Well, with the new search restrictions I can’t be sure this wasn’t answered in past discussions, but…
Can anyone pinpoint when it became ‘mandatory’ to stand throughout the entire show at, um…, ‘pop’ [ugh - that word] concerts (I mean at venues that have assigned seating). I vaguely can place it starting in the early 90s, but I’m not all that certain.
As you may guess, as a person on the somewhat shorter side [5’8"], I’m not too happy about it, but it wouldn’t be so bad if most people would at least dance or sway a bit, as opposed to senselessly just standing there during the entire concert.
I don’t know about it being “mandatory”, but my guess has always been that as soon as the band steps onto the stage, the people in front stand up to get a better look (or so they can dance, or something). This, of course, blocks the view of those behind them, so they stand up as well, and so on and so forth. As a result, everyone stands up and those who can’t see become very annoyed.
I’ve been at a couple of concerts (both of them by the former Oingo Boingo, oddly enough) where everyone was well-behaved enough to stay seated, or, if they really had to dance, to move out into the aisles.
Maybe it has something to do with the level of aggression in the music. I can understand sitting down at an Alabama or Whitney houston concert but sitting down at Pantera, Shelter, Stuck Mojo, or Six Feet Under just wouldn’t seem right (or safe).
Tuesday I went to see Depeche Mode, and as expected every one in my section [fairly close to the stage] was standing; indeed most of the lower tiers were standing.
Thursday (big concert week for me, I guess), I went to see Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and pretty much the same pattern (luckily I was higher up - yet with a better view than Depeche Mode [no speaker stacks in the way] - and also enough stoners were in front of me that they had to sit down so the guards wouldn’t see them toking [I’m serious!], and so I got to sit from time to time).
Again, during the 80s I really don’t remember this standing stint happening during entire concerts when there was assigned seating.
I supposing I’d have see Yanni or something to get to sit during the entire concert. Hmm, I’ll pass.