My daughter 4’11 and I 5’1” just attended a Lady Gaga concert this weekend as general admission. Not being able to see is a thing, but it’s a thing we are used to. The bigger issue we both have is that we seem to become invisible to other people in these situations. We have people come and stand directly in front of us, practically on top of us. Or when people are milling about before, they walk into us or point over our heads at who knows what. It’s exhausting enough craning our necks to be able to see anything but it’s especially tiring having to plant our legs and claim a small slice of personal space which we have paid to enjoy the evening. We used to move when people backed into us, or were dancing around and knocking into us. But now we just stand there, enjoying the concert from our low vantage point. I’m sorry people were jerks to you for being tall, it’s not any easier being short. Pretty sure we can learn to coexist, after all, who will get stuff on the high shelf for us❤️
Couldn’t tell you since I couldn’t see anything, lol. Jk. It was pretty awesome! Definitely a show you want to be able to see. She’s a real performer, and wow can she sing!
Oh yes - this! At 5'1, I've always felt unsafe at live music events, as people seem unaware I'm there. I also accept I won't see much, but the being constantly jostled and stepped on is exhausting.
In old age I increasingly head towards seating.. which can solve some issues. Unless people in front of you stand up of course, which I understand when people want to have a boogie...
I’m also vertically challenged (5’2) and I rarely go to non seated gigs for this very reason - I can’t see a thing and get shoved around, unless I have some people David’s height with me to create a wall behind.
Fellow 5’1 and a bit here - even seated shows are a pain as I often can’t see past tall people seated in front of me, I feel like a toddler trying to get taller in a booster seat by sitting on jackets etc but that doesn’t work particularly well either 😅
i feel all of your pain. also 5'2 - i went to a music festival recently with some tall friends, and literally wherever i stood, i became the door through which everybody passed to get closer to the front. i ended up being literally thrown to the ground at one point when i tried to resist being pushed a little. people won't even ask or treat you like a person. it was one of my favourite artists ever and its so hard trying to concentrate when you're being constantly harassed like that 😭😭 also totally relate to seated gigs... always holding my breath while the hall fills up hoping i'll be able to see past the person in front
we went to a semi outdoor gig for a band that my partner really likes recently and that was very similar where we were just constantly being shuffled around, bumped into you, used as a way point for other people, that kind of thing and it just kind of killed the vibe that we had because it’s just not fun when you're having to look out for yourself the whole time. One woman pushed into me so hard that I would have fallen in a thinner crowd, and when I shoved her back she screamed in my face that I was an "ignorant bitch"
They were also I kind of top 40 type indie band (foals) and I feel like that attracts the worst type of lazy gig goers that use it like a night out and just do a shit load of cocaine or get smashed on cheap beer before they arrive, rather than it being a whole bunch of people who want to listen to the music. 
I’m 5’0” and have this same struggle. I just don’t do GA anymore, it’s not worth the money to me to see nothing and get trampled. I just go for shows that have seats and have a much better time.
When I was young, there were a few occasions where tall people and I had a nice coexistence. They would see me straining to see and just ask if I wanted to be in front of them. No loss for them because it’s only one step back, and I get to see too. But that only solves the issue for one person - there’s no good way around it for a whole crowd of people of varying heights. So… tiered seating all the way for me.
Horrible! In Japan a lot of concerts have "family seats" which are intended for people with children, people with disabilities, and those who want to stay seated for whatever reason. You're not allowed to stand there at all. It's my favorite thing and I want it to exist worldwide.
They tries fully seating the main floor for David Byrne's American Utopia show at Aucklands town hall. Hardly anyone remained seated and security struggled to stop people rushing the aisle for a dance. It was awesome. The space created by the rows of empty seats helped make seeing easier though.
Yep, I’m a 5’11” woman who also happens to be fat. I get abuse from behind me and on both sides if I’m at concerts or at the theatre.
I’ve had so many nice old ladies yell at me, it’s very weird.
I buy two seats if I know the theatre has small seats, and then I get truly delightful people commenting that I’m selfish for taking up two good seats when two whole other people could have been to the show.
