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Simon Evans
Nov-13-2006, 11:02 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom

How immature can you be. Don´t you understand that the security people are merely protecting the rights of those people who don´t want to dance - why should you have a monopoly on what is right? Different people have different ways of appreciating music - some people prefer just to listen and contemplate the music and the lyrics. Others, like you, want to dance. Paul was absolutely right to point how selfish it is to ruin the concert experience for other people. Grow up! It´s people like you who give Paul Simon fans a bad name.

Søren
Nov-13-2006, 11:25 GMT
IP:
Denmark

Take it easy, Simon. While you might have a point, there is no reason for this kind of talk! Please consider this: If you would like to be guaranteed to be able to sit down for the entire show while also being able to see the entire stage you should buy a ticket for the elevated seats on the side. I have been to a lot of concerts with full seating like this one (Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan) and EVERYONE OF THEM ended with people at the front rows getting up dancing in front of the stage at some point. So unless this was ones first concert this should absolutely be expected!

And BTW, Paul was in no way pointing out that it was "selfish" to get up there. He said (quote) "I though you could stand there - but I guess you can´t. There is to much... (pointing to his head) thinking going on" (unqoute). Merely indicating that it was a matter of the security people being a little too much on their toes.
I can understand people getting a bit frustrated having to stand up to see - if they wanted to sit down for the entire show, but then again, as I said, if that is what they expected, then they haven´t been to a lot of concerts before, so either live music is not that important to them or they have a lot more concerts to go to in the future, in which they will know what to expect.

Matthew Evans
Nov-13-2006, 12:17 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom

If going to a concert and dancing is immature then god help us all!!

Only Living Boy In New York, Duncan, Wartime Prayers - Sit down and reflect.

Cecilia, You Can Call Me All, Late In The Evening - Get up and dance, even if you don´t want to dance it won´t hurt you to stand up so that those who want to dance can do to the more upbeat numbers.

Why should people who want to sit have their rights elevated above those who want to dance as you are suggesting?

Like Soren says if you want to sit down then there is plenty of opportunity to do so down the sides.

Where do us dancers go?

Matthew Evans 
Nov-13-2006, 12:19 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom

By the way I am no relation to Simon (thankfully).

Bodo
Nov-13-2006, 12:55 GMT
IP:
Austria

Well, on this point I will not change my opinion and give up 1 millimeter.
If you only want to enyoj the music you should sit in your living room and listen to the original studio recordings, whatever you might believe, they sound best and deliver the best sound quality.

I am grown up, I am 28 years Old - but I experience that some people grow and grow and grow until they are boring grey old people. Others like Julie or Chris are still so young in their heart and have so much fun at a concert, that you can learn a lot from them.

Paul should realize that he has different fans, and that there are MANY people at his shows which do not want to sit all time, with folded arms and eyes which kill everyone around them.

You can have your seat on the side - or if you only want to enjoy the music then you also do not have to see man himself. Just sit there, close your eyes, listen, and wonder why the people around you have so much fun.

Bodo
Nov-13-2006, 13:03 GMT
IP:
Austria

Thanks Soren...you said it much better than I did, but I think exactly the same. I am going to be upset too easy :-)


Maybe it is in general a problem that Pauls tickets are too expensive, and then the rich older audience is sitting in front rows. At other shows when you have a standing area in front of the stage this are often the cheapest tickets.


But Paul also gives us/me the feeling that he doesn`t want us to dance (while often he said the opposite in interviews)
He playes 1 fast song (Me and Julio) where it is a shame if you do not stand up and dance (I hope I never get that boring), and then he plays Train In The Distance. And then Cecilia, after that The Only Living Boy In New York. His changes in the mood are often too radical, it would need 2 1/2 joyfull songs to create a excellent atmosphere.

Matthew Evans
Nov-13-2006, 13:12 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom

In fact Paul told everybody to stand up in Birmingham and motioned for people to come to the front.

Tom
Nov-13-2006, 15:49 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom

I think you are being too harsh on Simon. If you have a problem with being asked to sit down (given that this was pretty early in the gig), don´t buy a ticket for an all seated show, rather than calling guys just doing their jobs orangutans! We can all enjoy what was a great concert in different ways, none better than the other

Erkki
Nov-13-2006, 17:48 GMT
IP:
Finland

I too was at the concert and had flown from Finland to get there. For me Paul Simons music (and a lot of other music) is very important and very emotional (including some of the fast songs, You can call me... etc). I don´t see why I shouldn´t be able to sit down and enjoy it?

Your argument, Bodo, about staying at home and listening to the cd is not very cleaver is it?
You know as well as others that a live experience is so much more than a cd at home. (Need I argue why?)

What a lot of people here seem to disregard is that when you stand up in a seated venue you are blocking someone elses sight. Who gave you that right?

