"Audience 2006: asleep and damp" photo by Bill Spence from OldSongs.org

Vox Pop

Please Do Not Remain Seated

[11 April 2007]

Sometimes small gestures contain larger meanings. For me, the decision to sit rather than stand at a concert is a sign of giving up on the youthful exuberance that defines the rock concert experience.

By Meta Wagner

Editor’s note: Meta Wagner appeared on WNYC’s Soundcheck program on 16 April to discuss sitting vs. not sitting at rock concerts with New York Times music critic Kelefeh Sanneh.  The program is here.

There’s a strange phenomenon occurring at a lot of rock concerts these days.  The audience actually sits through nearly the entire concert.  The only exceptions seem to be when the audience feels compelled to honor rock ritual (one must stand when the singer or group first appears onstage and again for the encore).

I first noticed this unfortunate trend when Paul McCartney was on tour a couple of years ago, and I’ve since witnessed it repeatedly at other concerts.  But, let me first offer a disclaimer as to why some of us felt the need to sit at the McCartney show.  It was my fourth time seeing Sir Paul, but my first time seeing him from seats in the Vertigo Section, just above the Nosebleed section at the Boston Garden (which I’m supposed to call the TD Banknorth Garden but can’t bring myself to).  It was entirely understandable for people in any of the mile-high sections to remain seated; after all, one false move and we could plunge hundreds of feet to our deaths, and bring down an assortment of hippie-yuppie Beatles fans with us. 

Fans in the nosebleed seats of a Beatles concert

Fans in the nosebleed seats of a Beatles concert

At first I thought I was the only one entertaining thoughts of death while seated so perilously high—after all, I’m a highly phobic ex-New Yorker prone to full-blown panic attacks—but, no, one look at my teenage son’s ashen face and dilated pupils, his bloodless hands clutching the arms of his chair, indicated to me that he was similarly, absolutely, terrified.  Now, given that he was sick with a high fever and his negligent mother let him go anyway because it might be his last chance to see a Beatle and not just any Beatle but the one who would have been his father if my childhood fantasies had come true, I also had to discount his reaction as unusual. 

But all around us we heard talk of vertigo and near-nausea, even among beefy, beer-guzzling manly men.  And so, staying seated (and wishing we’d had compact binoculars, securely tied with a shoestring around our necks) was a rational choice for those of us who treasured our lives just slightly more than we treasured a Beatle.  However, this doesn’t explain why people with sea level seats remained sitting, only stirring to applaud and whistle as loudly as one can while the diaphragm is compressed thus. 

Similarly, months later at a more intimate and charmingly run down venue, the Orpheum, local favorite blues-tinged rocker Susan Tedeschi played the kind of music that begs for people to stand and at least sway.  But, again, the people there that night, if they swayed at all, did so in their seats, a gentle clinch of the right butt cheek, another of the left…. And when two spirited, middle-aged women had the audacity to stand and wave their arms and sing along, other concert-goers angrily yelled at them to Siddown!, which they eventually did rather than run the risk of being pelted with cigarette lighters (no, that’s right, people don’t seem to bring those to concerts anymore) or cell phones (those are in high abundance, and usually set to ring at high volume, too).  Recently, at a Lucinda Williams concert at the same venue, the crowd was certainly enthusiastic — some of them shouted out comments apropos of a beer-soaked Patriots game at times—but, alas, they squelched any inclination to shoot out of their seats and raise their fists in the air.

I don’t get it.  Standing and stomping and moving to the beat are so much a part of what a rock concert is about.  You go to live shows to feel free!  Express yourself! Maybe even make a fool of yourself (okay, paunchy, balding guys doing air guitar in the crowd may not be pretty – or safe—but rock isn’t necessarily meant to be pretty – or safe).  How can you let go if your hands are folded neatly in your lap?  How can you let out a whoop whilst seated?

At all three of these concerts, many of the audience members were in their 40s and 50s.  Are we to surmise that the majority of middle-aged people simply can not stand for any length of time?  I’d like to believe (I need to believe, as I’m a boomlet myself) that boomers are not yet so decrepit that standing for, let’s say, 20 minutes at a time is an extreme sport.