My favourite moment was when I was representing the company I work for at an event and we were the sponsors. I sat in the seat I was shown to, which was front row, next to the artistic director. The person was extremely angry so picked up their seat and slammed it down about 10cm left of where it had been, and just glared at me. They didn’t realise who I was until after the performance and gave a very begrudging thanks to my company for me to pass along.
I hate that people are so vile and dare to be so rude to you - I'd say "I'm sorry" except I understand the rule that I'm not responsible for other people's bad behaviour/lack of humanity, but I'm definitely sad about it. Power to you 🙏
Ugh. I'm sorry you've had to deal with that. Makes me so angry that people take the time and energy to insult a stranger than to keep their mouths shut and enjoy the concert. Those people are assholes.
I’m 6 foot 6 and it’s honestly a massive ballache. I’ve given up on concerts, the theatre is basically unenjoyable, comfortable desk ergonomics elude me. I AM NEVER COMFORTABLE MR. FARRIER.
That is such a majestic, Game-of-Thrones-esque height! My gosh! IMAX would be killer for you as well, right? I can barely fit in. And planes? The mind boggles.
I have a hack for planes tbf. I sit in the gate area until the boarding queue is *almost* completely depleted, then join at the very last minute, so I’m the final passenger aboard. That way I can survey the extra-legroom seats, knowing that everyone is already seated, and very politely ask the nicest-looking attendant if they wouldn’t take pity on a giant man and let me sit in a vacant one, which there usually is. 90% of the time, it works every time 😉
The trick to being tall at a concert self resolves in time. Your back won't hold up that much longer in that environment and you will start to eye up seated concerts only in time.
I feel you. 5'11 woman. 6 foot in gumboots with mad, additional height achieving, hair.
Fur Patrol played at San Fran on Saturday as part of their (one year delayed) 21st anniversary tour.
I was at the original show too- when the same bar was called Indigo and remember happily being squashed in the masses. Firmly fixed to the wall this time also! Haha
That laughing emoji from Arise gave me Mr Burns vibes. Its the lack of humility and care. Its just so disappointing from any group of people. Let alone those that claim to follow the teachings of a nice, kind, magical dude.
I just saw FP in Tamaki Makaurau, at the Tuning Fork, SO good. I’m 5’4 so this is my kind of gig - small, not too packed so I can winkle myself right up the front, not a mosh so I don’t get squished. I’m sure this has influenced my musical preferences (Nadia Reid at the Hollywood was my most favourite gig before this one)
Haha - I had one of my son's tall friends tell me the top of my fridge was dirty. I handed him the cleaning cloth and told him to fix it. He did it, but never commented again. :D
As I've slowly re-entered the live music scene, I've become increasingly more aware of where I'm standing. I always get GA tickets, because I too want to be close up to see instruments being played etc. I'm pretty average height for a female (roughly 5'6"), so I fortunately do not have the same issues as you do. However, I am typically very paranoid about being in front of somewhere shorter than I am. I usually look all around, and if I feel I'm blocking someone, I try to move a bit. It's not always easy though!
The ONLY time I get frustrated with taller people in GA is if they literally come right in front of me (I'm talking inches in front of me) and stand right there still as a post. If they are there first...that's completely on me. If I'm there first...I get a little peeved, but I try to move. I try to weasel my way to look through a hole in the crowd to see the stage, because I am definitely one of those people who realize the world does not revolve around me. haha. So I say as long as you don't station yourself right in front of someone who is 4 inches shorter than you, you're all good! You paid to be there too, and it's shared space! Though, you are very courteous to be aware of your stature.
What gets me the most is when people stand right next to me and TALK the whole time!!! This is a performance that people have paid to see and appreciate. It's disrespectful to the musician and the crowd around you to talk about what happened to Jenny last Thursday at work. There is a time and place for chit chat and an intimate venue is not the place in my opinion!
Thanks for listening to my little rant and for consistently putting out informative, accessible, and entertaining content! It's appreciated!
This is a a very measured rant, and a giant "post" just coming and standing 1cm in front of you - with out caring - is not good.
Talking endlessly is also unacceptable - and in quiet rooms, the artist can hear you! So insulting. No. Go home and have your stupid loud inane conversations at home.
Thank you for validating my rant! I try not to complain too much, because let's be real, I mostly live a privileged existence. However, sometimes you just have to bitch a little!
