Once I was watching Townes Van Zandt and the sound guy was blabbering like crazy to people across the bar

Another time during mellow sections of Mazzy Star audience members wouldn't shut up

During Kristen Hersh the same

At all those shows I actually screamed at people to 'SHUT THE FUCK UP!'

Even at the symphony I've heard chatter

During an acoustic section of Swans, Michael Gira lost his temper at a show I was at because people we're so loud. I saw it happen to Phil Collins, Dire Straits and countless people who aren't famous.

Hell, Art Blakey had to beg people to be quiet.

Makes me angry. If people want to chat why the hell do they go to concerts?

You know what I hate? I hate when some drunk guy at Yoshi's who is sitting right in front of me decides to STAND ON HIS GODDAMN CHAIR. I swear, I wanted to throw a glass at this guy.

Are you making fun of me or do drunk guys really stand on chairs at jazz clubs?

No, I'm not making fun of you. I saw Salif Keita last night for my neighbor's birthday, and he had most of the people in the room up and dancing. This is fine, because I'm in the front of the second level (elevated a foot or two above the first), so I can still see above the people who're standing/dancing. However, this environment makes this drunk asshole in front of me think that it's alright to stand on his frickin' chair, completely blocking my view of the stage. I don't think I would've even been able to see if I was standing up.

You lucky son of a...
Did he play 'Tu Vas Me Manquer'? How about 'Ana Na Ming'? 'Ana Na Ming' is a beautiful song.

It is fucking annoying indeed, some people feel they need to comment on everything that happens to their mates (at Elysian Fields) or they don't really like the opening band (Magnolia Electric Co.) and/or start dancing then even though it's no dancey music at all, they clap, especially at festivals, terrible if you're just watching Sigur Rós for example.

They say that going to concerts is now very popular in a groupbonding way, to meet people etc. But if I go to a concert, it's for the music, so I don't want to disturbed... I'm only willing to make an exception for cute busty girls.

I agree. It's very annoying. It's like people who talk during movies in the theater. SHUT UP!!! At a live performance it's not only annoying but IMO rude to the performer.

it REALLY depends on the perfomer and venue i think. i think the chair is the only gripe i'd really support. people are going to talk at a show, if the performers want silence they should mention it and play an appropriate venue like an art gallery, or a bookstore.

ohterwise they're playing in an environment that serves alcohol for the purpose of selling alcohol. i know it goes against the wonderful ideal that everyone in attendance is in it for the art of the deal but seriously, if you're playing a show in a club type environment it's because the owners of the bar are hoping you will draw enough people that want to buy booze. and what happens when people get loaded??? they get loud and rude, it's how it is.

so talking at a show, whatever. standing on a chair and blocking other people, i'd ask them to get down and if they give me attitude i'd tip chair over.

I would say it depends on the venue and show as well. At a loud rock concert, it doesn't matter at all, but at an acoustic show it is probably going to be annoying if it goes beyond a few random comments (which people should expect). What is interesting is that I saw Michael Hedges twice and no one was bothersome at all, but the first time I saw Ani DiFranco thee were two people in front of me that would not shut up. In fact, they talked through Victoria Williams, Leo Kottke, Alison Kraus...hmm pretty much the whole damn event.

I go to a fair amount of shows alone, partly because the only girls that want to date me seem to despise my music, and partly because many of my friends are the same way So there are times when it has been extrmemely irritating because I can't even divert my attention from it.

We do seem to be becoming more impolite as a society. I try to keep in mind that people do worse things these days, and to be honest unless the chatter is incessant I can usually block it out.

Indeed, I agree with what Seerix said. Too bad I'm too shy to reprimand any talkers.