I am very glad that the music makes you want to move. Good for you, bàºt don´t you think that there are better places to do that than in front of sitting people in a venue that isn´t buildt like an auditorium? I do.

I feel at a concert like this (I don´t see Paul Simon too often)that it is important for me to enjoy the music in a subtle and considering way. We are all different allthough united in our Love for Pauls music.

But would it be okay if the best way for me to enjoy Pauls music was to sing along att the top of my lungs? I kind of don´t think so.
It was i brilliant show though.

Bodo
Nov-13-2006, 18:48 GMT
IP:
Austria

Well, I hope this was not my last Paul Simon concert. From the arguments I read hear I am very disappointed, it is for me absolute not understandable how someone can sit when Paul is playing Diamonds on the soles of here shoes or You Can Call Me Al. I can understand that people sit at a Simon and Garfunkel show, i was sitting there in Miami in 2003 and absolutely never had the feeling that I should stand up.

What I do not understand is that you argument that everyone HAS to sit, simply because you want to sit all the time. As Soren asked - where is the place for the dancers then? Where is it ??
Don´t you think it would be better if Paul is playing in arenas with standing AND sitting areas? Why does he ask people to stand up and dance in Bournemouth - does he want to destroy the pleasure of sitting people (in your opinion he is doing that... ?)


It is strange, I never thought that Paul Simon fans are so different. No one at a George Michael concert would be angry about dancing people, or sitting people.

BTW: Yes, you need to argue why a live experience should be different than to sitting in a arena - if you just sit there and wish no one else of the audience would be there. The sound of Simon is captured on any live CD or DVD much better than you will ever hear it in a concert hall with all it´s echoe effects and unbalanced sounds - you even will see him better than sitting in front row. Buy a videobeamer for the next money you save on a trip to a Paul Simon concert and watch the YTO DVD, there you have everything, cristal clear, close to his lips, see all the musicians - perfect for pure listeners.
The joy of a live concert is to be there with a few thousand people who also enjoy exactly this music, know every verse, sing with it and dance.
Did you ever try it? I guess not - because you will enjoy the concert much more.

Wim
Nov-13-2006, 19:17 GMT
IP:
Netherlands

Come on, I don´t believe this!

Sue Ridgway
Nov-13-2006, 19:54 GMT
IP:
United Kingdom

Bodo, I´m definitely one of the dancers, even though I´m in my fifties (well, only just!) I was itching to get up at Birmingham, but didn´t like to until someone else did it. Although, in the end, I just had to get up and others followed me! From the very first song he played, I was bouncing around wanting to dance! Luckily, in Manchester I had my sons with me, and they just pulled me up and we went to the front of the stage. But I also believe that we must consider the feelings of people who may be too self-conscious of standing up or dancing. It doesn´t mean they´re not enjoying the music. That´s why I prefer to go either into the aisle or in front of the stage. I really don´t like to stand in front of someone who´s still sitting. If they´re still sitting, it doesn´t necessarily mean they´re not enjoying the concert. I think you´re being a bit unfair on some people.

Bodo
Nov-13-2006, 20:11 GMT
IP:
Austria

You are right Sue. But in the end I think there will not be any good conclusion.

And I still think that all these people will enjoy the concert even more if they stood up, put their arms around the girl next to them and dance a little bit. It is true, I also can enjoy Paul Simons music sitting (for example when I sit in my car...) - but definately I think you enjoy it much more when dancing.

But (I was not sure if I should mention that, but now I will) - I think it has also to do something with a folks temperament. The more northern you go, the less temperament people have (thats not true for individuals, but in general...) And it has a lot to do with the fact that there are so many older people on a Paul Simon show - and then come with the argument that ´you have to grow up´ until you can really enjoy a Paul Simon concert and only sit there... in fact I think it´s the opposite, you should become younger and let oneself go.

Bodo
Nov-13-2006, 20:17 GMT
IP:
Austria

BTW.: I wouldn´t argue so long if this wouldn´t have been the first time that I made such a experience. At all other Paul Simon concerst I have been before people stood up after the first 6-8 songs, and never have been urged by the security (or audience) to sit down again. If you are in the first row it is the best position to stand up and stand in front of Paul, but these people there never moved from their place.

Scaaty
Nov-14-2006, 13:42 GMT
IP:
Ireland

I was about 30 rows from the front where everyone was just sitting. It was like a dead weight around, there were a few people obviously responding to the music but like my self they were intimidated into behaving like it was an opera we were at.
The good part was it was very easy for me to go way up to the front, and there was nothing saidabout sitting down.
At billy joel which was all seating, most were standing, and the sitters didn´t complain, but even they were lively.
I blame the S&G set and as much as l Love S&G music in itself) its why I think its important to emphasize once and for all that Paul Simon is not the same as S&G!!

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