Attending a live concert can be an amazing experience, but it can quickly turn sour if you encounter people with bad concert etiquette. These individuals can ruin the atmosphere for everyone else and even create safety hazards. 

With the rise of TikTok and other forms of live streaming, concerts can become another atmosphere for people to make viral content. This can be very disruptive for other people in the audience when people are taking up space and doing abnormal things to get views. 

One of the more well-known examples can be seen on half of the TikToks you see of Taylor Swift’s  Eras Tour:  concert proposals. Many people’s love of Taylor Swift translated into their partners proposing to them during the concert, but not everyone is so thrilled about this.

 Grace Arnold, a sophomore graphic design major and lifelong Taylor Swift fan, is attending the Eras Tour on April 28.

“Truthfully, people should have enough human decency to know that a proposal should be a special moment separate from an entire concert,” Arnold said. 

Along the same lines, bad concert etiquette includes recording or photographing during the entire performance. While it can be tempting to capture the moment, this can be disruptive to those around you.

With the increasing access to technology, this is, seemingly, unavoidable. However, LiveAbout, an entertainment reporting website, suggests being more respectful of those around you when recording or photographing. 

  “You may be distracting the artist or other concertgoers with your bright screen and obtrusive lens,” LiveAbout said.

Another example of frustrating concert etiquette is talking loudly or engaging in other disruptive behaviors during the performance. 

“People attend concerts to hear the music, not to listen to chatterboxes,” LiveAbout said. 

When you are talking during a performance, not only are you disrupting the experience for those around you, but you are also, potentially, drowning out the sound of the music.

A common issue that has resulted in injury is people who are constantly moving around, pushing,  shoving or just being disruptive to those around them. This type of behavior not only makes it difficult for others to enjoy the show, but it can also create safety hazards. 

“You may think you’re just having a good time, but your actions can lead to injury,” said ConcertHotels, a website for finding hotels near concert venues. 

In 2019, a concertgoer was injured during a Lil Uzi Vert concert in Atlanta, Georgia, due to shoving and overcrowding. The woman suffered a broken ankle and was transported to the hospital for treatment. 

The incident occurred during the opening act and was exacerbated by a lack of security personnel and barriers. The incident raised concerns about the safety of overcrowded concerts and the need for venues to have proper safety protocols in place to prevent injury.

 GC students have the opportunity to go to concerts held by downtown businesses and GC itself. So far there have been no formal reports of bad concert etiquette, but students should still be aware of proper concert etiquette. 

With some of the most highly awarded artists, such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, touring this year, there is a great risk of injuries and disrupting events happening more frequently. It is more important than ever for concertgoers to be aware of risks and mindful of their own behavior.

Bad concert etiquette can ruin the concert experience for everyone involved. Even though it is important for people to get views online or have the best view at an event, good etiquette helps provide positive experiences for everyone in attendance.