Exactly! I always feel so bad for the artist. I saw M. Ward not too long ago and he was the opener, so I guess people felt that it was okay to just converse through out his entire quiet acoustic set.
My boyfriend is 6’1” and my brother is 6’2”. I’m 5’5” and we don’t normally stand towards the front unless it’s a performance that we’re wetting ourselves over to see.
That being said. We literally dealt with this last night with people at a show we went to. We arrived early, stood towards the front, and watched people move in. Typically, taller people choose to stand behind us if we’re towards the front and we don’t have a problem. People tend to shuffle around as the show is going on anyway. But the people behind us last night chose to stand behind us (we watched them pick that specific spot), then they proceeded to complain to me and everyone else about how tall my friend was when he would go to the restroom or purchase us water. At that point, I don’t know what to tell you. The entire room was open when they arrived.
I’m on the shorter side, I deal with tall people all the time at shows. I maneuver around, choose not to stand behind them, and I say something if they show up late and push in front of me. I feel like there’s an entire show/concert etiquette that people are missing these days. No one seems to be mindful of each other. You shouldn’t have to deal with the people arguing with you about being tall, either. It’s not wrong to feel angsty about it.
Side note, the one and only time I crowd surfed was during my Christian rock phase in my early teens and the groping was unreal.
This makes me so so fuming mad: "They proceeded to complain to me and everyone else about how tall my friend was when he would go to the restroom or purchase us water."
just finished my comment complaining about people who talk through the whole thing-I just can’t wrap my head around it at all. I definitely agree there is a level of etiquette that people seem to have forgotten or no longer care about. I’ve been going to gigs since I was eight or nine years old and it really has only been in the last maybe five years that they’ve become less fun; we left a gig early for the first time in my life this year because the crowd was so awful (and the bass was mixed terribly, but it was mostly the crowd).
I think there is probably a concert etiquette post in general that needs to be written. Loudly talking at a show - throughout multiple songs - is unsufferable.
Honestly, I deleted a lot of my comment because I started ranting about the talking people do at concerts. Why even go? No respect for music and performances anymore. My blood boils and I’m a total shusher, but I’m also borrowing time that I shush the wrong person.
Fuck, I’m so sorry you’ve had to leave because of it. I’d rather have a sea of tall people in front of me than talkers. That’s blood-boiling. It really has gotten worse in recent years, we were just talking about that. Last night was one of the worst crowds I’ve ever experienced.
People who still appreciate and respect the music are out there. ❤️
"I’d rather have a sea of tall people in front of me than talkers." What about drunk talkers who stand up in the row behind you and accidentally spill their drinks down your neck?
It's the worst. I nearly suffered "concert rage" like David's aggressive height-challenged man.
Fuck, it’s so infuriating. And an expensive mistake on their part! $18+ right down your neck, each. To have to sit uncomfortably with that for the rest of the concert is insane. Of course you’re in the rage segment of your anger!
What struck me as weird at the time was that it was Aurora (very ethereal vocals, light instrumentation on a lot of the tracks etc) but thinking about it afterwards I realised a lot of people are going to gigs now based on one viral song they like and they don't care about the rest - the tiktok equivalent of a one hit wonder, I suppose. Doesn't excuse the terrible sound mixing! We've got one more gig at that venue this year (animal collective so hoping they're a bit more of a chill, niche crowd) but probably won't go again if the sound is similarly gash.
Sorry you too had a terrible crowd! Hope we both have better luck going forwards
Can confirm this happens to me (6'3"). Alcohol also makes people feel like they can have a good go at you too. Its a shit thing to deal with, you either ignore and try to focus on the concert, or ask them to get over it..which is a ball ache. I pick my spots carefully so as not to block shorter people as much as I can but if someone turns up late in the piece and moans at me I get mad.
That emoji single handedly encapsulates their response to this whole fiasco. They don't care, they know it will blow over and sadly (despite the mainstream coverage of the report when it leaked) they know they only have to ignore the one guy asking the questions.
I have a 6'2" son and so from my experiences at womad over the years, I recommend: go with several tall friends, a short girl or two and an aging mother. Those that do complain, retract immediately when they realise the tall people are turning to leave with not just a couple of short girls, but also a sad old woman f. However, I fear it would not work if said old woman was wearing her Deranged Bitch t-shirt.
