Concert guest sparks outrage after blocking view of stage with sign

People are expressing their outrage over concert guests who bring signs, which ultimately block other fans’ views of the stage.

In a video posted to TikTok earlier this month, one fan, @glitterkitty9000, shared footage that they captured during K-pop band Stray Kids’s recent concert in Fort Worth, Texas. The clip showed the fan standing at the show, which was part of the group’s 2023 Maniac World tour, while another person stood in front of them and held up a large sign.

Throughout the seven-second clip, the fan proceeded to hold up the sign and move it side to side as the group performed on stage. In the caption, @glitterkitty9000 addressed their disappointment about their seat, since their view of the stage was almost entirely blocked.

“I hate sitting in the middle,” they wrote. “Y’all front people lucky I need tips because I’m never lucky.” The clip was also set to an TikTok audio that featured a voice saying: “Girl, if you don’t put that f***ing sign down. S***.”

As of 11 April, the video has more than four million views, with TikTok users in the comments criticising the concert-goer for bringing a sign, while claiming that the band on stage wouldn’t even be able to see it.

“Like they [are going to] see it from that far,” one person wrote, while another added: “NO BC THEY WON’T EVEN SEE IT WHY DO YOU KEEP WAVING IT.”

A third said: “Signs are for the front row people.”

Other people questioned the sign for how much appeared to be written on it, while some revealed that they’ve had similar experiences at concerts.

“They wrote a whole paragraph on that thing, let alone being so far back,” one person wrote. “That’s crazy.”

“BRO THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME ON FLOOR AND IM 5’1,” another added. “I LITERALLY YELLED PUT THE BANNER DOWN MAN.”

“This happened to me bro, I was so annoyed,” a third wrote. “I had to tell the girl in front of me to keep her Lightstick at shoulder level.”

Along with @glitterkitty9000, multiple people have used the TikTok audio to showcase the signs that fans have held up at concerts. For example, @piwonsouls, shared a clip in February that was taken during K-pop band Tomorrow x Together’s (TXT) concert. As she stood in the pit, the TikTok user filmed the fans in front of her, who could be seen holding up signs and waving their arms side to side.

“You guys need to stop with these signs at K-pop concerts,” she wrote in the text over the video, which has more than one million views. “Because [what the f***] is this…If there’s a sign blocking my view at TXT, I’m ripping it in half.”

This isn’t the first time concert guests behaviour has sparked an etiquette debate on social media. Last week, a fan was seen twerking during one of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour shows, prompting viewers to question the appropriateness of the dance move during a concert.

Last month, a video of a fan singing louder than Billie Eilish at her concert also resurfaced amid the ongoing debate about concert etiquette. While some felt like fans should sing as loud as they want, others said the behaviour was an example of bad concert etiquette.