Monday, May 22, 2023

Concern Growing Over Concert Etiquette


The conversation around concert etiquette has ramped up as artists like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé embark on wildly popular tours. Some concertgoers who spoke with NBC News suggested the bad behavior stems from some fans’ desire to compete with others for the best video or the closest spot in the crowd. Better video means a better chance of going viral, and with social media in its own video-forward era, it can sometimes feel like every phone is out, which can create an obstructed view. Others said they believe the pandemic took a toll on people’s social skills and behavior.

“Going to pre-pandemic concerts, I just felt like everyone knew how to act, and concerts felt like this really safe space for people to kind of share, shared love of music with each other,” said TikToker Hannah Hawthorne, 27, who made a video about concert etiquette best practices. “When I went to a concert for the first time after the pandemic, it was such a stark difference … it was like everyone didn’t know how to act.”

David Thomas, a professor of forensic studies at Florida Gulf Coast University, said concert venues — like social media — allow for more anonymity, which gives people the ability to act on their worst impulses. Add intoxicants into the mix with attendees vying for the best video to post on social media, and the crowd becomes a bomb waiting to detonate. 

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