No, I don’t think this trend of remaining seated at rock concerts has to do with age itself; rather, it has to do with society’s conflicting messages about how to age gracefully.  Nowhere is this conflict more evident than in the attitudes of the aging rockers themselves—attitudes which in turn affect their audience’s feelings about “appropriate” and “inappropriate” behavior at concerts. 

Rock’s roots in youthful rebellion has, in a sense, made hypocrites of rockers, like The Who, who once famously sang, “I hope I die before I get old,” but then discovered they still had the desire to rock out and live on well into their 60s.  And so, their self-consciousness about this hypocrisy plays itself out in various ways, most notably, “cheating” on rock by hooking up with other forms of “serious” music and thus, slowing the tempo, considerably.

Let’s look at MTV’s Unplugged series, which I’ll credit (or should I say blame) for encouraging aging rockers to gently strum their guitar strings instead of bloodying and blistering their fingers with hard rock moves. Unplugged which had a strong following in the ‘90s and still airs occasionally today, provides intimate settings for rockers to do acoustic versions of their songs….while sitting down. 

Remember Rod Stewart doing a heartfelt rendition of Van Morrison’s “Have I Told You Lately”, with his voice cracking and a tear running down his cheek?  The live album, aptly titled Unplugged…and Seated sold quite well, and the public’s embrace of the new, sensitive Rod ultimately spawned one of the most successful phases of his career: albums of standards from the Great American Songbook.  I imagine him performing those songs decked out in top hat, tails, and cane, like a modern day Fred Astaire but with spiky blond hair poking out from underneath the hat’s brim.

Then there’s Carly Simon’s latest CD, which has been described as an album of lullabies.  Elton John’s gone Disney and then Broadway.  Paul McCartney and Billy Joel have written classical compositions.  All of this is fine in and of itself.  It’s good for artists to grow and stretch and challenge themselves. 

But, I fear that these travels away from hard core, plugged-in rock are also a capitulation of sorts to the impossible messages about aging that pervade our society.  Be serious!  Do meaningful work!  Don’t make a fool of yourself!  On the other hand, look hot, act hip, don’t let ‘em see you sweat.  Sit!  Stand!  Sit!

We’re in this together, aging rock stars and enduring fans.  If you’re going to sit, we’re going to sit.  If you’re going to go acoustic, we’re going to get quiet.  If you’re going to start a concert at precisely 8pm (as Van Morrison did at a concert I attended a few years ago), we’re going to feel like we should be tucked into bed by 11.  And if you’re going to perform lullabies, we just might fall asleep.

Happy, screaming fans in Spain

“Happy, screaming fans in Spain” photo from Burnette-Rock.com

In her “Vox Pop” column for PopMatters Meta voices her observations about pop culture, particularly as it intersects with our lives.  She is endlessly fascinated by the myriad ways in which our pop culture choices reflect back on us—our beliefs, our desires, our idiosyncrasies, our intellects. Wagner’s published pieces include written commentaries, features, and profiles for Salon, Boston Globe Magazine, Chicago Tribune, The Christian Science Monitor, and other publications.  You can visit her blog here. When she’s not writing, Meta is molding young minds as an adjunct professor at Emerson College, where she teaches creative writing.  She also developed and occasionally teaches a column-writing class at Grub Street, an independent writing center in Boston.

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I miss your impulse to play your music LOUD, to draw me in, to irritate and offend me – and I miss my impulse to do the same to you.

I Can Almost Taste It

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17.Mar.09

For someone who wouldn’t know my mortars from my pestles, I seem to spend an awful lot of time observing chefs in action.

 
 
Comments

Meta,

As always, good.  But, Meta, you are writing not about rock but about washed-up forgettable and dead old pop-rockers.  Billy Joel, at his best summoned sway and Rod, at best, conjured head bopping.  The Beatles haven’t conjured anything in decades and I’d hardly call screaming, bawling adolescent girls a “rock-worthy” response.

Go to a Mc Clusky concert and you won’t find a chair for fear it would end up broken over heads. Rock is doing just fine but the rockers you are measuring rock are not fine.  They are new-age and finished.
Now, if someone told me to sit down at a boogey joint and spiked me with their cell phone it would be the last concert that cell phone would see unless the owner bent over to cough.  That’s rock and roll and it’s doing just fine.

xoxo
Chris Linton

Comment by C.Linton from South Korea — April 11, 2007 @ 7:17 am

I’d have gone to many more shows over the years if sitting was the norm—not only to ward off exhaustion, but to minimize the obstructed views that tall people create. (Granted, tall people are still tall even when seated, but, usually not by as much since their height is often mostly in their legs). Since standing is, unfortunately, all too common, I tend to make my way to the edge of the room where I can at least lean against a wall for support, and glimpse the artist I came to see and hear.