YES to all of this… in both my experience and that of my 6’6” husband. In high school, I wrote an essay on the benefits of being tall for a college scholarship from the Tall Club of Orange County (real thing). One reason was being able to see at concerts, among it helping my horseback riding and lacrosse endeavors. At the time, being a 5’11” girl was pretty insufferable at times. Finding shoes or tall guys to date, being the outlier in every group photo, or ever being thought of as “cute” were struggles. So focusing on the positive actually helped turn my thoughts around. But for concerts, something changed in college and later… maybe it was the types of concerts I went to? Back in high school, no one was too awful at a House of Blues when you blocked some views. Or at Fishfest, our giant SoCal Christian music festival 🙃🫣
Sometime during the first few weeks of college, now 16 years ago, I meerkated at orientation to identify my dating pool. Little did I know, I would accelerate the death of my socially appropriate standing room only concerts. I went from a pillar to a Great Wall with my husband. Seated concerts are great as you can stake your seat and folks can choose to sit behind you, then still hear groans when you stand up. I’ve generally become resigned to standing in the wings… but in general, being tall is awesome.
If there are any young girls out there, please know it gets easier after high school and ends up being a real asset professionally as people take you far more seriously.
I'm about 160cm (5'3 ish) and appreciate when a tall person let's me stand in front of them but would never abuse them unless they were being a tool. From my observations, and maybe this is just particularly among younger gig-going folk, I'm short in a New Zealand audience and average in a UK audience. Almost even tall in a Scottish audience! I really appreciated being slightly more average height in the UK. It made my concert going experience better for sure. It was always negated at a gig for a NZ band or artist though - New Zealanders are tall!
I guess I see this as the main difference with being tall - if you (David) stand at the back or against the wall you can still see *something* of the gig whereas if I do, as a relatively short person, I can only see people's backs. I'm often not even tall enough to catch glimpses over shoulders if it's a particularly tall person right in front of me.
What is your default place to go at a show, out of curiosity? Do you go for seated, or more GA and "find an area" where you don't have backs in your face all the time?
GA, often as close to the sound desk as I can if possible! Otherwise towards the front and left - it's just become a standard for our group of friends and family and helps with finding each other!
But, I am a little bit older than you and gigs are not as common in my life as they once were... Obviously Covid has something to do with that also! And we have young kids, but we try to take them along to festivals and things when we can. And they LOVE it! So that should happen more 😊
What a rollercoaster! I saw Arise’s Instagram post about the report right after the posted it. I couldn’t help but think they’ve definitely hired someone new to write the comms that came with it. Totally different tone, I reckon. And then, Simon Maxwell lives in TAURANGA‽ Hilarious. One thing I’d disagree with him about is that NIN won’t sell lawn mowers and mobility scooters. Give it a few years and old NIN obsessed fans like me (I still have my copy of that double VHS) will be exactly in that demographic :D
Oh as a similarly tall person, I try and stay on the sides so that I'm not in the way. But I remember one time I was at a show on Halloween, and there was this 6'2 person wearing a damn wizard hat. I could barely see past them, but I knew 90% of others couldn't so I had to ask them to take off their hat.
Maybe shows should be height tiered so the shortest people are at the front! Then us talk people can just sit at the back. It's only a real problem when you go with friends of different heights, and there's no way to be around your friends while not being in the way 🙃
My daughter 4’11 and I 5’1” just attended a Lady Gaga concert this weekend as general admission. Not being able to see is a thing, but it’s a thing we are used to. The bigger issue we both have is that we seem to become invisible to other people in these situations. We have people come and stand directly in front of us, practically on top of us. Or when people are milling about before, they walk into us or point over our heads at who knows what. It’s exhausting enough craning our necks to be able to see anything but it’s especially tiring having to plant our legs and claim a small slice of personal space which we have paid to enjoy the evening. We used to move when people backed into us, or were dancing around and knocking into us. But now we just stand there, enjoying the concert from our low vantage point. I’m sorry people were jerks to you for being tall, it’s not any easier being short. Pretty sure we can learn to coexist, after all, who will get stuff on the high shelf for us❤️
Coexisting is where it's at. We all just need to be aware and be kind.
PS - was Gaga great? I am yet to see her!
