# Standing at Concerts **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 5, 2001, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-at-concerts/71331 "2001-07-05T12:30:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2001, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-at-concerts/71331/1 "2001-07-05T12:30:48Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2001, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-at-concerts/71331/2 "2001-07-05T13:28:18Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2001, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-at-concerts/71331/3 "2001-07-05T20:44:02Z")
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). NP: **Bruce Dickenson** - _Accident of Birth_ ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2001, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-at-concerts/71331/4 "2001-07-06T13:08:16Z")
Well, to follow up (very anecdotally) 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.