I had the privilege of seeing Twenty One Pilots in concert on June 19th in Hershey, PA. Having scored front field tickets, I was among the giant mass of fans trying to press their way as close to the stage as possible to see Josh and Tyler perform. My sister is a massive fan of theirs and kept pressing forward into the crowd and while I like their music, I'd never want to be in a mosh pit again, at any concert, not just for TOP.
Fandoms are what we call a group of people who are obsessed, in love with, and know everything about their favorite musicians, actors and actresses, and even authors. Social media as created a huge network for fans all over the world to connect and share their love for their favorite groups with people who share the same passion. While I think that's great and helps people who find solace in the music, books or performances of their idols, there are a few things about fandoms and superfans that I think we need to draw attention to.
What's the deal with everyone losing all manners and respect for others as soon as they enter a concert venue? I understand this is your chance to see your favorite person(s) in the entire world up close and personal, but that doesn't mean you have to step on others to do so. I was shoved multiple times without even an 'excuse me' or 'sorry', including when I was clunked on the head by a woman's elbow as she was dancing around. She gave me a look as if I had somehow done her wrong by interrupting her dancing by standing next to her and my head happened to be in the way, which doesn't make any sense in the slightest. I also had to scream at people to make a path for medical staff that was on hand when a girl next to me passed out and security was doing their best to get them through the crowd to help the girl. There wasn't even anyone on stage when this happened, so I knew people could hear me. The fact that you won't move for ten seconds while medical personnel are trying to get by to attend to someone is downright selfish.
This is my reminder to everyone that is a part of the Clique, the Beyhive, Directioners, Katy Cats, and whatever fandom army names you can think of: your idols are people just like you. They just happen to have a lot more money that they worked for and earned with the natural talents they were blessed with. There's no reason to freak out and stampede when you see them, you'll just ruin the experience for others around you. You came to enjoy the talent and have a good time, so jump around, scream the lyrics, and be thankful for the experience-- just try to be a decent person at the same time, okay?
From,
Your friendly concert-goer.
p.s. it's also not okay to stalk and try to obtain private information about your favorite celebrity. They are entitled to their privacy as much as you are and you should respect that in its entirety.
