Sneaking up to the front of the stage

[Mageboy25]

Oh I should right a book about this lol! As most of you know there's many sneaky ways to do this. It totally just depends on the act, venue, type of security and the type of crowd. Ive been to over a 100 concerts in general. Ive used every trick in the book to get to the front. Where theres a will, theres a way.

The Nashville show last May was my 17th Stevie/Fmac show. I was row 20 off to the side. The SECOND the lights went out I DASHED to the front where I was right in front of Lindsey all night long. Well there was a cute short 14 year old girl in front of me, but it still felt like i was in front of him. Ive been in front of Stevie many times before so it was more fun to be on Lindsey's side this time. If you need to go use the bathroom or something during the show just ask the people around you to hold your spot for you. Most people will. Be sure you stop at EVERY security guard you walk past on the way out and give them the same bull shiit story I gave them in Nashville:"Hey man i have a front row ticket and I droped it somewhere, I lost it sometime as soon as the lights went out and I cant find it anywhere I gotta use the bathroom REAL BAD "! Not only did all of the security say sure no probelm to me, one guy said sure man who would forget your hair(I had a semi small red mohawk. So I told the same bull shiit to every security guard, went to the bathroom and grabbed 2 more beers for me and my friend. As I walked down back to the front every securtiy guard nodded to me LOL , little did they know I really had a ticket for row 20 . Anyway Im a good person. When people started to cram up more towards the end of the show, I made sure the tiny 14 year old in front of me had plenty of room. Ive pulled more crap than that before . Any other good stories?

[rezamatic]

I am SO attempting to pull this at the Borgata Hotel/Casino show in September :-) I'm in row 17 and I figure that a good amount of seats in the first 10 rows are going to be comps. Which means that half of those old farts won't even be showing up when they spend a few MORE hours at the slots, hehehe. So as soon as those lights go out, it's front rows, baby!

[David]

This sort of thing is the bane of well-behaved, polite concertgoers everywhere. It's just not something I look kindly on; in fact, I fight it when it happens to me -- when some brat comes bounding over numerous rows from behind & lands in my lap.

[Merf]

Originally Posted by rezamatic

I am SO attempting to pull this at the Borgata Hotel/Casino show in September :-) I'm in row 17 and I figure that a good amount of seats in the first 10 rows are going to be comps. Which means that half of those old farts won't even be showing up when they spend a few MORE hours at the slots, hehehe. So as soon as those lights go out, it's front rows, baby!

I'm in row 12 so all I have to say is you better not be jumping in front of us on your way to the stage

[diamondsnake]

Originally Posted by rezamatic

I am SO attempting to pull this at the Borgata Hotel/Casino show in September :-) I'm in row 17 and I figure that a good amount of seats in the first 10 rows are going to be comps. Which means that half of those old farts won't even be showing up when they spend a few MORE hours at the slots, hehehe. So as soon as those lights go out, it's front rows, baby!

I got tickets for that show too. All I know is it is in rows 1-5 because I did the platinum fanclub package thing. If I don't get the front of the stage then there is no justice in this world! Maybe having the "VIP laminate" thing that comes with the package will alow me to stand anywhere? I am so excited and a bit nervous about how I am going to find a place right in front of Stevie's mic.

[hayley]

Originally Posted by David

This sort of thing is the bane of well-behaved, polite concertgoers everywhere. It's just not something I look kindly on; in fact, I fight it when it happens to me -- when some brat comes bounding over numerous rows from behind & lands in my lap.

Do you shake your fist at them and try to swat them with your copy of the Atlantic Monthly?

I think people who jump rows are assholes.

[EnchantedSLN]

Originally Posted by David

I fight it when it happens to me -- when some brat comes bounding over numerous rows from behind & lands in my lap.

Don't mess with David, he'll clock ya!

Yeah. I guess, if you're intent on jumping rows, be as un-obnoxious as possible. I don't really see a problem with filling in empty seats a couple rows ahead of you, but it is annoying when people from 3 sections back nearly bowl you over and try to stand in front of you.

[David]

Originally Posted by hayley

Do you shake your fist at them and try to swat them with your copy of the Atlantic Monthly?

Bah. That magazine can't get advertisers. Have you seen it lately? It's about the size of a corporate newsletter. I'd better use a New Criterion with its relative heft & stiff cover.

I think people who jump rows are assholes.

Their rudeness to others weighs heavily on my heart. To think that fellow Fleetwood Mac fans could treat one another that way -- pushing & shoving others out of the way, pilfering seats & jockeying for position at the stage -- really just puts me in a funk.

[David]

Originally Posted by EnchantedSLN

Don't mess with David, he'll clock ya!

I'll brain ya!

