Kamryn Bouyett, Sam Diaz, Stella Feinstein, Angel Persails

WHAT IS CONCERT ETIQUETTE?

Live music (by default) is a shared experience. There is no better feeling than watching the lights suddenly dim as an artist makes their grand entrance. However, only some concerts are the euphoric experience you wait months to have. There’s often another reality: blocked views, medical emergencies, and overall uncomfortability. These actions that could make or break your experience are basic concert etiquette.

Concert etiquette, or the lack thereof, has become a hot topic as new concertgoers have blurred the lines between what is acceptable and what’s become normalized. Fans have a newfound competitiveness—instead of going to a show to enjoy the experience, they’re searching for fame and the perfect viral video on TikTok, fighting for a barricade spot to be the closest to the artist.

Usually, these people find their fame for the wrong reasons: they end up on the TikTok For You page “Wall of Shame”. So if you’re going to your first show or just need a refresher, here are some tips to not become that person:

DON’T throw anything.

Nothing should be projectile, whether it’s as small as a bracelet or a phone. Most artists don’t appreciate it, especially when it's not encouraged. It can injure artists or even fans around you when it comes to a failed attempt. Remember that personal items like undergarments are never appropriate without a request or consent. Even small things can scare someone focused on doing their job when singing, dancing, or both.

DON’T block the view of others with large signs or flags.

Signs are, for the most part, useless and are usually found disruptive (and frustrating) to those behind you. Most of the time the artist won’t see them, and they will cause more harm to your fellow crowd members than good.

DON’T forget to take care of yourself.

Everyone wants to have a good time, but there comes a point where you have to remember that you are around others in a limited space. Stay safe, and hydrated, and make sure you have something in your stomach. Take care of yourself and those around you.

DO read the rules of the venue before arriving.

Some shows and venues are stricter than others when it comes to what you can have on you. It is always helpful to search for prohibited items before leaving to make sure that your bag and its contents are safe to bring in to ensure a smooth security check.

DO be mindful (+ pay attention to the openers)!

Getting up on stage in front of people who aren’t there to see you is stressful enough, try not to be on your phone or talk during the opener’s performance. Who knows, a year from now that opener could blow up and be going on their headline tour! It’s a win-win: you can expand your music taste and add one more artist to your repertoire, and they gain a new fan!

SOCIAL MEDIA INFILTRATION

The problem extends outside of venue walls though. Social media creates an effect that connects fans and artists, but an issue that can arise from social media connection is parasocial relationships. People who identify with a fandom often feel a deep connection with the artists—beyond their music. Social media bridges the gap between artist and fans in the sense that it gives them a peak into their personal lives.

Jokes and callouts spread through TikTok and Instagram can be heard bouncing through concert halls from the many voices of fans. While these inside jokes and callouts may seem innocent, the artist can easily feel objectified or confused by these phrases.

Mitski fans call out “mommy” at almost every one of her shows, creating discomfort for herself and other audience members. Fans of Renee Rapp, an especially new artist whose rise was aided by TikTok, often sexualize her and her songs about the LGBTQ+ community while she’s on stage.

TikTok has created a movement of bandwagoners through the trend cycles and popularity contests that take place on the app. English alternative band Bôa, for example, reached virality on TikTok for their 20-year-old track “Duvet.” Since the song emerged on the platform, the band reignited themselves releasing their first new album in over twenty years, Whiplash, while fulfilling a sold-out North American tour in 2024.

At the San Francisco show, the audience, mostly teenagers, remained quiet and disconnected, neither singing nor recording until the last song, “Duvet.” TikTok has spawned a new era of show-goers, and it doesn’t matter if they know all the words to every song, they just want something to post about.

ARTISTS SPEAK OUT

Chart-topping superstar Chappell Roan attempted to curb the parasocial problems perpetuated by her fans by keeping her personal and public lives separate through a persona. “Chappell Roan” is, for lack of a better term, a character that she’s created to perform through. What began as the perfect solution made fans hungry for the truth, driving them to dig through the depths of the internet for information about her personal life and home, even going so far as to publicly address her by her given name.

Roan has advocated for the fact that artists are people with changing emotions as well, and the fact that the character of Chappell Roan simply doesn’t know every one of her fans, and cannot be best friends with all of them. It is important to remember the line—wanting community and connection is not an invitation for intrusion. Being an artist already comes with large feelings of alienation, when artists reach out searching for a community for their music they are not only trying to create a fanbase, but also trying to see their tangible impact.

Ultimately, the media has kickstarted a rampant era of one-way communication. Comments can be made on every post and story shared by a favorite artist, but showing interest or finding something amusing doesn't necessarily mean the same feelings are reciprocated. Even though you are communicating, there is no personal connection. Making artists feel like objects does not get you any closer to them, contrarily, it pulls them away from sharing themselves.

LOOKING FORWARD

Concerts have been around for decades. Audiences of all backgrounds are grouped at one venue, to listen to music. The energy radiating from the stage captivated, enchanted, and intoxicated with the whole experience. The whole point of a concert is a chance to feel the music with others.

Concert etiquette is a given. It’s worth mentioning the time it takes on the back end. Event planning takes a lot. Everything is coordinated to a tee just so audiences are just as hyped as the artist. The makeup, outfits, stage design, lighting, the music sequence—every detail is for you.

The way to be better at shows is to understand that it’s a social event. Every aspect of the concert is for you, the audience, the fan, or the new listener. All audiences should attend concerts with a level of social awareness that any bad vibes will throw off anyone’s experience.

Concert etiquette is respect with a heavy dash of common sense. Sit back or stand up, cry or sing, respect concert rules, and have some decorum.

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