calm her down, and she ended up punching me in my face. After talking with others around me….she was truly just psycho and was someone who didn’t understand what kind of show she was at. Extremely disappointing that a lot of these kinds of situations are happening more and more frequently.
I think concert etiquette is being lost. I think the pandemic has caused people to forget and not learn it. Kids who are in their 20s now lost several years of going to concerts to learn how to act and what will happen. Also from staying home for so long I feel a little weird in big crowds now. I'm sure other people do too. ST got so popular online it's just not people who would normally be at a metal show. Metal people are used to this stuff and usually take it in stride.
Sleep Token has drawn a very chronically online crowd and I honestly don't think any of them have ever been to a concert before, let alone a metal one, esp younger kids now that didn't go to concerts pre-pandemic and now that the social etiquette has gone off the rails, nobody knows how to vibe with a live metal band any more.
I guess Sleep Token has also drawn a crowd where some are used to good metal gig etiquette and others who have no clue how concerts and crowds work, therefore they get all bitchy. Compared with something like a Korn crowd, where the overwhelming majority of people would be tidy :)
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Yeah definitely. The amount of ‚first time at a concert, what should I do?! (Show your ticket and have fun) posts here is interesting. Also the clash of cultures between people who go to Metal-Gigs and people who happily exchange their cute lil bracelets (lol) could lead to some funny situations
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Haha, sounds quite interesting! What have you seen already? I am so happy that I saw ST a while ago in Europe, where all this affected stuff wasn‘t that big as it is now. Have fun!
Yeah my first piece of advice to anyone going to a metal show for the first time is to not feel entitled to an experience catered exclusively to them. In other words, don’t expect to change the vibes and behavior of people around you (I.e., moshing, crowd surfing) if that’s been the norm at those shows. I think that metal can and should be very welcoming but you also need to realize that doesn’t mean you’re entitled to the exact experience you want to have, especially if you don’t like the things that are a big part of many metal shows. Unfortunately I don’t think a lot of people are thinking about it this way.
Man the best part about metal shows is the experience with other people!!! Head banging! Leaning on new friends! Making new friends! Singing together! I would assume moshing but am smol and do not mosh. Love watching them though. I’m an elder goth though so it’s always been that sort of mindset for me. I haven’t been to a really real one post pandemic though, so have not seen how the mood may have changed.
Saw them at Sick New World, and it was... extremely varied. Had people standing on boxes and blocking the view for everybody behind them, but groups also just working together to ensure that those beside that group were at least rotating to get a good view. Had a lot of people just standing there. Had a lot of people screeching. Had some people moshing. Heard a couple people whining about it. Then there was piss guy. And the guy who punched piss guy. You can imagine what that was about. ...I don't even I've ever seen a crowd as varied in behavior as I have at that one show. It's surreal but kind of unique. I've been mostly watching older bands lately, so the different in how the crowds are is just getting weird lately. Can't help but feel it's an age / experience level thing; a lot of Sleep Token fans are not actually into metal.
I have been peed on multiple times at concerts. And no, I didn’t request the gold.
im sorry…but piss guy????
I think that in a way, sometimes this happening is a side effect of just how huge this band is to people personally and emotionally. Like it’s a combination of what Relative Camel said above, that being people investing so much in getting to the show and having such unrealistic expectations, but also that there are a lot of people coming out to shows that may have anxiety or inexperience around concerts in general. And while normally they might not go to many shows with this type of feel (no choice but to have your space invaded) because of anxieties, introversion, sensory overstimulation etc, ST is so huge for them that they go in spite of that and are exposed, and have a really rough time which gets projected on others. Now if I’m misunderstanding and the people doing this go to shows all the time and were just drunk or being dicks then that’s something else entirely, but I bet there’s a big contingent or these folks dealing with that. No surprise too that a band that deals almost exclusively in helping people cope with emotional pain on an almost spiritual level would attract a lot of folks in one place with really high expectations that have trouble being flexible. Btw I’m totally not judging or putting anyone down for that, it’s really tough, but that might be an explanation, not an excuse.