Comment by Will from Boulder CO — April 11, 2007 @ 1:22 pm

I’m 49 and used to have the same ambivalence about enjoying loud, fast rock music. “Act your age,” they say. Screw ‘em. If I want to crank Nirvana, The Clash, Peppers or Papa Roach, then I indulge and rock out. So what if I have more salt than pepper in my hair. I no longer care what people think.

I’ve concluded that social expectations for how older people are supposed to act is a form of ageism. Screw ‘em. You can only be young once but you can be immature your whole life. And it’s no crime to enjoy it.

Comment by James from Sacramento — April 12, 2007 @ 12:31 am

I am a 53 year old woman who goes to concerts all the time, and I am happy to see someone finally write about this weird practice of sitting through a ROCK concert.
  When I go to a show, I go with my entire family, and although we have not been hit by cell phones, we did have popcorn thrown at us for standing at a Paul McCartney concert (during Twist and Shout)non the less. I think it is SAD that people younger than myself choose to sit rather than stand, after all…this is not a movie theatre…it is a concert.
  I feel that if Paul McCartney can stand through his entire show, at the age of 64, we should be able to do the same. I am sure that Paul would rather see everyone up and enjoying the show.
  If you want to sit….go see a movie.
  If you want to enjoy yourself…go see a ROCK
  CONCERT!!!!!
          Patricia
          Philadelphia

Comment by Patricia from Philadelphia — April 12, 2007 @ 11:32 am

I think very few fans care to stand and dance during a live performance of their favorite band’s music because what they want to do most is LISTEN, and with minimal distraction from those around them.  And the fact that they aren’t up dancing doesn’t mean they aren’t enjoying the show as much as someone who is.  Just different ways of appreciating music.

Comment by Gary — April 13, 2007 @ 3:55 pm

I can sit and listen to music in the comfort of my own home, but when I go to see a show, I choose to be a part of it, For me it’s all about the experience of a LIVE performance.
  If you ask any performer if they would rather see people dancing or sitting during their shows, I’m sure the answer would be to DANCE. I’m talking about performers like Paul McCartney, The WHO, the Rollin Stones, Led Zeppelin, etc. All those really “OLD POP ROCKERS” who seem to have more energy than their audience.
  Since we no longer have Smoking and NonSmoking sections anymore, maybe we could have standing and non standing sections…..at least then everyone would be happy.
        Peace….Love… and MUSIC!!!!!

