In the past, live music felt like a sacred ritual – with unspoken rules that governed an enjoyable shared experience between both fans and artists. But as of late, I can’t help but wonder – are these rules beginning to completely unravel?

From fans camping out 48 hours before doors open, to full-blown fights erupting mid-song, the overall atmosphere at live shows is starting to feel less like a joyous community and more like uncontrolled mayhem. Have we all become so self-absorbed and so desperate for the perfect social media post that we’ve entirely forgotten how to behave at gigs? 

Something that has become a hot topic amongst gig-goers as of late is the growing trend of camping out ahead of shows. As someone who has spent the last decade immersed in live music culture, I remember when you could roll up to a venue just as doors were about to open and still have time to grab a drink before snagging a spot near the front of the stage. However, nowadays unless you’re dedicated enough to spend an entire day – or longer – braving unpredictable weather and questionable terrain, getting anywhere near the barrier feels almost impossible. 

In response, venues have been making attempts to condemn this behaviour, with the most recent example being The O2 in London, who released a firm statement warning fans: “No camping is allowed at The O2, or in the neighbouring vicinity. Please respect our neighbours and their private property – anyone found camping will be asked to move. This is for your safety, and is a strict part of your ticketing T&Cs.” 

Despite these warnings, determined and die-hard fans continue to find loopholes around the rules – setting up camp in car parks or nearby areas rather than directly outside the venue. Although the dedication can be seen as admirable, the reality is much more severe. Not only is this an extreme health and safety concern for the fans, with the lack of security oversight from official staff, but it also creates disruption for local residents who are simply trying to go about their day. At what point does this devotion for the front row begin to cross a line? 

You’d think that after enduring hours in a cramped queue and managing to fight your way to the front of the crowd, the rest of the night would be a breeze. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. In fact, once the lights drop and the music picks up, it almost feels as though any ounce of common courtesy has disappeared.

From firsthand experience, I’ve noticed a marked decline when it comes to manners and general human decency in the pit. What used to be a space of community and shared excitement seems to have evolved into something much more chaotic. From people aggressively shoving past you with the excuse of “my friends are at the front,” to shamelessly justify their behaviour – all the way to the mystery liquids and cups of god-knows-what being hurled across the crowd and soaking whoever stands in their way. The thrill and excitement of being in the middle of the crowd has transformed into what can only be described as a battleground. Instead of singing along amongst a sea of strangers, you’re now trying to dodge unruly bodies and praying that both you and your drink survive the night.

Aggressive and anti-social behaviour at live shows has become such a growing concern that artists themselves are now stepping in to speak out against it. We’ve gotten to a stage where musicians are finding it necessary to address the rising hostility amongst their crowds – something that would’ve seemed unimaginable only a few years ago.

In May, Newquay-based rock band Wunderhorse released a public statement following chaos that emerged amongst their crowd in Birmingham: ‘We were made aware of some reports of overly aggressive and unacceptable behaviour at our Birmingham show, as a result additional venue security was deployed for all remaining UK shows / These actions are not welcome at a Wunderhorse show, nor should they be welcome anywhere.”

Seeing artists having to act as peacekeepers at their own shows should be proof enough of how far we’ve strayed from what live music was originally designed to be: a joyous, thrilling experience amongst a community of avid music lovers, not a free-for-all of chaos. 

Of course, there are countless of other debates currently circulating amongst gig-goers – from the excessive use of phones and filming during gigs, or the discourse on whether tickets should be reserved for the “real fans.” Whilst these topics definitely have their place and deserve to be spoken about, I believe that fixating on them only risks distracting us from the far more urgent issue, which is that there is a rapid decline of that community that once defined what it meant to enjoy live music. 

Not only is it about etiquette – it’s now about safety and respect. We’re quickly approaching a time where fans feel hesitant or scared to attend gigs because this environment we’ve created is no longer welcoming or secure. If we don’t start holding ourselves and the people around us accountable, we could risk losing everything that makes live music so exciting and so powerful.

It was never about how close you can get to the front or how perfect you can make your videos – It’s about experiencing and being apart of something that is bigger than us, and we can’t forget that.