*The following is a rant piece that I originally wrote for Bucketlist Music Reviews. It was from around 2018 or 2019 (I’m not 100% sure), but I’m reposting it here because I still believe in the message!
Is it too much to ask for you to shut up a little bit?
Okay, maybe that was a little harsh. Let me explain though. A few months ago, I went to Toronto to see Chelsea Wolfe, one of my favorite artists of all time, play an intimate acoustic show, promoting the release of her latest album, Birth of Violence. For anyone that’s attended any show of that nature, you know that some of the most special moments come from the quiet ones, when you can hear the strum of a guitar so clearly and the vocals echoing throughout the entire room.
So I really don’t need to hear you talk about how you prefer her older stuff to her newer stuff. Or how your boss was super annoying today. Or how you wish you had worn a lighter jacket to the show. You know what those are called? Inside thoughts. Keep it in your head, please.
All I’m asking is for you to read the room, you know? Be considerate of others that are there to enjoy the show. If you really need to urgently talk to the person you’re with, maybe consider heading to the back of the room, or better yet, leaving altogether. And if you’re not a huge fan of the artist and are just there for a night out to drink and chat with your pals, maybe don’t take up a spot close to the front. But even that baffles me. Why would anyone buy a ticket and spend so much time doing other things aside from watching the ACTUAL show?
On that note – PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY!
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy taking concert videos and sharing them on Instagram for friends to see. I might capture 30 seconds of a song or two. But it doesn’t make much sense to me when I see someone spending more than half the show recording from their phone. One of the most powerful and intense performances I witnessed in 2019 was Lingua Ignota. I can’t imagine having looked away from her performance for even a second to go to the bathroom, let alone send a text that could wait until the end of the damn show.
Why is it that people can’t disconnect anymore? And before anyone goes ahead and calls it a generational thing – no – It’s not. I’ve seen teens and adults alike act like this at shows. It’s disrespectful to the fans who bought tickets and the artists themselves.
Alright, I’m going to leave it there. You know who you are. Just try and be a little respectful of your fellow music fan sometimes. Chances are if you’re at a deathcore show for example, you won’t be able to hear each other talk anyway. But if not, maybe read the room a little first before you decide to shout at your friend about your shitty co-workers.
Dom Goes to Shows 