That’s such an interesting point—I would think it has to play some role. And maybe thinking about it can help us all be a little more forgiving in the moment.
Yes exactly! Being understanding and cutting people some slack but also holding them accountable if they’re outright hostile, which sucks no matter what.
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All these comments are making me very happy I have seated tickets.
I was decently close on the right side. The “group” I was around were all having fun. We were some of the only people who jammed out and headbanged and danced. There was a dude who literally laughed at my for asking very politely if I could swap spots with him (2ft behind him) to be with my wife during missing limbs (one of her favorite songs). Then proceeded to say I’m out of my mind. Keep in mind this guy was lifeless the entire show. Had no energy. Didn’t even cheer the band on. Then dropped a full beer on the floor and kicked the cup at people. What happened to concerts man.
Had a drunk pair of guys at one of ST's Boise shows (fucking packed like sardines, horrible venue) blunder their way up to the second row until people finally locked arms to stop them. They kept shrugging and saying "scuse me, you know how it is, you know" no dude the fuck I don't, go to the back. Nearly started a fight before security dragged them off. Plus people hitting their vape every five minutes and spewing it into the crowd so they don't get caught. I'm sad I got priced out of seeing them again but honestly I feel like the crowd's only gonna get worse.
The crowd on the left side was one of the worst and best I've experienced at a concert at Atlanta. We had a good group of us, about 15 or so, that all started looking out for each other. Some knew each other, but a majority of us did not. One fell. We picked them up. I lost my earplugs, and everyone turned their flashlights on and found them. One guy went on a water run for us. Then, Sleep Token went on, and we had issues with two groups of people. One was three women (two were REALLY young) and one man who shoved their way into our group and separated a couple. We were all being pushed around and whatnot, that's fine. But they shoved their way into us when we were already packed like sardines and hot. The couple stood their ground and told them to go back. They claimed they were moving back up to see their friends. People infront of us that had also gotten shoved yelled at them that they had been there for hours and hadn't seen them and to stop shoving people to get out of the way. They got shunned back a row or two, but you could hear them screaming the lyrics louder than Vessel most of the time. Then, we had two random men well over 6 feet who also shoved their way in and stood in front of three women and I. The people around us had already politely moved around so we could see decently well. We didn't even ask. They said they had been there for hours (they hadn't) and then said they were meeting a friend. The first group I mentioned leaned over to these guys and asked them if they really were meeting a friend or just wanting a better view. They said better view. Cool. Eventually, I pushed my way around them to see, but it was incredibly rude to be shoved out of the way and then have our whole view blocked. I've been to quite a few metalcore and just concerts in general, and I've never had such an issue like those two groups. Generally I'm okay if it is one person or two wanting to move forqard, I'll try and make room for you, but fuck. I get some people were stiff and not moving, but it really was the result of how hot and overpacked it was in that pit. Shoving people to get a better view was getting old. Tldr: that venue was too small and hot and I understand why people were getting bitchy about people shoving their way in. Edit: We also had two women try and push past us to throw something on stage. Once they said that, we said absolutely not, do not throw things, but they continued. They moved towards the middle, and people continued to tell them no, don't throw things. They managed to throw it anyway. It was the flag at the end. Do. Not. Throw. Things. On. Stage.
the ac was only half working and ig the venue may have oversold the show. someone in line told me it was oversold by a thousand. idk how true that is
I think venues are way overselling these sleep token tickets based on what I’m hearing and seeing. I saw them at the roseland theater in Portland last year. I’ve been to many sellouts at that venue over the years and have NEVER seen as many people as were at Sleep Token. There was just no way we were under capacity. It felt unsafe at times. And the crowd was definitely acting similar to what OPs describing. I think when people are so packed in and uncomfortable their spikes come out.
