Cracking the Code to Concert Etiquette

Kiersten Buckley '25

This summer, a myriad of concerts, tours and festivals will be taking place all over the world. Popular standouts include Taylor Swift, Arctic Monkeys, Governors Ball Music Festival, Coachella, Blink-182 and The Cure – and that is only a sample of the hundreds of artists that will be traveling this summer.

Many concert-goers though, including myself, have recently noticed a change in the way that people attending concerts behave. Or, a change in “concert etiquette.” 

Concert etiquette does not mean sitting still, putting your phone away, and overall having a miserable time. Concerts are supposed to be a great time, but you can still have a great experience while being safe and respecting the people around you. 

For me at least, as a resident concert-goer, concert etiquette boils down to a few important things. For one, do not wait outside a venue overnight or for hours without eating or drinking water to get front-row access. This is mostly an issue at standing-room-only concerts, where people desperately want to get front row, or “barricade” standing access. To do so, people will wait hours and hours on end just for the chance to get this access. 

Now, don’t get me wrong– I’ve done my fair share of waiting for hours at concerts to obtain front-row standing room. But, I only waited for a maximum of around three hours and didn’t neglect my health enough to pass out, which is a common occurrence now. 

When I saw Phoebe Bridgers in June, a total of 12 people either passed out or felt sick. They had to either pause the concert to get help or have their friends frantically wave their hands around for security. Even at other shows I attended this summer, such as Wallows and The Regrettes, the artists have had to pause their shows to ask people if they were okay. Even bigger artists in bigger venues (most notably The 1975 in November 2022 when a fan fainted mid-set) have done the same thing.

The cause of this is people waiting outside for shows for hours on end (even overnight in some cases) and not drinking enough water or eating enough food. This causes them to get to the point of passing out after standing for hours in a hot, packed concert environment. To practice good concert etiquette, make sure you stay full and well-hydrated. Feel free to wait to get that spot in the venue that you desire, but don’t neglect your health.

Something else I have noticed at concerts recently is some people’s lack of respect for others around them. When I saw the band Greer last year, someone in front of me kept dancing and jumping on my toes for the whole show, even when I tried to move away. When I saw Car Seat Headrest, younger fans were trying to mosh and jump around my friends and I who obviously showed that we did not want to take part.

So, of course, have fun and dance. Feel free to jump and mosh too, if your heart desires! But, to maintain proper concert etiquette, be aware of those around you. If your fellow concert-goers are not matching your energy, either move away from them or tone it down a bit. 

To recap, before attending a concert, make sure you have eaten and drank enough water. No matter what the size of the venue is, it can be hot there! So, spending the 7 dollars on water bottles sold inside the venue is worth it. 

Also, definitely try to get the spot in the venue that you want, but do not neglect your physical health when doing so. At the end of the day, you will hear the music from anywhere in the venue and that is the most important thing.

Have all of the fun you want when moving around and dancing, but be sure to take note of those around you. Try to be respectful of their space as well. As artists begin touring this summer, we should all try to make it the best possible experience by being aware and maintaining concert etiquette!