Couldn’t tell you since I couldn’t see anything, lol. Jk. It was pretty awesome! Definitely a show you want to be able to see. She’s a real performer, and wow can she sing!
Oh yes - this! At 5'1, I've always felt unsafe at live music events, as people seem unaware I'm there. I also accept I won't see much, but the being constantly jostled and stepped on is exhausting.
In old age I increasingly head towards seating.. which can solve some issues. Unless people in front of you stand up of course, which I understand when people want to have a boogie...
I get this. Helps to be willing to throw elbows TBH.
I’m also vertically challenged (5’2) and I rarely go to non seated gigs for this very reason - I can’t see a thing and get shoved around, unless I have some people David’s height with me to create a wall behind.
Fellow 5’1 and a bit here - even seated shows are a pain as I often can’t see past tall people seated in front of me, I feel like a toddler trying to get taller in a booster seat by sitting on jackets etc but that doesn’t work particularly well either 😅
i feel all of your pain. also 5'2 - i went to a music festival recently with some tall friends, and literally wherever i stood, i became the door through which everybody passed to get closer to the front. i ended up being literally thrown to the ground at one point when i tried to resist being pushed a little. people won't even ask or treat you like a person. it was one of my favourite artists ever and its so hard trying to concentrate when you're being constantly harassed like that 😭😭 also totally relate to seated gigs... always holding my breath while the hall fills up hoping i'll be able to see past the person in front
we went to a semi outdoor gig for a band that my partner really likes recently and that was very similar where we were just constantly being shuffled around, bumped into you, used as a way point for other people, that kind of thing and it just kind of killed the vibe that we had because it’s just not fun when you're having to look out for yourself the whole time. One woman pushed into me so hard that I would have fallen in a thinner crowd, and when I shoved her back she screamed in my face that I was an "ignorant bitch"
They were also I kind of top 40 type indie band (foals) and I feel like that attracts the worst type of lazy gig goers that use it like a night out and just do a shit load of cocaine or get smashed on cheap beer before they arrive, rather than it being a whole bunch of people who want to listen to the music. 
I’m 5’0” and have this same struggle. I just don’t do GA anymore, it’s not worth the money to me to see nothing and get trampled. I just go for shows that have seats and have a much better time.
When I was young, there were a few occasions where tall people and I had a nice coexistence. They would see me straining to see and just ask if I wanted to be in front of them. No loss for them because it’s only one step back, and I get to see too. But that only solves the issue for one person - there’s no good way around it for a whole crowd of people of varying heights. So… tiered seating all the way for me.
Seating solves a lot of problems and saves ageing knees. The issue is when the people in front of you decide to stand up! Disaster!
Horrible! In Japan a lot of concerts have "family seats" which are intended for people with children, people with disabilities, and those who want to stay seated for whatever reason. You're not allowed to stand there at all. It's my favorite thing and I want it to exist worldwide.
They tries fully seating the main floor for David Byrne's American Utopia show at Aucklands town hall. Hardly anyone remained seated and security struggled to stop people rushing the aisle for a dance. It was awesome. The space created by the rows of empty seats helped make seeing easier though.
Yep, I’m a 5’11” woman who also happens to be fat. I get abuse from behind me and on both sides if I’m at concerts or at the theatre.
I’ve had so many nice old ladies yell at me, it’s very weird.
I buy two seats if I know the theatre has small seats, and then I get truly delightful people commenting that I’m selfish for taking up two good seats when two whole other people could have been to the show.
My favourite moment was when I was representing the company I work for at an event and we were the sponsors. I sat in the seat I was shown to, which was front row, next to the artistic director. The person was extremely angry so picked up their seat and slammed it down about 10cm left of where it had been, and just glared at me. They didn’t realise who I was until after the performance and gave a very begrudging thanks to my company for me to pass along.
I hate all of this for you. It makes me mad. F--k. It really does.
You do you. Fuck all of them. There, I said it: FUCK!
I hate that people are so vile and dare to be so rude to you - I'd say "I'm sorry" except I understand the rule that I'm not responsible for other people's bad behaviour/lack of humanity, but I'm definitely sad about it. Power to you 🙏
Ugh. I'm sorry you've had to deal with that. Makes me so angry that people take the time and energy to insult a stranger than to keep their mouths shut and enjoy the concert. Those people are assholes.
