Hall and Oates

About a month ago, I took the wife and mother in law to Durant, OK to see Hall & Oates.  Fantastic show, but the venue leaves much to be desired.  It is like a large metal barn with the stage at the wrong side.  They did it so they could sell more front row seats (It is at the Choctaw casino) which makes it more difficult for the sides to see what the heck is going on.

Attending a concert that you wouldn't necessarily go to yourself allows you an opportunity to people watch.  My observations led to this diatribe on Facebook:

1. If you are standing up, and no one around you is standing up, you should probably sit down, especially if the seats are on a non-elevated surface. There is one exception to this: if you are dancing, stand up, dance, and have a good time. But make sure to sell it...don't fake dance. DANCE.
2. Take a second and go back through your videos on your phone and find the footage from the last concert you attended. Unless you are in the front two rows, it probably looks like hot garbage spilled into an old diaper. Put your f*cking phone down (sorry mom, this needs emphasis). Take a picture, fine...take a short video...fine. But don't video the whole show. Videos and pictures are intended to enhance our memories, not replace them. Your memories will be of you looking at a phone screen all night...and so will the people behind you.
3. Remember that every single thing you do affects everyone else's ability to enjoy the show. Just because you don't recognize the song that is playing doesn't mean you can talk loudly to your friend during the song. Unless you are talking about the show, keep your conversations to a minimum.
4. To add to point #1, if someone in front of you is standing up, and won't sit down, realize there isn't much you can do about it. Don't spend the next 3 songs bitching about it to your wife. You are making it more difficult for the people around you to enjoy themselves.
5. Taking pictures of the video screen? Seriously?
6. Turn off the flash on your phone! Most people don't realize this, but even good camera flashes only go about 15 feet. If you are that close to the stage, you don't need it. If you are too far from the stage, it won't do you any good. Plus, your camera pre-flashes and lights up the entire section, making the experience more difficult for others to enjoy.

I sat there for three songs and listened to the guy next to me bitch about the people in front of us standing up.  He made the experience miserable for everybody, dropping F-bombs constantly.  Please don't be that guy...