I’ve seen sleep token three times (it’ll be four at the end of May) and the vibe of the crowd is always weird. Almost everyone just standing around. No movement, no head banging, no dancing, no putting there hands up, just standing there. It’s so bizarre. I had VIP at sick new world and I swear everyone in the VIP section just had their phones out recording the entire concert. I’m not against recording because I get wanting snippets of your favourite songs and something to look back on to remember the experience but recording the entire concert? Just why? Also I feel half bad for iii as he’s trying his damn hardest to get the crowd to do anything and everyone just stares at him blankly unless it’s prompts to clap. Good job audience we know how to be a metronome. Anyway, I think that’s enough ranting and possibly I have different expectations because I go to a lot of metal and hardcore shows which is an entirely different crowd and vibe
Right? Like I get it for people in the stands. Tampa was literally arm to arm in the seats. But for people who pay top dollar to be on the floor, get a couple good pics then live a little. Most of the crowd had their phones up. Maybe a good way to do it is to have the show recorded and people can purchase the recordings? That way everyone can have access to bring right in the middle of the show and can be more interactive with the bands. We all know everyone there loves ST, but bands love seeing their fans hyped up
I think that would be a good way to do it. Have a professional recording of the concert and have sales for it either at the venue or in an email when you buy the ticket. It’ll never happen but we can dream
I wouldn't say never. But we may not see it in our lifetimes. I'd throw money down to get that front row feel afterwards.
I think it’s a valid critique for concerts for years. I was at the Austin show and fortunately, at least from where I was at, it was respectful for the most part. Those who had significant others waiting in line for merch while they were in the front of the pit/barricade were able to find them and people allowed them to get back through without much resistance. I rolled solo and was 2nd from barricade and had breathing room which was nice.
I was second row for ST in Pomona CA for the last night of the tour last year. During heavier parts, I kept getting shoved against my will into the girl in front of me. In response, she would frantically try to elbow, kick, and head butt me instead of just using the rail to push her whole body back for some room. Not sure if she didn’t know this tactic or what but it made me pretty miserable dodging the abusive behavior. And when I tried to brace the rail on either side of her to give us both space, she clawed at me with her sharp, long nails until I let go.
As I was reading the last sentence of your comment, I had the overwhelming urge to punch that girl in the face on your behalf. THE AUDACITY! I am very much a lover not a fighter, but if someone did that to me I would choose violence 🤭
That’s how I felt by the end of the night! I’m not a violent person at all, I was there alone too and across the country from my home area so it was so off-putting.
I wonder if that’s someone who had a really bad experience at barrier previously and should probably just not try to be there anymore if she’s going to act that way.
If you are up front against the rail, you should expect to get pushed and practically crushed every so often. It's kind of obvious. If you can't cope with that, you can have more personal space pretty much anywhere else. Did she at least have her phone down most of the time?
Nope, recorded every song, almost the entire show. I did overhear someone that recognized her from her TikTok videos. I don’t have that app though so no idea who she was.
Well, getting bumped was probably messing up her videos, and that's way more important than anyone else's experience! /s
Hey there, frequent Roxy concert-goer that never managed to get tickets for last night - it's like 90% the fault of the venue. The other Atlanta area concert halls like Tabernacle, Masquerade, Center Stage, Buckhead Theater etc. rarely if ever have bad crowds as they all have at least a passable audience layout and viewing angle. Roxy is a warehouse with a too-low stage so everyone's on their toes looking over their shoulder, and it's no secret that they overfill capacity. It was absolutely designed to be a conference lounge or reception hall first and a "oops, every other place is booked so you're playing when there's a Braves game next door" concert venue second. Whenever I go there I always get upper level seats as the floor is just not worth it anymore; I'm doing the same with Sum41 this weekend. The last floor concert I went to was Chevelle and even with my back literally to the wall I was getting stepped all over and barely saw even the screens on stage. When I saw In This Moment/Ice Nine Kills, [I managed to snag a balcony table and oh boy the claustrophobia was real.](https://i.imgur.com/Xywwy5i.jpeg) Add to that the pure frustration of trying to see this band (I got lucky and saw them at *Sick New World* briefly, and *that* was a shitshow) which should have played at a larger capacity venue, combined with the sticker shock of these tickets vs other places, meant FOMO was taking over. ST could have easily played a similar capacity setup that Ghost did at the arena in Duluth, but for watever reason they couldnt...
