Report Says Floridians Are Among the Most Annoying Concertgoers in the U.S. — But Are We Really?

Of all the "tips" journalists receive, third-party rankings are among the most common. This week, New Times received a report from online gambling company Betaway, which surveyed 2,000 people across the U.S. "asking if they've ever experienced any of the 23 most common negative behaviors displayed at concert events."

According to Betaway's results, Floridians are the ninth-most-"annoying" concertgoers in the United States. Wisconsin finished first (what's in the cheese?), followed by Louisiana and Oklahoma.

I've been covering Miami nightlife and music in some capacity since 2006. I've seen my fair share of "annoying" concert behavior, from the time some guy would not stop screaming "I fucking love you!" during Björk's orchestral performance at the Adrienne Arsht Center to the time the audience at Jens Lekman's show at the Ground never shut up during his acoustic set. (The latter irritated me so much that I quickly wrote a post headlined, "Miami, Shut the Fuck Up During Acoustic Shows.")

However, most of the behaviors Betaway considers "annoying" are pretty much standard concert behavior the world over. In fact, the number-one annoyance for those surveyed was "People standing in seated seats, so others behind have to stand to see." Um, yeah, that's called "a concert." The only shows where I expect a crowd to be seated are boomer-friendly acts or classical performances. Sitting down robs you of the energetic experience of seeing your favorite artist live.

The only time I was "forced" to sit down at a show was when I saw Kraftwerk at the Olympia Theater in 2015. When "Numbers" started, my friend and I quickly jumped out of our seats to dance, only to be informed by the group behind us to "sit the fuck down!" Thankfully, that was a 3D show, so I shuffled in my seat for the rest of the performance as the graphics zipped all around.
That's not to say some of these behaviors are OK. People who push and shove to get a better view without so much as an "excuse me" are assholes. Blocking people's sightlines with a sign or climbing on someone's shoulders, especially when everyone struggles to see, can be frustrating. Being intoxicated beyond belief usually makes me wonder why you spent money on a ticket if you aren't going to remember the show the next day. And talking loudly during a show about things that aren't currently transpiring on stage is, well — remind me again why you're here?

But pretty much all of this is standard concert-going behavior. It comes with the territory, no matter how rude, obnoxious, and/or inconsiderate. Human beings can be selfish — especially in the U.S., where we're conditioned to feel entitled to all the opportunities the world has to offer, even when it's to the detriment of others.

Still, if there is one completely unacceptable behavior, it's throwing stuff onto the stage. If you want to fling flowers or a teddy bear, fine. But post-pandemic, there has been a rash of fans throwing items that can cause or have caused injury to the artists onstage. Most famous was the phone thrown at pop singer Bebe Rexha during a concert in New York City last summer. After being charged with assault, the "fan," Nicolas Malvagna, explained that he threw the phone at Rexha because he thought it would be "funny."

With concert ticket prices so high these days that it feels like you need to take out a second mortgage on your house — if you're lucky enough to own real estate, that is — to see your fav, I understand wanting to get your money's worth. But let's all remember that everyone else paid to be there, too.

And if you're annoyed at someone standing at their seat to dance to the music — boo-hoo for you.

P.S.: As long as I've got your attention, wear earplugs.