I’m 6 foot 6 and it’s honestly a massive ballache. I’ve given up on concerts, the theatre is basically unenjoyable, comfortable desk ergonomics elude me. I AM NEVER COMFORTABLE MR. FARRIER.
That is such a majestic, Game-of-Thrones-esque height! My gosh! IMAX would be killer for you as well, right? I can barely fit in. And planes? The mind boggles.
Thoughts and prayers.
I have a hack for planes tbf. I sit in the gate area until the boarding queue is *almost* completely depleted, then join at the very last minute, so I’m the final passenger aboard. That way I can survey the extra-legroom seats, knowing that everyone is already seated, and very politely ask the nicest-looking attendant if they wouldn’t take pity on a giant man and let me sit in a vacant one, which there usually is. 90% of the time, it works every time 😉
I’m just here to say that “ballache” is a fantastic word!
Older fellow 6 foot 2 concert goer here.
The trick to being tall at a concert self resolves in time. Your back won't hold up that much longer in that environment and you will start to eye up seated concerts only in time.
Hope this helps.
Really looking forward to this. Already have some dicey discs so glad I'm on the way....
I feel you. 5'11 woman. 6 foot in gumboots with mad, additional height achieving, hair.
Fur Patrol played at San Fran on Saturday as part of their (one year delayed) 21st anniversary tour.
I was at the original show too- when the same bar was called Indigo and remember happily being squashed in the masses. Firmly fixed to the wall this time also! Haha
That laughing emoji from Arise gave me Mr Burns vibes. Its the lack of humility and care. Its just so disappointing from any group of people. Let alone those that claim to follow the teachings of a nice, kind, magical dude.
I am very jealous you got to see Fur Patrol. I trust is was fucking awesome.
Oh and yes, it's all gone full-Burns....
I just saw FP in Tamaki Makaurau, at the Tuning Fork, SO good. I’m 5’4 so this is my kind of gig - small, not too packed so I can winkle myself right up the front, not a mosh so I don’t get squished. I’m sure this has influenced my musical preferences (Nadia Reid at the Hollywood was my most favourite gig before this one)
... but I have no animosity towards tall people, they’re usually more mindful than average-height dudes
So good it still feels like an amazing dream ❤
I don’t attend many concerts, but I stand in solidarity with you as a fellow tall person.
Another downside to being tall is seeing how dirty the top of most refrigerators can get (mine and other people’s).
Haha - I had one of my son's tall friends tell me the top of my fridge was dirty. I handed him the cleaning cloth and told him to fix it. He did it, but never commented again. :D
Rookie tall person mistake.
Hi peoples!
As I've slowly re-entered the live music scene, I've become increasingly more aware of where I'm standing. I always get GA tickets, because I too want to be close up to see instruments being played etc. I'm pretty average height for a female (roughly 5'6"), so I fortunately do not have the same issues as you do. However, I am typically very paranoid about being in front of somewhere shorter than I am. I usually look all around, and if I feel I'm blocking someone, I try to move a bit. It's not always easy though!
The ONLY time I get frustrated with taller people in GA is if they literally come right in front of me (I'm talking inches in front of me) and stand right there still as a post. If they are there first...that's completely on me. If I'm there first...I get a little peeved, but I try to move. I try to weasel my way to look through a hole in the crowd to see the stage, because I am definitely one of those people who realize the world does not revolve around me. haha. So I say as long as you don't station yourself right in front of someone who is 4 inches shorter than you, you're all good! You paid to be there too, and it's shared space! Though, you are very courteous to be aware of your stature.
What gets me the most is when people stand right next to me and TALK the whole time!!! This is a performance that people have paid to see and appreciate. It's disrespectful to the musician and the crowd around you to talk about what happened to Jenny last Thursday at work. There is a time and place for chit chat and an intimate venue is not the place in my opinion!
Thanks for listening to my little rant and for consistently putting out informative, accessible, and entertaining content! It's appreciated!
This is a a very measured rant, and a giant "post" just coming and standing 1cm in front of you - with out caring - is not good.
Talking endlessly is also unacceptable - and in quiet rooms, the artist can hear you! So insulting. No. Go home and have your stupid loud inane conversations at home.