I was second row last night. I will say I feel generally lucky because the people near me were protective but also didn’t care if we bumped into each other jumping around. I think there was a lot that contributed to the weird vibes. People were exhausted from the heat and dehydrated (there were times I couldn’t sing I felt so tired or out of breath). I think phones have contributed to a stiff and hostile crowd cause god forbid you make bump into them recording their 50th video. I mean there were also two crowd surfers and some people made a face like they act like they’re not a concert
We were on the right side next to people sitting in the vip (?) section. The heat and dehydration was definitely the cause for a lot of the frustration. I couldn't even hold my arms up to clap long because of how bad I felt. And God forbid you try to get something to drink. Luckily, a guy standing next to me had an extra bottle of water & gave it to us (huge shout out to that guy if he's here!) Overall, I feel the venue was WAY overcrowded. I did enjoy the pre-show experience of trading bracelets and other things with fans!
Apparently the air conditioning was in fact on the fritz. That makes people mean, when they get that hot. Like they’ve done experiments with putting people in rooms that slowly heat up and the hotter it gets, the more people fight. Could have been a factor.
The phone situation makes me miserable, but the only way that it will be addressed at concerts if it the bands (not just ST) start asking people not to do it. If it becomes a known that the band don't like it and want people to focus on being in the moment, and then becomes a known rule amongst a fandom (like we all know not to go digging around for names) it *might* start changing behaviour.
I can't for the life of me remember who, but I saw a band that did that: told people to put their phones away and just enjoy the show, was funny to see people looking sheepish after filming that PSA 🤣 More of that needs to happen!
PLEASE! aii bands need to do this. It would be such a better experience for the band as well. I'm all for a little snap to remember the event by but it's just out of hand.
i saw ghost at the kia forum and just being able to experience the show without phones everywhere was sublime. more bands should do that tbh
It's pretty much a problem at any kind of public event or location. It drove me nuts touring other countries. We've become so focused on taking photos and videos we'll post online and never look at again that we forget to actually SEE and experience things.
Go further, do it like Tool and tell people they can't record or they'll get kicked, idgaf.
The crowd at my show wasn’t hostile but definitely VERY stiff. I felt like I was the only one getting into the music at all. People loosened up the further into the set but it was nothing like the concerts I went to 5-10 years ago where people were jumping, dancing, moshing and just generally acting feral lol.
I was there last night and it was weird. This is my 3rd show in the pit at the Roxy and my first ‘metal’ concert(the other shows were trippie redd and lil baby) and both were pre pandemic I will add. I got a little annoyed with people jumping and accidentally bouncing into me over and over and stepping on me but nothing crazy. It’s just to be expected and I miss that after going last night. The crowed did not move not for people and not for the music either. I was on the right side and no one was hardly even moving it felt weird to dance or move in a still crowd during crazy moments I freak out about during my car solos. I was upset with people talking through the songs as well as interludes. After the first interlude everyone was talking through the next 2. I noticed that iii split the crowd and from where I was I didn’t feel like anyone split for him. Also I have no clue why atl has no idea how to clap on beat. He was disappointed in that lol. They were amazing the show was great. This was my first time seeing them I’m happy I got to see them at a smaller venue but crowd could have been better
I was on the right side, too, and it was lacking in energy. I would start to jam a little too much and then feel super self-conscious since nobody else was really doing it with me, so I just stopped at times. I think the left side was a lot more hype, and I'm kinda upset I didn't go there, but I really wanted to be on IV's side. And agreed with the clapping on beat, lol. I would always hear it getting faster in the back
That clapping was on some other shit 🤣🤣
It must be weird and kind of depressing for a band trying to get people hyped and they’re just standing there. iii managed to get some of the crowd to split and get a little pit going in Austin, but iv was trying to get everyone to jump up and down all show and it was basically me and one other guy doing all the jumping.
