Yet another thread about rude behavior. Or at least over-the-top behavior. We went to the Poncho Sanchez concert last night for some Latin jazz from an old-timer who’s still got it. The performance was enthusiastic and the musicians top-notch.
After the intermission was over and the lights had dimmed, some guy and his kid snuck down from the cheap seats to the vacated seats next to us in the orchestra section. No problem; open seats are fair game at that point.
It soon became apparent that this guy was one of those people who must demonstrate to all of us that he is a bigger fan than anyone else, if not the biggest fan who ever lived. Every note seemed to elicit hand-clapping designed to rupture eardrums. How the hell do people get that much volume out of slapping their hands together? Every few bouts of ear-splitting flesh slapping was punctuated with “Wooooo-hooooo!”, that ubiquitous howl that has sadly become the American trademark of approval for even the most mundane of events. His son, to his credit, sat cringing in the corner of his seat, obviously embarrassed by his father.
Dude: it’s not a fucking football game. There are actually other people in the audience who would like to hear the music without your baboon-ish antics punctuating every stanza.
I suppose this is the culture now, and the future of nearly all public events. Movies are hopeless because of assholes like this and concerts are becoming that way. I await with breathless anticipation the day when some knucklehead screams “Wooooo-hooooo! Fuckin’ Beethoven’s 3rd movement of the 9th fuckin’ rocks, man!” at a symphony. Seriously, it’s only a matter of time.
I hate these people, too. It’s an odd sort of self-centeredness and egotism-- the expectation that, where ever you are, what is happening is actually about you-- that you’re the protagonist of the story, even if right now you’re watching someone else perform. They’re just the background setting or props or plotpoint in the grand zany narrative of your life. It’s the same sort of person who’s picked up their patterns of speech from sit-coms and Revenge of the Nerds-style movies. Sam Kinneson worshippers. Hate them.
I hate those people too. And I am very unlikely to say anything in those situations. It doesn’t work. The person will act like you’re some kind of uptight asshole who can’t enjoy himself, and smugly continue (or escalate) unless you’re actually willing to get in a full-on confrontation about it, in which case everyone is then convinced you’re an asshole. It’s a no-win situation.
A friend of mine did at a Peter Gabriel show a couple of years ago. It was probably pointless, as it was held in a huge amphitheater with thousands of screaming people, but the ones sitting behind him were especially obnoxious. He finally turned around and held up his ticket stub, yelling “hey, do you see your name printed here? No? Then SHUT THE FUCK UP!”
I was just sort of curious. If someone was obnoxious, I could see where you might say something or even complain to the management. Someone enjoying the show and clapping loudly, although that would definitely get on my nerves is a tough call. I doubt if they’d take it well, and it might make the situation even worse.
I sympathise with the OP though, that would have irritated me too.
There’s nothing worse than audience members ruining a softer moment in a song by using that lull to ensure that everyone in the venue hears their screams.
It’s almost as bad as radios covering up the ends of songs with loud, obnoxious call signs.
I don’t even really care if someone claps loudly, annoying as that can be. It’s the people who have to be the last person clapping after the music stops, just to let everyone know that they, and ONLY they, can fully appreciate the musicians.
I have a younger sister who especially hates this. She used to never let them get away with it, either–she’d clap right along with them until they stopped, and give one final clap. She thought it was terribly amusing to deny them that last clap!*
*Just to clarify–she didn’t give a crap about being the final clapper. She just loved thwarting the person who did!
I think part of it is what capybarasaid, but I think a lot of it is that some people can’t really enjoy them selves unless other people see them enjoying theirselves. I would see these people all the time at concerts. They are the first to stand up, they look around at each other and the people around them, giving high-fives to anyone that will aknowledge them. They clap and hollar and whistle and do everything they can to bring attention to themselves.
And they look around to see who is looking at them. Different groupings of these people will point at each other and then go ecstatic with the mutual recognition. They will also call their friends on a cellphone and tell them they are at the concert. Yeah! The one I told you about a dozen times before! Yeah, we are HERE! WOOOO!
They can only seem to be enjoying the experience if other people can see just how much fun they are having. They don’t care about the concert. Hell, they do their best to block it out with their constant noise and interruptions. If no one else was in the audience to see them having such a great time, they wouldn’t be able to have a great time.
Someone’s got to be loud. They have to stand up through the whole thing. You really can’t ask someone to sit down at a sporting event (although I have), but there are seats for a reason.
It’s worse when they think it’s their duty to get the whole section excited, as if with 2 down in second inning we all need to be on our feet for the number 8 hitter. I always suspect these people haven’t really been to too many sporting events.
That said, I’ve seen people ask someone to sit down when it’s like men on second and third with your team down by 1 in the bottom of the ninth.
Both viewpoints demonstrate being out of touch with reality.
Heh heh. I used to be that kind of asshole, in my younger days. Except I was quiet about it. I’d listen to jazz players blowing, and I’d move my head around in jerky movements as if to say “Yeah! Woah! Chromaticism, I dig that! Ooh, nice!” And yes, I’d then look around to see if people were noticing me. It was as if I wanted to telegraph what great progress I’d made in my own musical education.
But it wasn’t like I was the only one who did this. Years later I’d see other people doing it, and I think to myself “You look like a fucking dick, dude!” But at least they’re quiet about it, as well.
The worst “audience participation” I’d witnessed was at a Max Roach concert. It was just Max, playing solo, on nothing but a drum set. And was amazing – he was really showing what a beautiful and melodic instrument a drum set could be, in the hands (and feet) of a true master.
The audience was spellbound. Yes, whenever he pulled off some amazing lick, the audience would collectively hoot and holler and applaud. Such is the norm at various jazz venues.
But during one pretty quiet and introspective moment, one woman in the balcony enthusiastically shouted “Africa!!!” at the top of her lungs. Every person in the place – including Max – gave her a non-verbal “Huh?!?”
Or the first schmuck to be on their feet to start the standing ovation at a Broadway show. I think that every B’way show I’ve attended in the last 10 years has ended with a standing-O, and frankly folks, about 90% of them didn’t deserve it. But unless you want to stare at the backs of the people in the row in front of you for the next 5 minutes, you gotta stand too. The domino effect quickly has the whole place up & cheering, and I hate it. Continuing to sit not only subjects you to peoples’ backs, it also tags you as the lone spoilsport in the venue.
So, from now on, society should take their standing-O cues from me. Agreed? Done.