Thank you for validating my rant! I try not to complain too much, because let's be real, I mostly live a privileged existence. However, sometimes you just have to bitch a little!
Exactly! I always feel so bad for the artist. I saw M. Ward not too long ago and he was the opener, so I guess people felt that it was okay to just converse through out his entire quiet acoustic set.
:( It bummed me out.
My boyfriend is 6’1” and my brother is 6’2”. I’m 5’5” and we don’t normally stand towards the front unless it’s a performance that we’re wetting ourselves over to see.
That being said. We literally dealt with this last night with people at a show we went to. We arrived early, stood towards the front, and watched people move in. Typically, taller people choose to stand behind us if we’re towards the front and we don’t have a problem. People tend to shuffle around as the show is going on anyway. But the people behind us last night chose to stand behind us (we watched them pick that specific spot), then they proceeded to complain to me and everyone else about how tall my friend was when he would go to the restroom or purchase us water. At that point, I don’t know what to tell you. The entire room was open when they arrived.
I’m on the shorter side, I deal with tall people all the time at shows. I maneuver around, choose not to stand behind them, and I say something if they show up late and push in front of me. I feel like there’s an entire show/concert etiquette that people are missing these days. No one seems to be mindful of each other. You shouldn’t have to deal with the people arguing with you about being tall, either. It’s not wrong to feel angsty about it.
Side note, the one and only time I crowd surfed was during my Christian rock phase in my early teens and the groping was unreal.
End rant.
This makes me so so fuming mad: "They proceeded to complain to me and everyone else about how tall my friend was when he would go to the restroom or purchase us water."
WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE
Lack of empathy is my personal guess.
just finished my comment complaining about people who talk through the whole thing-I just can’t wrap my head around it at all. I definitely agree there is a level of etiquette that people seem to have forgotten or no longer care about. I’ve been going to gigs since I was eight or nine years old and it really has only been in the last maybe five years that they’ve become less fun; we left a gig early for the first time in my life this year because the crowd was so awful (and the bass was mixed terribly, but it was mostly the crowd).
I think there is probably a concert etiquette post in general that needs to be written. Loudly talking at a show - throughout multiple songs - is unsufferable.
Stay at home. Go away. Get it the sea.
Honestly, I deleted a lot of my comment because I started ranting about the talking people do at concerts. Why even go? No respect for music and performances anymore. My blood boils and I’m a total shusher, but I’m also borrowing time that I shush the wrong person.
Fuck, I’m so sorry you’ve had to leave because of it. I’d rather have a sea of tall people in front of me than talkers. That’s blood-boiling. It really has gotten worse in recent years, we were just talking about that. Last night was one of the worst crowds I’ve ever experienced.
People who still appreciate and respect the music are out there. ❤️
"I’d rather have a sea of tall people in front of me than talkers." What about drunk talkers who stand up in the row behind you and accidentally spill their drinks down your neck?
It's the worst. I nearly suffered "concert rage" like David's aggressive height-challenged man.
Fuck, it’s so infuriating. And an expensive mistake on their part! $18+ right down your neck, each. To have to sit uncomfortably with that for the rest of the concert is insane. Of course you’re in the rage segment of your anger!
What struck me as weird at the time was that it was Aurora (very ethereal vocals, light instrumentation on a lot of the tracks etc) but thinking about it afterwards I realised a lot of people are going to gigs now based on one viral song they like and they don't care about the rest - the tiktok equivalent of a one hit wonder, I suppose. Doesn't excuse the terrible sound mixing! We've got one more gig at that venue this year (animal collective so hoping they're a bit more of a chill, niche crowd) but probably won't go again if the sound is similarly gash.
Sorry you too had a terrible crowd! Hope we both have better luck going forwards
Can confirm this happens to me (6'3"). Alcohol also makes people feel like they can have a good go at you too. Its a shit thing to deal with, you either ignore and try to focus on the concert, or ask them to get over it..which is a ball ache. I pick my spots carefully so as not to block shorter people as much as I can but if someone turns up late in the piece and moans at me I get mad.
The alcohol thing (it's always an alcohol thing, not drugs) is a huge factor at concerts that adds to it. Bravado throw in the mix. Good point.