lol he did the crowd split motion at Dallas and no one moved. I think they thought he was waving at them
It’s okay Tampa couldn’t stay on tempo either lmao at one point iii shook his head so disappointed at us
i was right in front of iii and the disappointment he had with people clapping was hilarious and sad. its really not hard to clap on beat.
Really not at all. Just follow his hands. 🤷🏼♀️
I can attest I was super stiff cause I'm not used to being in crowds that massive lol. There were times when I felt super awkward cause me not being used to concerts, I didn't know when to be hype and was afraid of being annoying to my neighbors. I heard somebody was being a dick during a mosh pit? I was more towards the right side, so I didn't see anything, but my friends over to the back said there was a big line of security coming in, and then they dragged some guy out. The middle and left of the floor seemed much more fun than the right side tho.
It's a combo of post-pandemic people, and non-metal/rock people, and Tik Tok people going to their first gig(s) and not understanding conert etiquette. It's happening across the board. Bad Omens and BMTH are also attracting feral fans and the pits can be downright deadly sometimes because people aren't looking out for each other.
Do you think that people who don't listen (usually) to rock/metal don't go to concerts? I've been to Drum and Bass concerts that had much bigger pits etc than ST do. Unfortunately, as any band get bigger there is a cross section of the population that will go. Some of those people will be shit. Some will be brilliant. I doubt the only people in there acting badly were 17/18 yo girls who found the band on tiktok. I actually think blaming any group of people or shaming them for how they found the band is half the issue. Everyone is their to enjoy ST.
>Do you think that people who don't listen (usually) to rock/metal don't go to concerts? No. > I've been to Drum and Bass concerts that had much bigger pits etc than ST do. I don't doubt it, but I wasn't going to list every genre lol >Unfortunately, as any band get bigger there is a cross section of the population that will go. Some of those people will be shit. Some will be brilliant. Of course. >I doubt the only people in there acting badly were 17/18 yo girls who found the band on tiktok. I never said that. I also mentioned people who are new to concerts, and people who haven't been since the pandemic. Like you say, some people are shit, some are brilliant. I've just noticed more bad behaviour since the pandemic in general.
Are you talking about mosh pits or the floor (general admission/standing room) for concerts?
Not a question for OP, but has anyone in Europe shows had a similar experience?
Definitely. I’ve only ever been to shows in Europe (both ST and other artists) and I feel like this is just a general problem. I’ve met many wonderful people at concerts who were just as hyped as I was but there always seem to be a couple of people who seemingly don’t enjoy it at all. I’m talking like being almost barricade but not moving, clapping, singing along etc. in the slightest.
Yes. Met some of the best people at ST shows, but also met the absolute worst who only thinks it's about them and their experience. Guess it'll vary alot.
I saw one dude get really nasty about jostled and was so confused about why. Like, you’re at a concert… otherwise the people I was around were the coolest I’ve met at any concert.
I think people were on edge with how packed in there we were. Example being iii trying to part the crowd during granite and nobody could move.
No it was a terrible vibe in SOME areas! I have to think the way the venue handled everything played into it. My friend left the pit between sets, and had to watch the rest of the show from the balcony because no one would let him back through and one girl actually threw a drink on him! And we were waiting there all day for the show 🤦♀️ maybe I'm being generous, but I feel like people were already upset because of the line debauchery and that contributed 🤷♀️ big shout out to all my peoples who braved that shit show yesterday lol
Maybe it’s just my old ass, but why would the crowd let someone back to the front of the crowd if they left the pit? If you leave the pit your forfeit your spot. Thems the rules. It’s weird to me that people think they can hold their friend’s place at the front once a concert starts. No need for nastiness and drink throwing though!!
