Pushing to the front

[Messy]

The umbrella thread sparked this, as it is another major festival/gig annoyance of mine. People that think it's okay to push past you when you're stood watching a band.

I always try and get to gigs at least half an hour/45 minutes before the support comes on, as I generally find it harder to enjoy a gig if I'm not as close to the stage as possible. Yet there are still people who seem to think it's okay to arrive half way through the set and barge their way through to the front. I got here first, buddy boy, I get to stand further ahead than you. I've even had a couple of people, clearly taller than me, come and stand right in front of me. I mean, seriously. They must just not be nice people.

[Chimps in Balaclavas]

I politely tell them that there is no room to push past and to move around me.

[Chimps in Balaclavas]

Failing that I get my umbrella out.

[MrMac]

It's certainly annoying when people have no thought for others.

I'd hope that most will take some sort of action if it's pointed out to them in a non aggressive manner ("mind moving a bit to the left mate") but an angry reaction to a pusher caused the worst violence I'd ever seen in a crowd, with the pusher ultimately stabbing someone with his umbrella (there they are again!). This wasn't at Glasto though and fortunately they were separated before anyone was seriously injured.

[travelling mr pastry]

im quite good at navigating through crowds without barging. i dont think its right to bump into people and if i ever do im always apologetic, but if its a question of being "i was here first" then f**k that, if i can find a way closer to the front then im going for it tbh

[Detective McNulty]

Dog eat dog. Either get harder or shut up.

Personally i'll be at the back contemplating the size of the universe, and only ocassionally noticing there is a musician on.

[Glastonbury_2011]

The trick is to move sideways ever so slightly from one side of the stage to the other. That way you can gradually swing towards the front without making everyone feel as though you are going forward.

[scaryclaireyfairy]

when the random 6ft6 bloke barges past me to then stand directly in front and block my view. i try the 'could you move a little to the side' approach first. if that has no result, i light a cigarette and either blow smoke on him or deliberately wave it around apparently carelessly rather close to him. he normally moves.

nb. i've never actually burned anyone or melted their clothing or owt. that'd make me as bad as them. as long as they think i might, they shift though.

[18Alex18]

We had a damn good argument about this a few months back -

/index.php?showtopic=114056&hl=excuse-me-ers">http://www.efestivals.co.uk/forums/index.p...l=excuse-me-ers

[JodiB]

I got here first, buddy boy, I get to stand further ahead than you. I've even had a couple of people, clearly taller than me, come and stand right in front of me. I mean, seriously. They must just not be nice people.

[travelling mr pastry]

music doesnt need to be seen, there are 3 big screens in the pyramid feild, if you really need to see something and cant then you are doing something wrong

[airwaves]

Not past me they don't

I've got very big, sharp, wide elbows that have been honed over many years of gig going.

[beergut100]

I don't mind people politely passing me, but barging f**kers should be strung up by their f**king eyelids. And there's them bastards who barge in front of you then stand stock still, thus impeding any dancing you were trying to do. A bit of politeness is all I ask. I used to go to a lot of dance events, and those crowds are infinitely more considerate than rock crowds (I realise drugs are partially to do with this, though there was also a completely different ethos, where everyone looked out for each other).

[Mr Ploppy]

I've got very big, sharp, wide elbows that have been honed over many years of gig going.

[glastomanc]

i dont have that big a problem with people wanting to get to the front as long as there are fairly considerate, what annoys me is when a group (usually people who think far too much of themselves) push past and then stand not just infront of you but so close you have to move back or find another space, usually in these situations i just dance crazily enough to either scare them off or get a couple of "accidental" blows in.

[krisskross]

music doesnt need to be seen, there are 3 big screens in the pyramid feild, if you really need to see something and cant then you are doing something wrong

[travelling mr pastry]

Go home and watch it on tv then...gives people more room to stand in and put up umbrellas!

[zahidf]

I don't mind people politely passing me, but barging f**kers should be strung up by their f**king eyelids. And there's them bastards who barge in front of you then stand stock still, thus impeding any dancing you were trying to do. A bit of politeness is all I ask. I used to go to a lot of dance events, and those crowds are infinitely more considerate than rock crowds (I realise drugs are partially to do with this, though there was also a completely different ethos, where everyone looked out for each other).

[krisskross]

If i do pust in - and i dont do the whole elbows arsyness, just kinda walk in small gaps - i'll try to stand at a group of people as tall as me so its not going to have much effect on people behind me.

depends on whose playing where i want to stand though. If its a more dancy band, i'm happy being at the side quite far back cos theres more room to dance - rather than just bob up and down. If more rocky then i'll try to get nearer the front. You feel more part of the show and get a better feeling than just standing at the back and watching.

[Mr Ploppy]

No need to barge at all. Especially when they make up names pretneding to look for their friends. On the other hand, i've been to open air gigs with loads of space, and some people have moaned about me going in front of them. You kind of need to fill up the gaps if you don;t want someone in front of you!

[airwaves]

Just remembered - at Latitude a couple of years back I was in the Sunrise Tent when a group came in and stood in front of the group to my right, and one of the new group was wearing a trilby. This clearly got in the way of one or two people but all they did was moan amongst themselves.

After a minute or two movement in the crowd bought trilby-wearer directly in front of me. I politely tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to take the hat of, which he did. This amazed the group to my right that I had dared ask, but they were quite admiring of me.

[krisskross]

The thing that grinds my gears more is people talking loudly during quiet songs. Moved away from a group of noissy buggers during elbow last year

[travelling mr pastry]

atleast it was only elbow eh?

[podge52]

music doesnt need to be seen, there are 3 big screens in the pyramid feild, if you really need to see something and cant then you are doing something wrong

[mudmonkey]

It can be annoying when a bit of space next to you becomes like a path and people are streaming through it all the time.

But no problem with people wanting to get to and from the front during sets, particularly headliners, when 2 hours is a long time to do without toilet and/or cider bus.