We Austinites are proud of our city for many reasons, but few cities hold the notoriety of our title as Live Music Capital of the World. Our history includes Stevie Ray Vaughn, modern local legend Bob Schneider and the weekly stars of Antone’s and the Continental Club. There is a reason our town is home to Austin City Limits, the longest-running music series in U.S. television history.
So then, why do we sometimes find ourselves hesitating when friends invite us to a live music concert? What do you think our local and visiting musicians would advise us as audience members?
Live music may seem like the last place to invoke modern rules of etiquette. We have all observed or been the victim of a concert behavior faux pas. From loud talking at an intimate show to the couple next to you reliving their own intimate moment as the band plays “their song,” it seems that even our town could benefit from a few concert-going guidelines.
Here are nine tips based on interviews with performers, musicians and audience members:
1. Boundaries: Stay off the stage. Please do not throw or put anything on the stage. This includes your body, your loved one, your drinks, your purses, your cameras, etc. If you try to climb on the stage, security may remove you. The show may be delayed, which is unacceptable … even if it is your birthday!
2. Band property: Please do not remove music sheets, musical instruments or any band property from the stage. The performers need these items. At times, during practice, a performer may put an item down and fail to retrieve it from the stage. As much as the performers adore fans, they did not leave those items as a gift for the audience.
3. Copyright laws: Copyright laws prevent audience members from videotaping performances. Your concert ticket may or may not have a printed warning. Be aware that security personnel at the venue may suddenly appear to confiscate your video camera and equipment. It may not be possible to retrieve your property. You may be escorted out of the venue without your property, or other charges may be filed against you. Buy a DVD or CD, or download it legally when you get home.
4. Respect the opening band: The opening band is touring with – or was approved by – the main performer. Refrain from shouting down or booing the opening band. It takes courage to get onstage and play for an audience of people who do not know your music. Be appreciative.
5. Audience enthusiasm: Performers and musicians encourage audience enthusiasm! But unless it is a stadium situation, be aware that intimate clubs, bars and smaller venues do not lend themselves to fans spontaneously showing the musicians their love. Select the time to call out and show enthusiasm. Timing is everything. Be careful not to interrupt the performer’s flow of the song.
6. Organize your personal priorities: Arrive early to find parking and take care of your personal needs. Use the facilities so you do not disrupt the audience around you numerous times during the concert. Avoid documenting the entire concert on your iPhone held aloft in someone’s line of vision. If the band plays another encore while you are on your way out, please do not come to a standstill in the aisle. Move on or go back to your seat.
7. Concert position: If a large-capacity concert is general admission and you arrive early, do not leave in the middle expecting to get your front-and-center spot back. If you want to be up front during the entire concert, you must arrive early and stay put. If you arrive late, do not expect to be able to elbow, nudge and push to the front by saying, “excuse me.” The people at the front are there because they waited for hours to acquire that coveted spot. When it is crowded and you are returning with a few beers, please take a sip beforehand, so that the beer goes to your tummy and not down someone’s back.
8. Protect your ears: If you are attending a live rock concert with music at 5,000 decibels, and you have the fortune of being up close to the stage or in the pit, wear earplugs. Unless you plan on eardrum damage, these earplugs will become your new concert accessory! Earplugs do not lessen the experience like some may think. The earplugs provide more pure sound, and block out quite a bit of feedback and background noise you would hear otherwise.
9. Refrain from wearing the T-shirt of the show you are attending: Please wear clothing from a different concert and avoid buying concert merchandise and wearing it immediately. This behavior will cause people to snicker in your direction, which is impolite. The same goes for blasting the music of the band you just saw as you are leaving the concert parking lot. Avoid behavior that makes you look and sound like a neophyte.
When everything goes well, the music coming from the stage can lift your spirits and make you forget your surroundings. However, there are also times when the greatest performers cannot compete with strangers around you who insist on shouting every word, sloshing beer and falling all over those around them.
The audience has a role to play, and the audience has significant responsibility for the success of the experience. Let’s work for our title as Live Music Capital of the World and promote the best concert experience possible!
For more information on corporate training, contact Sharon Schweitzer, J.D., Corporate Etiquette and International Protocol consultant and founder of Protocol & Etiquette Worldwide, LLC, at 512-306-1845. You can also visit www.protocolww.com or facebook/protocol.com.
