It's so embarrassing for our city, to be honest. by Anonymous I'm a big fan of live music, which is one of many reasons that I decided to move to Seattle. But the concert culture here can be so annoying, especially in venues where there are seats, like the Paramount, Moore Theatre, or Climate Pledge Arena. I went to a Future Islands concert at the Paramount where singer Samuel T. Herring was literally throwing himself across the stage, pouring his heart out while the band played fun, upbeat songs, while people just sat there and stared. Get up and dance, you idiots! I don't care if you think you're too cool to dance. If you don't like live music, then what are you doing here? This was in contrast to a show where I saw Future Islands a couple of years ago in a different city, where there were quite literally people dancing their hearts out with strangers and making new friends (myself included). I went to the Maggie Rogers concert at the Climate Pledge Arena, and she called people out who were sitting up close and begged them to get up and dance! It's so embarrassing for our city, to be honest. And I feel like people think I'm an inconvenience for wanting to stand at a concert. It's... a concert...? You're supposed to enjoy the music...? I get it if it's a slower song or not the type of artist that requires dancing or even standing. But that's not what I'm talking about. And I'm obviously not talking about people who are not able to stand up and dance—this is not an ableist commentary. This is a commentary on how everyone here thinks they're too cool to be seen enjoying things. News flash: We're all a bunch of nerds. Let your freak flag fly. I also hate how there's absolutely no love for the opening acts. At almost every single show I've been to in Seattle, the place is basically empty until the headliner starts. Supporting smaller or local artists is so important! I've discovered some of my favorite artists by going to the show on time to see the opening act. As someone who has performed on a stage before, there is absolutely nothing worse than when the audience isn't matching your energy or when the room is practically empty. For a city known for its music, Seattle doesn't support musicians the way they could and should be doing. The concert culture needs to change! Do you need to get something off your chest? Submit an I, Anonymous and we'll illustrate it! Send your unsigned rant, love letter, confession, or accusation to [email protected]. Please remember to change the names of the innocent and the guilty.