Concert etiquette (concerning going to the toilet)

AnarionKing

So for all the major shows I've ever been to, it has always been the first time I have watched the band/artist. Therefore I have been adamant about not going to the toilet, in fear of missing a great song or such - no matter how much I've needed to go.

But now that I will soon see PJ for the second, third and fourth time, I was contemplating doing what many others are doing, and that is going to the toilet during a song like Even Flow. This will be a good thing, I reckon.

What I was wondering, as I usually always stand in the middle quite close to the stage, is how do you get back there after you have been to the toilet? Do you just push your way past people to get back to where you were (as politely as possible of course), or are you destined to watch the rest of the concert from the outskirts with other toiletgoers? :P

Is there any proper etiquette for this? ^^

eMMI

Don't go to the toilet. :P

I've seen Pearl Jam six times now and not once have I taken a bathroom break. Granted, I don't drink too much before the show, not to mention during it.

However if you really have to go for a tinkle, go for it, I'm not gonna judge. But with the getting back to the spot you left - politeness is key. Nobody likes to be pushed and shoved unnecessarily and yelling at people about "just getting back to your spot" ain't gonna help. So, good luck with it and prepare to lose your previous place in the crowd. (Especially since the crowd will obviously move around quite a bit during the concert.)

DeLukin

If you leave during the Mike McCready mind-blow portion of the show, you deserve to have people pissed at you. So please step on their feet/posters, bump into them, obstruct their view, ruin their concentration, etc. on your way back to your seat. If there is justice in the universe maybe karma will pay you back and you'll get a beer dumped on you.

AnarionKing

DeLukin wrote:

If you leave during the Mike McCready mind-blow portion of the show, you deserve to have people pissed at you. So please step on their feet/posters, bump into them, obstruct their view, ruin their concentration, etc. on your way back to your seat. If there is justice in the universe maybe karma will pay you back and you'll get a beer dumped on you.

That's harsh Alright, alright, I wont be going to no bathroom. Just have to trust that the intensity of the show will evaporate and burn away all the liquid in my body, just has it has on most of the shows I've been to

Mr Rocko

I've never thought about this situation, but it seems that is better to stay in your place the whole show. But trust me I bet that with the hype of the show you won't even notice your basic necessities. Good luck with that mate!

eMMI

DeLukin wrote:

If you leave during the Mike McCready mind-blow portion of the show, you deserve to have people pissed at you. So please step on their feet/posters, bump into them, obstruct their view, ruin their concentration, etc. on your way back to your seat. If there is justice in the universe maybe karma will pay you back and you'll get a beer dumped on you.

(This post reminds me!) Let's also not forget about the seating/no seating difference between European and US shows. Naturally there are seated tickets for EU shows aswell.

But when going to the bathroom, it's a totally different thing when you have an actual seat to go back to.

chelsea48

Take an empty bottle with you. .At Hyde park they have mixed toilets :oops:

CJMST3K

I was center-aisle on the floor for MSG II in 2008. It was entertaining watching Ed's eyes dart back and forth as people left the floor as he started singing the beginning to Evenflow.

AnarionKing

CJMST3K wrote:

I was center-aisle on the floor for MSG II in 2008. It was entertaining watching Ed's eyes dart back and forth as people left the floor as he started singing the beginning to Evenflow.

"If a look could kill..."

CJMST3K

AnarionKing wrote:

CJMST3K wrote:

I was center-aisle on the floor for MSG II in 2008. It was entertaining watching Ed's eyes dart back and forth as people left the floor as he started singing the beginning to Evenflow.

"If a look could kill..."

As he's singing dead-center to the audience (which at MSG there is an aisle) his eyes did this for the first minute.

Northern Exposure

This is a funny post.

Dance, sweat, jump up & down - if you get lottery tix, then I suggest NO bathroom break & it won't matter anyway, cuz you probably already pissed yourself when you picked up your tix from the box office.

DONT go during Even Flow. Well, not at the beginning anyway - funny, it's on my music payer right now - what are the chances of that?

Go during intermission (ladies, the guys don't mind when you use their bathroom

See ya at Jazz Fest & MSG2!

Stereotype

That's fun(ny) Never miss an opportunity to pee
Don't drink too much, esp. not beer and I think you won't have to go.

When reading this - the same question crossed my mind but in a festival situation. If you want front section or something like that - I know some people are by the rail from early afternoon and then for 6-7 hours - when do they pee? Do people let them back and hold their spot? It is a mistery

CJMST3K

I premptively peed at the Halloween show, and I missed Amongst The Waves... the one song I petitioned on here for them to play. The rest of the evening had a cloud over my head. Really wanted to hear that.

If they don't play it in Bristow or NY 1 or 2, I will seriously do something bad.

doompony

it is possible to just not pee and not feel it. my only real experience of an all day pearl jam extravaganza was in auckland last year. we got to the venue about 11.30 or so. made use of the port a loos while we were lounging about waiting to get in. we were lucky to have such a relaxed situation. so last pee-stop would have been about 2.30 in the afternoon, if that. front row at 4.15. pearl jam left the stage at 10.15 pm. didn't pee again til i got back to the hotel at about 11.

was fine and dandy.

dustinpardue

AnarionKing wrote:

So for all the major shows I've ever been to, it has always been the first time I have watched the band/artist. Therefore I have been adamant about not going to the toilet, in fear of missing a great song or such - no matter how much I've needed to go.

But now that I will soon see PJ for the second, third and fourth time, I was contemplating doing what many others are doing, and that is going to the toilet during a song like Even Flow. This will be a good thing, I reckon.

What I was wondering, as I usually always stand in the middle quite close to the stage, is how do you get back there after you have been to the toilet? Do you just push your way past people to get back to where you were (as politely as possible of course), or are you destined to watch the rest of the concert from the outskirts with other toiletgoers? :P

Is there any proper etiquette for this? ^^

do your thing. people should be empathetic to someone having to piss.

Hinn

Wear a diaper. Or modify a she-wee.

RiseAbove_10

My bathroom break songs: Betterman (if it's the beginning, can't miss the tag,) Last Kiss, Thin Air (sorry Stone,) Small Town, Jeremy and Just Breathe (aw huh)