Rock the Right Way: a Guide to Concert Etiquette

As artists and musicians become more popular, drop hit after hit, and go on tour, fans from all around the world eagerly anticipate their show. What’s the setlist? Who’s the opener? Will they play my favorite song? 2024 has been a great year for a lot of old artists and new artists, gaining more popularity and fans, eventually leading them to their first world tour! This year I’ve been lucky enough to have attended five concerts, including Pink Pantheress, Laufey, Beabadoobee, Wave To Earth, Clairo, and Coco and Clair Clair. They all gave spectacular performances and definitely had the audience feeling the post-concert depression the day after. But while fans are busy dreaming about the perfect show, there’s another side of the concert experience that often goes overlooked—fan behavior. 

Being in the pit gave me a front row experience of not only the artist but also the behavior of the fans around me. The crowd was packed, the space was tight, and I was near the stage, right in front of the big speakers. While the energy was electric, I noticed a lot of things about the behavior of the people around me. These behaviors included pushing, screaming obnoxiously, and blocking views which took away from the overall vibe. 

What is Concert Etiquette?

Concert etiquette, a set of social norms that govern how to behave at a musical performance, is practically a lost art in this society since no one seems to have it. Depending on the artist or music genre, these norms may vary, but at their core, it’s all about respecting both the artist and the audience. Some ways to do that is by getting yourself organized before going to the venue. This could be downloading your ticket so it’s ready to scan, everyone in your party arriving on time, and reading the rules. As someone who’s attended numerous concerts this year, I’ve noticed a recurring theme of fans losing sight of concert etiquette in their excitement. Why don’t we focus on the expectations for the fans? A concert should be about showing your support for an artist and connecting with other fans. It is not about getting the perfect recordings to post on your Instagram to get the most likes or views on TikTok. Concerts are supposed to be fun and fill the fans with plenty of joy, but let’s not forget to be respectful to and mindful of those around us. So before you start screaming or blocking the view of others, take a moment to think about the experience you’re contributing to and here is a list of rules to follow at concerts as a guide. 

Examples of Having Concert Etiquette:

• Sing and engage properly: Follow the artist’s cues and match the vibe of the performance.

• Being nice and respectful towards others: being mindful of those around you
• Enjoying the openers: show enthusiasm
• Following venue rules: paying attention to guidelines for safety and enjoyment

Examples of Not Having Concert Etiquette: 

• Pushing: aggressively trying to get closer to the stage
• Screaming too loud: excessive or off-timed screaming can cause tension
• Recording the whole time: blocking views for those behind you
• Holding big, obnoxious signs: blocking views
• Throwing things at the artist: dangerous and disrespectful

This is a proper guide on what concert etiquette means, how to practice it, and what behaviors are considered a lack of concert etiquette. Make sure to keep these examples in mind, the next time you are going to a concert!

The Consequences of Bad Concert Etiquette 

Having good concert etiquette keeps you from becoming the TikTok example of bad fan behavior.

It’s important the artist does their best performance for us but also that the fans are on their best behavior. It’s important to have concert etiquette at any musical event, so that you don’t ruin the concert for the people around you and even for the artist. Having bad concert etiquette can take away from the immersive experience of the performances for others. It creates tension in what should be a fun environment. Respect for fans can go a long way in maintaining harmony in the crowd.

What Not to Do at Concerts

A prime example of fans not having concert etiquette is at a Laufey concert in Dallas, Laufey is a jazz-inspired pop artist whose songs are soft, classical and dreamy. Her music creates an intimate and magical atmosphere. However in this TikTok posted by user @urthaiboy shows a video of a fan’s high-pitched yelling drowning out Laufey’s delicate vocals and completely disrupting the vibe of the performance.

In the video, you can clearly hear the person screeching during one of the songs, and it’s difficult to even hear Laufey singing, which annoys everyone there who paid a lot of money to hear Laufey sing, not to hear a fan. It causes frustration and annoyance for everyone around them. Though there is nothing wrong with singing at all and it is welcomed, this behavior crossed the line from excitement to disrespect. It took away from the intimate, dreamy vibe of Laufey’s music. 

Imagine waiting several hours to see your favorite artist, only to have your view completely blocked by someone’s sign. Wouldn’t that be frustrating? An example of poor concert etiquette is shown in a video of someone at a festival during a Lana Del Rey set, posted by @isaacp.07. It shows someone holding up a large flag and someone behind them snatching it away. The person holding the flag is clearly very far away from the stage, and there was no way the artist was going to see the flag. Yeah we all want a shoutout or to get noticed by an artist, but be smart about it. If you want them to see something, line up early and wait until the end of the show or between songs to hold up the sign or flag, to prevent blocking anyone’s view/recording during a song. 

How Venues Can Help

While fans play the biggest role in maintaining concert etiquette, venues can help create a positive experience too. These solutions can be simple and easy, but effective. Some things a venue can do to ensure all fans are on their best behavior is to have better security, and another way is to promote safety is by having posters around the arena reminding fans what concert etiquette looks like. In a TikTok post by user @chet_music it shows posters made and promoted by Spotify that ensures safety whilst not being too strict. These posters could be very helpful at venues all over the world because it’s just a quick reminder on what to do, and can also be beneficial to those who go to concerts alone and want to make a friend. These posters promote both safety and fun, while keeping that special concert energy alive.

Ultimately, attending a concert is an opportunity to celebrate your favorite music and spread that happiness to others. You can guarantee the greatest experience for both fans and artists by using proper etiquette. Avoid being the target of complaints. Be the fan that they are happy to spend the evening with!