That emoji single handedly encapsulates their response to this whole fiasco. They don't care, they know it will blow over and sadly (despite the mainstream coverage of the report when it leaked) they know they only have to ignore the one guy asking the questions.
You are entirely correct.
Sorta shocked by that emoji bit tbh
It's weird, I think I am done being shocked, them something shocks me. They just keep finding brand new strange ways to dig deeper.
I'm shocked and not shocked in equal measure.
I have a 6'2" son and so from my experiences at womad over the years, I recommend: go with several tall friends, a short girl or two and an aging mother. Those that do complain, retract immediately when they realise the tall people are turning to leave with not just a couple of short girls, but also a sad old woman f. However, I fear it would not work if said old woman was wearing her Deranged Bitch t-shirt.
I hear that Deranged Bitch shirts fix everything!
YES to all of this… in both my experience and that of my 6’6” husband. In high school, I wrote an essay on the benefits of being tall for a college scholarship from the Tall Club of Orange County (real thing). One reason was being able to see at concerts, among it helping my horseback riding and lacrosse endeavors. At the time, being a 5’11” girl was pretty insufferable at times. Finding shoes or tall guys to date, being the outlier in every group photo, or ever being thought of as “cute” were struggles. So focusing on the positive actually helped turn my thoughts around. But for concerts, something changed in college and later… maybe it was the types of concerts I went to? Back in high school, no one was too awful at a House of Blues when you blocked some views. Or at Fishfest, our giant SoCal Christian music festival 🙃🫣
Sometime during the first few weeks of college, now 16 years ago, I meerkated at orientation to identify my dating pool. Little did I know, I would accelerate the death of my socially appropriate standing room only concerts. I went from a pillar to a Great Wall with my husband. Seated concerts are great as you can stake your seat and folks can choose to sit behind you, then still hear groans when you stand up. I’ve generally become resigned to standing in the wings… but in general, being tall is awesome.
If there are any young girls out there, please know it gets easier after high school and ends up being a real asset professionally as people take you far more seriously.
I'm about 160cm (5'3 ish) and appreciate when a tall person let's me stand in front of them but would never abuse them unless they were being a tool. From my observations, and maybe this is just particularly among younger gig-going folk, I'm short in a New Zealand audience and average in a UK audience. Almost even tall in a Scottish audience! I really appreciated being slightly more average height in the UK. It made my concert going experience better for sure. It was always negated at a gig for a NZ band or artist though - New Zealanders are tall!
I guess I see this as the main difference with being tall - if you (David) stand at the back or against the wall you can still see *something* of the gig whereas if I do, as a relatively short person, I can only see people's backs. I'm often not even tall enough to catch glimpses over shoulders if it's a particularly tall person right in front of me.
What is your default place to go at a show, out of curiosity? Do you go for seated, or more GA and "find an area" where you don't have backs in your face all the time?
GA, often as close to the sound desk as I can if possible! Otherwise towards the front and left - it's just become a standard for our group of friends and family and helps with finding each other!
But, I am a little bit older than you and gigs are not as common in my life as they once were... Obviously Covid has something to do with that also! And we have young kids, but we try to take them along to festivals and things when we can. And they LOVE it! So that should happen more 😊
What a rollercoaster! I saw Arise’s Instagram post about the report right after the posted it. I couldn’t help but think they’ve definitely hired someone new to write the comms that came with it. Totally different tone, I reckon. And then, Simon Maxwell lives in TAURANGA‽ Hilarious. One thing I’d disagree with him about is that NIN won’t sell lawn mowers and mobility scooters. Give it a few years and old NIN obsessed fans like me (I still have my copy of that double VHS) will be exactly in that demographic :D
"I wish I was... tall!"
The monkey's paw curled
Oh as a similarly tall person, I try and stay on the sides so that I'm not in the way. But I remember one time I was at a show on Halloween, and there was this 6'2 person wearing a damn wizard hat. I could barely see past them, but I knew 90% of others couldn't so I had to ask them to take off their hat.
Maybe shows should be height tiered so the shortest people are at the front! Then us talk people can just sit at the back. It's only a real problem when you go with friends of different heights, and there's no way to be around your friends while not being in the way 🙃
No joke, I think about this tiered seating concept all the time! 😂 It’s a catch 22.
Maybe we take a spade to dig a little hole for lanky Daniel to stand in