Concert etiquette always seems to come into prime focus at large music festivals. The sheer number of attendees instantly means you may be walking a fine line between having the best day of your life or having it ruined by some inconsiderate assholes. Usually some obnoxious behavior is inevitable and here’s some tips on what’s manageable and what’s not. Ultimately you’re all there to have a good time and rejoice in your passion for music.
Go Ahead, Do It!
Take photos / video with the bands: Built to Spill taking pics with fans? Get in on that! Ty Segall shredding and you want to cherish the memory? Snap it! Just remember for every perfect photo you take, there are about five blurry ones and potentially five pissed off people within close proximity. If you’ve been holding that yoga-like position, with your arms stretched (and blocking the view for all the shorties) for more than a minute, then you’re doing it wrong. Be mindful of the folks around you and don’t overexpose them to your burgeoning b.o. in the process.
Sing along: Wail with Against Me! Get blues-rockin’ with Benjamin Booker! There is nothing more fabulous and freeing than singing along with your favorite musicians, even if perhaps you are a little tone deaf. Just make sure to keep the residual spittle to a minimum and your hot breath directly out of your festival cohorts’ ear canals.
Get slizzard: It’s a music festival, there will be beer drinking. At some point the combination of alcohol, sweet tunes and a searing sun will get you to that perfect music festival high. If you’re sloshed and passed out by 4 p.m. (like this dude), you’re missing out. If you take a tipsy tumble and spill beer on the person next to you, just apologize, and if you can afford it buy them a brew. Be drunk and merry, but don’t be a belligerent dick.
No, Seriously, Don’t Do It
Bust a bad pick up line: Eyeballing a cutie across the crowd, while Thundercat‘s grooves put you into a smooth-talking mood? Hold up! Think before you walk over there and bust out that cheesy pick up line. If you’re convinced that it may be love at first sight, pause until the end of the set and then ask then approach. Just don’t rudely interrupt, or obsessively stare. If there’s a spark, kudos to y’all. If not, quit pouting and move on because nobody likes a bugger.
Yell through an entire set: Whether it’s hoots of joy, or angry boos — don’t yell and shout at a band throughout their entire set. That irritating shit gets old quick and is beyond annoying (and disrespectful) to the band and fans around you.
Twerk: Dance to your heart’s content, even get a little interpretive if you fancy it. Having a good time is key, but please for the love of all the cute fuzzy animals everywhere, save the twerking for the club. Big Freedia isn’t on the lineup this year so leave the booty bouncing for your bedroom dance party or the Sunset Strip Music Festival, where Big Freedia is on the lineup. Miley Cyrus had to ruin this.
Feature by Emily Saex
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