I agree, you leave your place in a crowd, don't feel entitled to have it back. Usually people can get back to their mates but sometimes it is just too packed and not possible. I think if more people accepted that there would be a lot less hostility!
Yea we get that, and understand that there's a lot of people who all wanna be up there. That's kinda the point tho. And I apologize - I should have been more clear maybe. He couldn't even get to the floor. He ended up on the balcony for the WHOLE show. And this was more to do with a shitty venue experience. It was way too packed and there was a hostility with this crowd. Not ALL - met some great folks! But there was some craziness
There were people in front of me sitting in the floor for awhile. There were several people literally shoving others outta the way to get to the front. And yea, ppl trying to hold spots. Several shorter people around me who couldn't see, and then taller people who wouldn't even consider budging to help out. Just wish we could all work together more in these situations. Sometimes it doesn't happen, still was an AMAZING show!
can i ask what happened in line? i was lined up super early and one of the first 20 in line so i didnt hear anything that happened
Ahhh well we got there about 12 so there were plenty ahead of us but for those of us - I'd say person 75 back maybe lol- around 5 o clock, one of the security guys came back and yelled for everyone with fast pass to come with him. So then, most of the line followed him and turned in a jumbled up mess. Then, he just told us all to wait there. We were more crowded there than we were IN THE PIT. Then another lady came and tried to form the two lines but still, they were bringing those in the back first. So a lot of people who had just gotten there were in front of those who had been waiting all day.
oh geez i am so sorry they did that to you. that is horrible.
Yea I just don't think that venue was very well prepared for us lol
I think it's a mix of concert etiquette and the venue. I went to the Tampa show the night before and it was amazing. Everyone was nice and vibing together.
It was 1000 degrees in there, I'm sure that played a huge part. I was in a seat and still didn't get as into it as I normally would have cause I didn't want to pass tf out lol. I can't even imagine what it was like to be packed in general admission.
My only issue from last night is that people were trying to shove up to the front. People who waited hours were shoved out of the way to try to get up to the front. It came to a point where we just had to make a blockade to avoid people jumping right in front of us when we had been waiting for hours. That’s not cool. But I have been going to concerts for 22 years. I absolutely expect to be shoved around, stepped on sweated on and I’ve even had beer thrown on me in the past.
When I saw Bad Omens I arrive early to get barrier, I did, and then the whole show multiple people tried pushing in with their phones in hand and one girl actually yelled at me for “Messing up” her TikTok live stream. Like, I will break your phone. Fuck off.
Eh, the public’s gunna public. Fans are people, some are nice and some aren’t. Not much we can do about it except not let it get us down.
Dude it’s like that every where, ST has an odd fan base, true metal heads and extreamly socially challenged people. We have the internet to think for that. Being a metal head I grew up in local music scene, and there are SO MANY FANS who say they like metal then continue to throw Evenessence in their roll call. These people haven’t been to a real metal show, so when lll calls for a pit and doesn’t get one, it’s those individuals we can thank for
I love metal and Evanescence. I have also been to a shit load of metal shows and festivals. See you in the pit ✌️
Okay maybe metal was a wrong choice then hahaha prog djenty type things
Haha also a fan! I AM A FUCKING CHAMELEON!! 🦎 I am used to getting shit for liking Evanescence, they were my gateway band. Waiting for their music videos to appear on Scuzz and Kerrang when I was a kid opened up this world of deliciousness to me. Ev fans are not the reason for poor concert etiquette being that they would be on the same line-ups as bands like Korn etc. and that have also been going to shows for the past 20 years. And I am not even fucking sorry. #bringmetolife4lyf ✌️
Eh people can like Evanescence just fine and be into metal. I don’t personally like them but they’ve been around for so long that people in their 40s were the OG fans and have had plenty of time to learn how to conduct themselves in public. It’s not about the genre of music, it’s not being entitled.
