Pointless POV's- Where is the best place to view a concert?

BY: KEVIN DIAMOND

Opinions in music are pointless. What speaks to you might not speak to others. Being opinionated and old gives me the ability to step back and enjoy music and focus my opinion on things that can possibly help others, for example. Where do I think is the best place to stand for a concert? First we must break down our options. 

Most people will say up front is the best place to view a concert, I disagree. The front is a young man's game, You’ll most likely be next to a fatherless twenty-something whose life has been changed from the lyrics. So full of piss and energy that they just can’t help but yell the lyrics back to the vocalist in an almost crying, hysterical fashion. Any videos you take will be overshadowed by a few of these passionate folks. Try to move yourself towards the center and that’s where you get yourself closer to the war zone. Where you start to reach the pit's edge and you start feeling the sweat of others on your arms (yuck) as you try not to get hit in the face. Maybe you try to make your way closer to the barricade, that can be fun sometimes, treading in an almost sea like crowd. Swaying with the movement as if you are one entity. Don’t lift your arms up, that may leave you stuck in what I call “stoked position”. Where your arms are above your shoulders and you are unable to bring them back down to your sides due to the people next to you. Worst feeling in the world. I’d argue it's worse than knowing that your lower half of your own body's moisture isn’t just from you. Yes, you are close to the action on stage and get to feel part of the show, but you are also most likely in front of the audio “sweet spot”. Where you can possibly hear the stage monitors and cymbals crashing over the actual main PA sound. Take yourself off to the side a bit to still be close, but not be in such a densely populated area. Now this may be the worst place to stand and I’ll explain why. This area is filled with people my age, people approaching their 40s. They still want that up close experience but feel aged out of the middle. So they will still sing every lyric, maybe even explain very loudly to the rest of the party how “they haven’t played this song since the summer of 2012” as the intro comes in for a deep track. The major difference with this area is that not only do you still have the annoyance of off pitch sing alongs. Most of these attendees are the ones that have beers in their hand. There is always that awkward moment when they finish said beer and they do that look around and drop it on the floor. Me being the type of person I am, now I make a mental note that I’ll be dealing with a broken cup(s) by my feet all night. Lastly, When it comes to the “upfront side shift” (it has a name now), You will always be standing directly in front of the PA, your face may hurt from sound waves slapping you all night long. So I feel that the up front concert going experience is overrated. 

lets move to the back….

Now the back can be a tricky game. First you must understand that we are all in the back because we respect personal space. THAT BEING SAID, one must understand that failure to enclose any area will result in a pathway starting. That can ruin a whole concert experience. If you don’t understand, Basically it means that any opening will create traffic and you will end up with people walking in front of you all night until you step forward, making them walk behind you. This tends to happen a lot more at festivals but can still be an issue for a club. Now the advantages of the back I feel far exceed the advantages of the front. First, I'd like to point out that the people around you will most likely be fans, but casual fans. They won't be screaming every lyric, dancing, or explaining to their friends how they got a handjob to this song in the back of a Buick. They will be enjoying the music, their drink and the experience in front of them. Now the advantage of being in the back and center is by far the sound and sight. If you can manage to keep your sight line open (or if you’re 6’6), you have a perfect view of the stage, the production, lights, and the craziness of what's up front in the audience. All those fatherless 20 somethings in the front I mentioned earlier have now become almost a choir of chant. Making their off pitch hysterical screaming less annoying. Almost adding a little bit of seasoning for the actual vocals. Personally, I like to find myself directly in front of “front of house” (that’s the sound board for all you normies). I feel that this is the best place to experience a concert. Not only will you most likely be dead center, perfectly lined up with the stage. Having the same vantage point as the lighting director. Seeing the same show that they are helping create. The lighting angles and production put into the show was written from this point. This also has its audio advantages as well. Hearing the show from the same area as the man mixing the show will sound better than anywhere else in the building. Lastly, when you stand directly in front of the sound board, You will most likely have a nice wall or barricade to lean against. Saving your knees and back. With all this being said, I have had bad experiences with standing in the back. One major thing to look out for is a slanted floor. While on paper it seems great, it gives everyone a good view of the stage. What it actually does is destroy your body. You might not think about it (that is why I am here) but when you stand for 3 hours on a slanted floor, you are naturally leaning backwards. Almost like a backwards Michael Jackson lean for hours at a time. This will hurt your back, your shins and knees. Once you get out of the venue onto a flat ground, that is when you feel it. Anyone that has stood in the back of Reggies in Chicago and left the venue feeling sore, this is why. 

I feel like it should be mentioned. At my old age and with some of the larger concerts I attend, Nothing beats a good seat. Personally I have a routine when I know I have a seat. First off, I get there early to watch all the bands (almost always) but the first band will be Nachos and a good crisp pop. Have you ever eaten nachos and watched a metal band? That is a real party. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to be in the first row of your section which gives you a nice foot rest for the full night. Unfortunately, the bands I listen to are not selling out stadiums on the regular, So this luxury is a rare one. 

Next time you attend a concert, hopefully you will remember all the tips I’ve left for you to achieve maximum enjoyment. 

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