Comment by Patricia from Philadelphia — April 13, 2007 @ 5:22 pm

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To Gary and all the other sitters..you think very few people like to stand during live performances? have you looked at any Paul DVDs the who red hot chili peppers north Mississippi all stars page and plant Keller Williams…any one in the music worlds live DVDs? it is every one in the crowd up dancing and enjoying life. I am a 22 year old, with a soul that is older since the beginning of time since music was just a drum…people were always dancing it goes hand and hand. Every artist thinks they are doing a poor job if every one is sitting. They want to pump you up and just get you moving and enjoying yourself, even Tony Benet stands during his shows!!!! COME ON HE IS OLD!!!! It is 2 hours. If you can not stand I mean you need to get back to the “egg” as sir Paul would say!!!! paul even says at his shows “I want you up and out of your seat, the crowd does for that song and lot of others sit after its over) I was out raged when I saw sir Paul in 02 I believe and me and my family were standing and pop corn and hot dog rolls were being thrown at me and my family for standing. How can you be so rude (there are HUGE SCREENS!! look up!)..every other section was up and moving but ours… I refused to sit! I stood even during blackbird and yesterday I wanted to sit but I stood for principle! older people yelling and screaming at me… you would think they remember what its like to be my age and able to dance around but my father at 58 does the same thing at shows ...dance even at my house every weekend.. He hasn’t lost the inner child in himself and that is the one thing you should keep. I again saw Paul in 05 I flew to Miami with my family again to see the tour… I had a solo seat and they had a row together far away from me… but I could see them and I saw them leaving their section with a security guard… I was freaking out because I had no clue what was going on, I thought they got kicked out for standing… I told the guard in my section to take me to find them because I was crying and we flew from Philly to Miami JUST to see Paul! and we were not going to miss this (opening night) I found them… they were re located because of threats to my mother and sister that if they don’t sit down from another concert go-er that he would throw them over also cursing and being really mean every1 in that section wanted him gone! but they relocated my family… they let me sit with them in a section that was so much more full of life and not one person under the age of 40 all standing we missed a lot of songs!!! We were right behind the handicap section and even people in wheelchairs and broken legs stood for a few songs!!! Come on! What does that say? This is a peaceful rock concert… promoting LOVE! And I didn’t feel that was in the air in the sections… I never respond to the people yelling at me I simply smile and ignore it. Another Paul in Philly in 05 me and my boyfriend had seats together… and my parents were across from us. And I can see them!!! Their whole section was standing but mine!!! I had a man about 43 with his 8 yr old daughter cursing at me and throwing stuff calling me bad names for STANDING!!!!!!!!  I am 5’1 remember!! I am tiny! how can you curse at someone you don’t know if front of your young child for simply dancing…and being free… he went so far and got the guard to come over and asked what the problem was and he told him I wont sit… the guard told him that I paid for the seat and I can sit on my head if I wanted to I can sit backwards I can even stand on my chair.. I paid for the seat I can do what ever I wanted! I wasn’t even in front of this guy!  He was just a jerk and wanted a fight! At a LOVE ROCK SHOW! The next night sir Paul again! (We are fans can ya tell?) We had 35 people with us and rented a bus it was a great night… I mad a shirt that had reasons to stand on the back of it. And I wore it and people were sitting so I put it on and my whole section stood! And had a great time they realized they had the right to…they were just scared to do so until they saw my shirt… every1 thanked me and had a great time!!! Singing and dancing and etc!!! I can not believe that people older than me don’t remember that music makes you dance…and seeing your fav artist makes you want to dance sing and have a great time. I stand for principle and because I want to enjoy myself!!! If you can’t stand for 2 hours don’t go! Stay at home and wait for the DVD if u complain about others enjoying life music people and the artist! I will never sit… even when I have lawn seats… I am a 22 year old girl raised by going to concerts and I go to a lot of them and festivals (over 200 concerts) I am 5’1 and loves music I promote for over 50 bands and all of my friends are musicians and it’s my life! I will never sit, it is not the norm to sit. it is sad to see you all sit and some complain ... get up and let loose…look at every1 else around you up and moving and soak it in….young, old whatever were are people…age is not a factor…if the handicap section and stand….so can you….if Paul at 64 can ...get your ass up and enjoy rock and roll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Loni Marie from philadelphia,pa — April 14, 2007 @ 10:44 am

Great article!  I blogged about this same phenomenon last month, but I thought it was something local to my small town.

Comment by Willi from USA — April 15, 2007 @ 10:39 am

Loni, what you have to realize is that some people just prefer to sit.  It doesn’t mean they aren’t enjoying the show as much as you.  It’s just a different way of appreciating it.  What it comes down to is that I think you have to respect the preferences of the majority of people around you.  If everyone is sitting, you should sit too.  I realize that this would negatively affect your enjoyment the show, but you need to have respect for your fellow human beings when you are in a public place.  Do you realize that your behavior is possibly ruining the concert experience for many people? If this doesn’t bother you, then you are a very selfish person.  You can’t just say “well, they’d enjoy it more if they stood and danced like me”.  Fact is, many wouldn’t.

Comment by Gary — April 16, 2007 @ 10:49 am

Gary,
    You say that the people who want to stand should conform to the people around them who want to sit and if they don’t, then they are selfish people, Well, I can use the same argument and say that the people who want to sit are selfish too.
    If I am paying the same amount of money that you are, I should get to enjoy the show in any way that I choose, just because I paid for the seat doesn’t mean I have to use it. As a matter of fact, I could stand on top of the chair if I want to.
    Usually the majority of people in the stadium are on their feet, except of course the ones directly behind me, (I’m just lucky that way)
    So, if you want to call me selfish, go right ahead, but, I could say the same about you.
    I think it’s ok to sit through SOME songs, and it’s ok to STAND for others, it all depends on the song and the performer you went there to see. If you go to see James Taylor, by all means SIT but, If you go see THE WHO then you should be standing.