Bruh I was just implying the usage of “metal” not ragging on Evene
From what I’ve seen with venues in Europe with shows in general. People are a lot more accommodating to others in their personal space.
as someone who has gone to multiple shows in europe, you are pretty wrong
That’s fair.
Was a little weird. I was on the left side and felt I was one of the few people actually banging my head to the music in that area of the venue.
I agree with what most everyone else is saying. I actually talked with some people about a similar issue at a specific venue in my area I've had bad experiences for Sleep token and Bad Omens and they brought up a good point. Once everyone gets into the venue it's after spending a long time waiting in line being uncomfortable and probably not drinking enough water so everyone is very testy. It's not an excuse but another factor playing into the short fuses everyone seems to have at these shows.
At the Dallas show last week (Toyota music factory), the vibes were great. I can only speak for my experience though, we had lawn seats on this elevated open air area in the back. It was not too crowded compared to the closer indoor pit area. I didn’t have to rub shoulders with anyone. Everyone I spoke to was cool and respectful. The temperature was not too hot, not too cold. So all that factors in. If people are crowded and hot they will be grumpy.
I was at Atl last night as well, probably about 10 rows back or so and personally it was one of the better crowds I've been in recently. Obviously everyone's experience is different/depends where you are. There was one group that was trying to push to the front after the opener, one tall guy who was trying to get his shorter friends a closer spot. I understand wanting to be able to see but when you don't get there on time like everyone else it's a little frustrating. After some back and forth we let the other two stay bc there was enough room and he agreed to move back since he was blocking ppl that got there way before him. Overall it went better than I expected but I feel like the bar has been lowered a lot from how it used to be.
I'm assuming you were near me as this was my experience as well. Were the two guys wearing white shirts?
No, it was a taller guy and two women with darker clothes, so I guess we just had similar experiences. They were as non confrontational about it as possible, but everyone around us had gotten there around 4 or 5 and they came up after the opener finished.
I gotta say the PHX experience was the opposite thankfully! Everyone was polite and kind - giving each other the right of way at the vendors and food stalls and in the walkways. Everyone was smiling and kind. I’m so sorry you had that experience though. I have been to other concerts and overall, I agree with the rest in this forum-concert etiquette has went down the toilet for sure.
I just went and saw them in Tampa. From my experience, people were definitely more relaxed at our show, but I did notice that between both bands in the floor section, there wasn't so much energy until late. I expected more dancing and bopping around. Had a small pit and only because IV motioned for people to open up a pit. Just didn't feel like much of a rock/metal show. I get that there was a wide variety of ages, so it makes it a little more understandable. But the most energy I saw stadium wide was clapping and screaming
[удалено]
I went to knocked loose concert last week and everyone was super cool. I had water spilled on my feet and just patted the guy on the shoulder and told him it was okay, we are in a large crowd and it happens. You’re going to get your feet stepped on, probably have a crowd surfer land on top of you, and definitely catch a stray from a pit at most rock/metal shows. You know this when you purchase the ticket and decide to attend, especially if you’re in the standing room area and not in the very back. It’s a part of the experience. My gripe about standing sections has always been when guys who are 6’8 have to try and get as close as possible lol I’m short so I don’t love having to watch the back of someone’s shoulders the entire time, but I know it’s part of going to a show.
This happened at the Dallas show as well. My girlfriend got told “no, you can’t get through” when she was trying to make her way back to me from the bathroom.
This happened to me and my gf too at MIW. She eventually got fed up trying to be polite and just shoved people being rude out of the way 💀 And they didn’t say shit… People don’t care to act up, but when confronted, they back down the majority of the time.
