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How to not be that person at concerts
If you’ve bought concert tickets lately, you no doubt have paid the price. Scalpers and fees aside, costs have climbed 19% post-pandemic. Fans keep showing up—even waiting in uberlong online queues to boot—but when shelling out for live music, they expect the show to be worth it.
That vibe, though, is only as good as the audience. As a former Raleigh venue employee, I’ve witnessed firsthand how the crowd absolutely makes or breaks a show for everyone: fans, artists and staff.
So as the first shows of concert/fest season kick off at Raleigh’s biggest outdoor venues this month with big names like Tyler Childers, Pearl Jam and The Kooks, we all want the most for our money. For a crash course on what not to do, we rehash behavior gone bad across a host of local/viral incidents.
Do’s and Don’ts of Live Music
| Red Flag | Artist | Avg. Ticket | Venue | Basis for Blame |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fans filming entire show on an iPad held overhead | Stevie Nicks | $45–$146 | Lenovo Center | Those behind you don’t want to watch the show through your grainy screen. |
| Audience hurling water bottles—prompting a bottle-cap ban | Snoop Dogg | $110–$400 | Coastal Credit Union at Walnut Creek | Would you want to get hit in the head by a flying object? |
| Viral brawl | Mariah Carey | $45–$105 | CFG Bank Arena Baltimore | Violence isn’t the vibe. |
| Deafening crowd chorus | Mt. Joy | $52.50+ | Red Hat Amphitheater | No one paid to hear you sing. |
| Spectator chucked a camera at Lacy and hit him square in the torso | Steve Lacy | ~$40 | Orpheum Theater New Orleans | This isn’t dodgeball. |
| Fans stuck around after like they paid rent. | Eric Church | $99–$499 | Coastal Credit Union at Walnut Creek | You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here. |
| Crowd posted up in the pit with massive signs | Drake | $130–$560 | Qudos Bank Arena Sydney Olympic Park | Didn’t pay for a view of the back of a sign begging for a free vacation. |
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