Raised arms, shuffling legs, waving phones and falling posters — this is the chaos of a concert. Recently, the culture around attending concerts has grown out of hand, ruined by disruptive concert etiquette and excessive parasocial relationships, sometimes encouraged by the artists themselves. To improve the concert experience for all, fans should act with more empathy and respect for both the performer and other fans, regardless of the temptation of recognition or adrenaline-inducing bliss.
Concerts are viewed as life-changing events — a time for fans to scream out their favorite lyrics in front of the artists who soundtrack their lives. From scrambling for tickets to spending hours preparing the perfect outfit, there is no doubt that concerts generate prized memories.
“Entering the stadium is a really fun part,” said junior Myra Kambo, who attended Tate McRae’s “Miss Possessive” tour. “When you’re really excited for something to begin, your nerves are insane. You think, ‘Oh my gosh, this is crazy.’ It’s so surreal.”
Yet when excitement overwhelms reason, concerts can quickly descend into chaos. Fans can get worked up to the point of injuring others. Habits like crowd surfing can jeopardize safety. Rude etiquette, such as invading others’ personal space or blocking views, is also bothersome. Concerts are places prone to overstimulation: disruptive cheering, aggressive movements and intense fervor. Although they are also places to gather with thousands of strangers who share a musical passion, attendees may face disrespectful behaviors: cutting lines, screaming too loud or getting shoved against seats.
“At the Lorde concert, my friends and I had pretty good seats, right in front of the pit,” junior Aditi Satish said. “But then some people tried coming down right where we were before the concert, blocking other people before us who had been there since 4 p.m. We kind of argued, but they were just making it awkward.”
These attitudes can grow into issues that also affect the artist. There have been numerous recent instances of fans throwing phones or bottles onto the stage, sometimes striking the artist. At artist P!NK’s concert in London, a fan hurled a ziploc bag onstage, which allegedly contained their mother’s ashes. Users online commented on how unfathomably disrespectful the incident was. Parasocial relationships heavily influence these relationships — singers sell the image of an amiable, neighborhood artist to gain more listeners, giving fans an illusion of intimacy. As a result, fans often seek the attention of musicians they idolize, pursuing one-sided, obsessive relationships believing that certain actions are justified for recognition.
“The artist’s marketing and their public relation teams try to make them seem more human so that people can relate to them,” said freshman Ria Malhotra, who has attended concerts by Laufey, the Weeknd and Conan Gray. “People think they can just abuse it and overstep boundaries.”
Music genres may also influence fan behavior, encouraging concert-goers to throw themselves into something dangerous or foolish. A singer’s unique style of music may appeal to certain crowds, with uptempo and more intense melodies attracting crowds that engage in fiercer behavior. For example, punk rock concerts include fans who practice gobbing, or spitting on each other and the artist. Pop and rap music is also known to have some of the loudest, most enthusiastic fans, with Taylor Swift’s shows causing actual earthquakes. In one instance, pop singer Bebe Rexha was performing in New York City when she was struck by a phone and collapsed on-stage, later requiring stitches around her eye. Rapper Playboi Carti also has the reputation of performing extremely loud and passionate shows .
“In the Carti fan base, people go crazy,” Class of 2025 alum Snehil Kakani said. “I’ve seen people online do all kinds of weird stuff to worship Carti, glazing him, treating him like a god. It’s the way that he markets and promotes his music, with a certain theme and aura of mystery around everything that gets people more hooked on.”
Oftentimes, how an artist shapes their media personality can influence behavior. Mainstream singers frequently interact casually with fans online, which concertgoers can misinterpret as permission to disregard boundaries. Pop artist Billie Eillish makes relatively calmer music compared to intense rap or rock, but she’s been hit at concerts numerous times. Eilish is a Gen Z singer who is active on social media, perhaps suggesting a closer and more vulnerable personality to her audience.
“Singers seem really friendly to fans, accessible and nice because that’s the way their marketing describes them,” De Anza psychology Professor Mark Healy said. “Artists who are also more in the mainstream attract more harmful people in contrast to more niche music scenes. It’s when you get popular and you get popular with the normies where it will be less safe.”
Singers are often relied upon to establish limitations with fans. However, fans should also understand that artists are not just the voices that they hear on the radio or the posters on their bedroom walls. Fans need to hold themselves accountable at concerts, which are still public spaces that demand respect and manners. The safety of others should be prioritized, not jeopardized by selfish, ignorant desires for attention or personal gratification. Music is a big aspect of many lives, weaving together decades of life, capable of passing memories on to the next generation.
“I’m sharing a very special part of my life with my kids: the songs I fell in love with, the songs I used to dance with girls to, the songs I’d listen to while driving my car to high school,” Spanish teacher Michael Esquivel said. “Those songs from my childhood bring back so many good memories that I am able to share.”