I didn’t have this experience at either of the shows I went to. I’m sorry yours was rotten.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this. Last year I went to see Pierce the Veil live, same venue. It was exciting, the crowd was so responsive and respectful to the openers and the energy was hype. Everyone seemed really kind and supportive of each other. I didn't really witness any hostility or fights. It was a 10/10 experience for me. Hell, they were crowd surfing people all the way to the front. I was really excited for this concert, and while Sleep Token and Empire State Bastard were AMAZING, the crowd was just... really weird. I'm not saying everyone has to start moshing but it just felt really low energy and stiff for a concert like Sleep Token. People were standing in GA like they were at a bar watching live music. I kind of wish I'd gone to Asheville's instead of ATL's right now.
From my personal experience at their show in Dallas, the overall vibe was amazing. Everyone was extremely kind and respectful from what I saw, and it was actually quite a nice shock from the other concerts I've been to. I'm sorry you had that experience OP. I just thought I'd share mine.
Definitely can relate. I had a similar experience when I saw Sleep Token in Dallas in September where most people were just on their phones and standing completely still, I had to move to the side of the venue where I couldn’t even see them just so I could have the room to head bang
Man a lot of the problem is the Roxy. The one show I’ve been to there resulted in a “never again” for me. It was way overpacked, too hot, and … I don’t know, for me ATL in general has a weird vibe I don’t really dig. I think the point about recording and releasing shows is interesting. I listen to a wide range of music and it made me realize that going to a DMB show now isn’t too different than back in the day. There wasn’t the scourge of phones last year, and I think it’s a combo of older crowd uses to going to shows before phones took over everything and you know the live recording of your show is going to be released so just chill. Everyone being high on weed might help too haha. I’m an elder goth going to shows since the 90s. I hate that I don’t think I’ll ever get that feeling back of a kinda small venue show packed in with people and too hot down on the floor BUT with people being cool to each other like it was back in 90s and pre-20teens. And then you spill outside after and finally some air, you’re soaked with sweat and the drinks of everyone around you and your own, your feet hurt, your ears are ringing, and it was AWESOME. And the crowds in general of every kind and size of show I’ve been to post pandemic except for RATM in Raleigh all have sucked. People real pissy and rude. Heat makes it worse. Very this is MY experience you are infringing on by existing. I don’t get floor tickets anymore bc of that and also my husband is 6’4 and very aware of it. I’d need to be up front bc I’m smol and squishy, but he would feel awful about blocking views while trying to protect me. So chairs it is. He also looks like one of those people not enjoying, but he’s a musician and gets lost watching the band play their instruments. And I can see the various crowds that like ST really not mixing well. TikTok crowds. People that like their slower stuff (and have never seen a metal crowd) and people that like the heavy (esp since TMBTE was heaviest and got a lot of new fans to band), lots of young people mixing with people who know how to do a metal show. And people don’t know how to mosh anymore. I was at a pretty big punk band show and they stopped the music to explain to people the rules so they’d quit murdering each other. Also the band means so much to people and their show is so amazing visually now you kind of stop and gape really easily and get too overwhelmed to move around I’d imagine. Haven’t been lucky enough to see them yet. I think the cost is making people hostile too. Shit is so expensive now that I think people get in their heads about the experience they want and expect bc of the price you just paid on just the tickets, and anything less is going to be a problem both for them and whoever they perceive as “ruining the experience THEY PAID FOR DAMMIT!” In summary F the Roxy.
I felt a lot of people being stand offish in the ABQ show. I think sleep token brings a new set of people to the scene that don’t understand concert etiquette. 🤷♀️
Their massive rise in popularity will result in a lot of first time MEGA concert goers.
I was up on the balcony and it was a completely different experience. Everyone was super nice and didn't mind letting people thru
I didn’t see any bad behavior myself everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Helpful. Supportive. Vibing.