There are a few unspoken rules of concert etiquette:
- Don’t be on your phone the entire time.
- Be respectful of people’s space.
- Don’t be a jerk.
You’d think these statements should just be common sense, but what astounded me while I was at The Strumbellas’ concert last week at Peter Clark Hall, were the boisterous (and presumably drunk) individuals who would not stop shouting for the band to play their most popular song, “Spirits.” Their obnoxious yells were a distraction to everyone, including the band. After very professionally ignoring them for the majority of their set, violinist/vocalist Izzy Ritchie finally addressed them — with what I detected as a small hint of annoyance — reassuring the hecklers that the band wouldn’t leave the stage before playing “Spirits.”
Bands have predetermined set lists, chosen to create a balanced show that is both visually exciting and musically energetic, usually involving lighting cues, instrument tuning, tech preparation, and many other production considerations. Bands are not going to drop everything they’ve planned to cater to rude audience members, who are probably going to leave the venue as soon as they’ve heard one specific song. Concerts are not a free-for-all request night. Bands will either eventually play your favourite song by them, or they will not. If you consider yourself a fan of any band, you should respect the band members’ artistic integrity and free will as human beings — just like you and I — to leave some songs out of the set list if they wish.
Some bands are just sick of playing the same song over and over. They could be tired of promoting old songs that they have moved on from or consider to be poorly written compared to their new material. Artists are also allowed to withhold performances of songs that perhaps carry too much sentimental weight.If you’re so impatient to hear your favourite song that you feel inclined to interrupt the band’s set by shouting out your request, then I don’t think live music is for you. There are on-demand streaming sites like YouTube or Spotify that will instantly play any song you like. However, if you choose to show up and support great musicians, have some common courtesy — it’s the least you can do.
Photos by Karen K. Tran