[rezamatic]

I totally understand where people are coming from with this. After thinking about it, if it happened to me I'd be pretty angry - IF they were affecting the concert experience for me. General admission shows are the worst with this, because people stand in front of you and block out your view. But my stand on the matter is this... If somebody had their chance at better seats than us and found something better to do than actually show (which is going to be the case at a casino hotel, most assuredly) then it's too much of a waste to let them go empty. Granted, sometimes people have to cancel. But you have to realize that half of those great seats (especially at the Borgata Casino show) are handed out to people who could care less. I never look at it as pushing other people out of the way or 'outdoing others', as much as filling a void that a non-fan left for a non...non-fan. It pains me to see people with fantastic seats NOT filling them, when I did my best to get good seats and only came up with mediocre ones. I guess that could just be the bratty youth in me talking, so I apologize to anyone that may deck, clock, brain or tusk me at the show. As long as people aren't getting in my way or ruining the show for me in any manner, I see no problems with it. Courteous opportunism.

[diamondsnake]

Originally Posted by rezamatic

I totally understand where people are coming from with this. After thinking about it, if it happened to me I'd be pretty angry - IF they were affecting the concert experience for me. General admission shows are the worst with this, because people stand in front of you and block out your view. But my stand on the matter is this... If somebody had their chance at better seats than us and found something better to do than actually show (which is going to be the case at a casino hotel, most assuredly) then it's too much of a waste to let them go empty. Granted, sometimes people have to cancel. But you have to realize that half of those great seats (especially at the Borgata Casino show) are handed out to people who could care less. I never look at it as pushing other people out of the way or 'outdoing others', as much as filling a void that a non-fan left for a non...non-fan. It pains me to see people with fantastic seats NOT filling them, when I did my best to get good seats and only came up with mediocre ones. I guess that could just be the bratty youth in me talking, so I apologize to anyone that may deck, clock, brain or tusk me at the show. As long as people aren't getting in my way or ruining the show for me in any manner, I see no problems with it. Courteous opportunism.

Why do you think tickets at the Borgata will be issued to a bunch of people who could care less? Are they given to businesses or something? I am in rows 1-5 and if this is the case I will take full advantage of empty seats in front of me!

[rezamatic]

The casino especially because the hotels/casinos are all about comping the big-wigs. I'm not saying everyone in the first rows are non-fans. But I do believe that this particular concert will have more open seats because people will be given the freebies and not take them.

I remember last time I was at the Hilton in AC, there was a group of businessmen/women talking about getting comps to go see The Eagles. They were in the fifth row, apparently, and all six of these people went for ten minutes before ducking out. Unbelievable. A huge chain of seats and they just didn't think twice about it.

I could totally be wrong, but that's just the way I've found it to be at hotel/casino shows.

[diamondsnake]

Originally Posted by rezamatic

The casino especially because the hotels/casinos are all about comping the big-wigs. I'm not saying everyone in the first rows are non-fans. But I do believe that this particular concert will have more open seats because people will be given the freebies and not take them.

I remember last time I was at the Hilton in AC, there was a group of businessmen/women talking about getting comps to go see The Eagles. They were in the fifth row, apparently, and all six of these people went for ten minutes before ducking out. Unbelievable. A huge chain of seats and they just didn't think twice about it.

I could totally be wrong, but that's just the way I've found it to be at hotel/casino shows.

Sounds like they didn't care for the first few songs at that Eagles concert! I hope that the "nonfans" don't spoil the show though, you know like wanting everyone to sit down during the show! It is so much more fun to stand!

[Gypsy-Rhiannon]

Originally Posted by diamondsnake

Why do you think tickets at the Borgata will be issued to a bunch of people who could care less? Are they given to businesses or something? I am in rows 1-5 and if this is the case I will take full advantage of empty seats in front of me!

When I went to Vegas in 2001 to see Stevie at the Aladdin I saw empty seats in the Golden Circle which were comp seats for the high rollers at the hotel. Those seats remained empty as security were not allowing anyone else into the golden circle. This irked me somewhat.. as did the people from the GC who were leaving during Edge of 17

Pip

[Gypsy-Rhiannon]

Originally Posted by rezamatic

I totally understand where people are coming from with this. After thinking about it, if it happened to me I'd be pretty angry - IF they were affecting the concert experience for me. General admission shows are the worst with this, because people stand in front of you and block out your view. But my stand on the matter is this... If somebody had their chance at better seats than us and found something better to do than actually show (which is going to be the case at a casino hotel, most assuredly) then it's too much of a waste to let them go empty. Granted, sometimes people have to cancel. But you have to realize that half of those great seats (especially at the Borgata Casino show) are handed out to people who could care less. I never look at it as pushing other people out of the way or 'outdoing others', as much as filling a void that a non-fan left for a non...non-fan. It pains me to see people with fantastic seats NOT filling them, when I did my best to get good seats and only came up with mediocre ones. I guess that could just be the bratty youth in me talking, so I apologize to anyone that may deck, clock, brain or tusk me at the show. As long as people aren't getting in my way or ruining the show for me in any manner, I see no problems with it. Courteous opportunism.

I prefer genral admission. I saw Sheryl Crow a couple of weeks ago and the floor area was general admission. We got there early, chatted, soaked up the atmosphere and were lucky enough to be down the front. The same for FM for the Behind The Mask Tour. General admission at Wembley Stadium. The big enough fans will get there mega early (which we did) and the reward was a great spot at the front!