GUEST:Lln's pet peeves:
1. Loud and inconsiderate people who talk loud and especially those who just cannot refrain from talking loud on their cell phones while the performer is on the stage. It just seems that people cannot be without their cell phones no matter what. I just think it is so rude to talk when a folk/acoustic performer is singing.

This also goes for restaurants and public libraries. People on cell phones seem to have to talk at a very high volume. Occasionally I have answered a person who asked a question, not realizing they were on their cell phone. Often I get an annoyed,"I wasn't talking to you." It happens even more often now that the in ear phones are here.

2. People who sing-along to the performer's song (when the performer) has not asked for the audience to participate and sing on that song. It actually is very inconsiderate of those around who want to hear the performer only!! If the singer asks for a sing-a-long then that's different.

This depends on the venue for me. in a soft seat theatre show where listeners have paid an admittance fee it would not be appreciated. In a pub or an outdoor concert, it might be fine.

3. People who stand up in front of you when most people are sitting.
Some people are physically unable to stand at a concert and therefore when someone stands up, and stays standing, it makes it difficult for other's to enjoy the concert. I'm not even talking about someone in a wheelchair (who cannot stand at all) but even other people who cannot stand up at a concert.

This seems to be a trend. Many concerts where I have paid for a seat, I find that if I want to use it, I have to spend the evening looking at someone's rear end. I've yet to be behind an attractive rear end.

The dancing crowd are one of my pet peeves. Some festivals (Winnipeg and Shelter Valley) have places at the side for dancers, so they won't block the view of the audience, but there are other venues where the dancers want to become a part of the show and choose to do their dancing in front of the stage, blocking the view of the audience. At one festival that i attended last year, the M.C. announced to the folks who had been sitting on blankets at the front of the stage,"This next group likes to get the dancing crowd up, so you folks sitting at the front had better move if you don't want to get trampled. As a result, these people lost their prime viewing places and were forced to find a place way at the back of the crowd.