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If you tell someone to sit down at a Wilco concert, you pretty much suck at life


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I was 3rd row balcony last night at the Ryman. About three songs in, they start playing "art of almost". Obviously, I stand up because this a great song I was hoping to hear live and it's a freaking rock concert. Next thing I know, some blue hair seat nazi is asking me to please sit down. I ask her "why?". She says "because the people behind you can't see". I said "why can't they stand up?". She said "because they don't want to" and literally pulled me down into my seat.

Seriously, if you don't want to stand up during a rock concert, stay the fuk home with your kids and leave the fun up to us who haven't given up on life.

Oh, and I'm front row balcony tonight so get ready to stand up the whole time or just stare at my ass.

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I think sometimes it is a majority rule of standing vs sitting. For a song like Art of Almost or One Sunday Morning, if a majority of those choose to sit, maybe it is not a question of giving up on life but you being obnoxious. If the majority choose to stand and you don't want to- well so be it you are not impinging on the enjoyment of others. I saw both shows in Toronto last month. One night most of the concert was spent standing, the next night's set list was lighter in energy and spent more time sitting and listening to the music. I enjoyed both shows without felling like I had given up on life. Saw the Foo Fighters in Detroit two days later. Spent three hours on my feet. Still didn't feel that I had a superior outlook on life.

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Sitting vs standing at a concert is the only time I "conform" to do as others do. If everyone starts to stand up, then I stand up (so i can see as well)

If everyone sits, I will sit. I know that everyone including myself are there to enjoy the concert. I try to be as conscious as i can about how other people want to enjoy it. Because we're all supposed to be there together experiencing something, right? RIGHT? Exactly.

 

But as far as preference at a Wilco concert goes, I would prefer to stand if I'm on the floor.

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I was in Y last night and when we stood up the top of the balcony almost cut off everyones head in our view. I think the balcony is the place to be unless you have really close floor seats. I left during Outtasite last night and caught Jeff coming out the back. There was absolutely no one back there. I was just chlilin talkin to the driver, he's a runner for the stagehand company that does ryman shows and hes kind of a friend of my roommate who used to work there. But yeah no security, no giant crowd of people. Jeff just came out and got in the car and left. He did it quickly so I didn't really have time to shake his hand which is all I wanted to do but oh well. I got to stand within a foot of a legend.

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are you a man or a woman? someone pulled you down into your seat???

this happened to me when they used to open with Hell is Chrome. Its a bit slow at the beginning and we were in a theatre in Baltimore. some couple starting heckling us for standing (everyone would be standing within minutes) my buddy turns and says "FUCK OFF ITS A ROCK CONCERT" it terrified me at the time but I realized later it couldnt have been more right.

 

If they want to sit and see they should go to a seat where they can sit and see. Its why I love how Springsteen makes all his shows GA floor no matter what.

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Not sure how the hell someone would want to sit through art of almost. It is an expression song, not a thank god I don't have to stand after the horrible week I had waiting tables at Cracker Barrel song. Sure they golf clapped at the end and said the fellow in red pants with the electrified guitar is onoxious. Obviously they weren't living the Whole Love.

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Sitting vs standing at a concert is the only time I "conform" to do as others do. If everyone starts to stand up, then I stand up (so i can see as well) If everyone sits, I will sit. I know that everyone including myself are there to enjoy the concert. I try to be as conscious as i can about how other people want to enjoy it. Because we're all supposed to be there together experiencing something, right? RIGHT? Exactly. But as far as preference at a Wilco concert goes, I would prefer to stand if I'm on the floor.

 

Sitting vs. standing at a concert is the only time I don't conform to do as others do. If that is obnoxious then my wife and I are obnoxious. We can fully understand how someone is unable to see if we are standing in front of them but if the mood stikes us, and it always does, then we stand up. We don't go to many shows these days for a variety of reasons but mainly because for us, at 48 and 50, we want to be in bed by 9 Su-Th and by 10 F and Sat. Therefore, when we go, we are there to enjoy ourselves as much as possible. If you can't see then stand up, be quiet or bitch. We wanna rock. Is that arrogant and obnoxious? Hell yes but no more arrogant and obnoxious than telling us to sit down. If a venue employee tells us to sit, then we'll sit. Otherwise, we can deal with being labeled douchebags for a few hours. The rest of our lives, we, as in the words of Tom Joad, "try to get along without shovin' anybody".

 

No matter your view on the topic, I agree that it has nothing to do with how well you live life.

 

There is no right or wrong to the stand v. sit, unless the band and or venue has a stated policy and enforces it.

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If you entitle a message board thread "If you tell someone to sit down at a Wilco concert, you pretty much suck at life," you pretty much suck at life.

 

 

i don't think "entitle" means what you think it means.

anyway, last night was much better. no problems standing up.

this was not supposed to be a "sit vs stand" thread. it was meant to be a "you're a f'ing idiot for asking the usher to make someone sit down at a rock concert" thread

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this was not supposed to be a "sit vs stand" thread. it was meant to be a "you're a f'ing idiot for asking the usher to make someone sit down at a rock concert" thread

 

Try to look at it from their point of view. They paid good money for good seats for a good view of the band. They didn't pay to stare at your back. Also, like it or not a large portion of the Wilco crowd is older and mellower than you probably are. Combine that with the fact that a lot of Wilco songs are very slow and a lot of this tour's songs were not even available before a bunch of the shows were played and it's not surprising that lots of people are sitting.

 

For the most part, I'll stand for the entire show, but if the people in front of me are sitting and the people behind me are sitting, I won't stand. I get too self conscious and can't enjoy the show because I know I'm ruining their show.

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verb /enˈtītl/ 

entitled, past participle; entitled, past tense; entitles, 3rd person singular present; entitling, present participle

  • Give (someone) a legal right or a just claim to receive or do something

    • - employees are normally entitled to severance pay
    • - the landlord is entitled to require references

    [*]Give (something, esp. a text or work of art) a particular title

    • - an article entitled “The Harried Society.”

    [*]Give (someone) a specified title expressing their rank, office, or character

    • - they entitled him Sultan


    en·ti·tle

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Try to look at it from their point of view. They paid good money for good seats for a good view of the band. They didn't pay to stare at you're back. Also, like it or not a large portion of the Wilco crowd is older and mellower than you probably are. Combine that with the fact that a lot of Wilco songs are very slow and a lot of this tour's songs we not even available before a bunch of the shows were played and it's not surprising that lots of people are sitting.

 

For the most part, I'll stand for the entire show, but if the people in front of me are sitting and the people behind me are sitting, I won't stand. I get too self conscious and can't enjoy the show becuase I know I'm ruining their show.

 

Going to paint Jeff and Nels heads on my ass so that in Chicago those who wish to slumber get the whole experience, and whole love for that matter.

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