Comment by Patricia from Philadelphia — April 16, 2007 @ 12:44 pm

hey i have no problem if you enjoy shows sitting down!~ go for it. but when you start yelling at me because i choose to stand because thats the way i enjoy myself… is very rude and selfish… i shouldnt have to sit to please you. i have respect for every1 until they cross me… if you cross me and then prove yourself yea ok.. but if not than sorry my time is too precious to waste on people who want to bring me down. i have even been to many shows crowds of all ages and when i get to my seat… the people who are around me.. dont even look or speak or smile at people they dont even know.. thats whats wrong with the world today… everyone is to scared. not me when i get to my seat i say hey im loni hey whats up are you excited i make friends with my neighbors during the experience.. maybe it loosens them up bc i see them letting go a lil bit after that! its good to enjoy it together than alone. if every1 is sitting, no i should not conform to them bc thats what makes them happy! bc i will be un happy! and that is not fair… in the end it is every man for themselfs at concerts… if i get a chance to get a better seat damn skippy ill be hopping over to that empty seat! sorry.. its a group thing and its a self thing… and im not gonna make every1 happy and make myself un happy and wish i had got up to dance…. most shows the artist say I WANT YOU UP AND OUT OF YOUR SEAT FOR THIS ONE!!! its not a movie its not a play its a concert… i have been to a grace potter and the nocturnals show at the WORLD CAFE LIVE and that night they had tables all over the standing floor… who knows why…i stood… over to the side… and a few others did with me after they saw me there myself! and like 4 songs into it… grace said i need these tables out of here…every1 laughed and she said no i am serious i need them moved… i can not play to a crowd who is sitting. the guards and staff did nothing so the crowd pushed them all together and made space for us to move around and dance… and she said thank u this is a rock and roll concert and there is no sitting at a rock and roll show she said there is no sitting ever at any show its music…when she said that words never sounded so perfect… no i will appreciate u if u wanna sit… yea ill try to move to the isle until i get yelled at and ill say sorry but im not sitting i tried to move for the people who are lazy and rude but it didnt work…either u stand or.. look at the big screen! and listen… whatever gary! your statement works both ways!

Comment by Loni Marie from philadelphia,pa — April 17, 2007 @ 5:26 pm

I understand your points Patricia and Loni.  This is a tough one to figure out, because it’s hard to know what people are thinking.  Are people standing because they want to stand, or because the people around them are?  Are people sitting because they want to sit, or because the people around them are?  Who knows?  Regardless, my feeling is that you should be courteous to the people around you.  And I think standing up when everyone is sitting is not courteous.

Don’t even get me started on people who sing at concerts:)

Comment by Gary — April 18, 2007 @ 4:06 pm

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Ok so we agree to disagree on the subject of sitting-v-standing, but we do agree on the singing, especially if their are BAD, but how about someone playing a KAZOO next to you at a concert? YES, that happened to someone I know, so I guess there are worse things that can happen at concerts. Count your blessings!!!
    Peace….Love…..and music

Comment by Patricia from Philadelphia — April 18, 2007 @ 11:48 pm

ok patricia is my mom! hehe and yes mom it was annoying it was a harmonica not a kazoo but its even worse! it was so bad this girl!!!!!!!!!!! UGH! she was playing the harmonica at a keller williams show! on the rail she was playing into every1s ears tryin to piss every1 off and every1 was yelling at her and she was doing it more as every1 yelled! the guard told her to put it away! she played it in his ear a few times. i never said anything until she disrespected the guard! i got in her face and said if you do not stop i will have you removed she got inches away from my face and played it! ught… i left and found the manager and he did nothing he told me is she hurting anyone? i said well no not really he said to me too bad! i was WHAT i flipped on him, i came to see keller not hear her on the baaaaaaad harmonica she wasnt even close to being good… she knew i was out to get her at that point… the crowed squeesed her position and made a force to push her back! like could i bring a guitar and play it at a show. same thing! i saw her after the show and she ran from me… rememeber im 5’1 112 haha im a lover not a fighter hehe but i wanted to hurt her but i wouldnt ever do it! stupid girl!

Comment by Loni Marie from philadelphia,pa — April 20, 2007 @ 10:47 am

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