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What to expect in GA

fivehorizons95fivehorizons95 Posts: 86
edited October 2013 in The Porch
I managed to score GA tickets for several nights in this tour. What can I expect in the pit? I'm 5'3" and fairly small, so it can be a bit of a challenge for me. I was at a FOB concert a few weeks ago and after trying to hang a few rows from the front, my boyfriend had to pull me out because it got WAY too rough. People getting hit in the face, guys literally shoving you down to the floor to get past you... I even saw someone get knocked out next to me because some idiot decided to crowd surf and kick around. My friend got a concussion in that same incident. Don't know if it was just immature assholes at a pop punk show or if that's what you should always expect? Because if so... oh boy, I need to start lifting weights or something :lol:
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    SpartanacusSpartanacus San Diego Posts: 796
    Maybe this would've been the case in 1991-1993...but I have a feeling it will be pretty chill. Super excited for my first GA shows in over 13 years in the club!
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    fivehorizons95fivehorizons95 Posts: 86
    Spartanacus wrote:
    Maybe this would've been the case in 1991-1993...but I have a feeling it will be pretty chill. Super excited for my first GA shows in over 13 years in the club!

    Good to know, thanks! And I bet, this is a real treat :D
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    Leezestarr313Leezestarr313 Temple of the cat Posts: 14,346
    I've been to several GA shows before, including PJ last year in Berlin. It depends on where you want to be. If you decide you NEED to be at the rail in order to enjoy the show, you might get crushed a little. Go a little farther back, where I would assume the sound is a little better than right in the front too, dance your ass off, sing your lungs out and have a fantastic time. I don't think not seeing the boys as close as possible takes away from the musical experience, but that's just my personal opinion. Also, when it gets too stuffed, Ed will stop and ask everybody to take a couple of steps back to relax the density a bit. It's not like the majority of PJ fans are angry teenagers who don't care about anybody else, it's not a war zone :)

    Enjoy your shows to the max :wave:
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    mikerlmikerl Posts: 580
    im willing to bet it will be different in every city. BUT getting kicked in the back of the head by a crowd surfer is pretty common, and you should kinda expect it.
    Hartford 1996, Hartford 1998, Mansfield 1 1998, Mansfield 1 2000, Mansfield 2 2000, Albany 2003, MSG 2 2003, Mansfield 3 2003, Boston 2 2004, Albany 2006, Boston 2 2006, Mansfield 2 2008, Boston 2010, Worcester 1 2013, Worcester 2 2013
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    Walking the milesWalking the miles Toronto Posts: 548
    Spartanacus wrote:
    Maybe this would've been the case in 1991-1993...but I have a feeling it will be pretty chill. Super excited for my first GA shows in over 13 years in the club!

    My first GA show in a long time too. I'm sure most will take care of each other out there. Always a decent crowd that I've seen.
    "Feel the path of everyday....which road you taking?"

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    SPEEDY MCCREADYSPEEDY MCCREADY Posts: 24,791
    Rage In The Cage!!!!!!
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    shortstackshortstack Posts: 2,339
    angry gun owning bird flippers
    did you see me? i saw you.
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    lateralus963lateralus963 Posts: 381
    Luckily everyone in the pit should be 10 club members and their guest. Pearl Fans for the most part are good people and we are much old... lol... so I can't imagine it will be rough. Might see something gross like some drunk fan pissing their paint cause they don't wanna lose their spot...lol...and maybe a push forward when they first come out... But that is about it... Also, I am sure if Eddie see anything happening, and he will be paying attention to the pit, he will make it stop or stop the show. I heard him warn crowds on CDs plenty.
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    YieldmanYieldman Posts: 119
    shortstack wrote:
    angry gun owning bird flippers

    :lol::lol::lol:
    M.Y.T.H.
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    ponner1usponner1us Posts: 736
    To paraphrase Eddie at Borgata in 05 (GA show), "none of this crowdsurfing bullshit, it's not 1992 anymore, we're older, wiser, and perhaps a bit more fragile. If you want to surf, the beach is that way. Otherwise, one of these fine gentlemen (security) will be helping you out." So I think if it starts getting a little too rough, the band and security will put a stop to it. I know they don't want anyone injured, or worse. Plus, we will all be looking out for each other, right?
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    slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,744
    Did the GA Pearl Jam shows in San Francisco in 2006. It was nothing too crazy or violent, but if you are claustrophobic, it can get pretty tight.

    You might find yourself pulling yourself back a few feet every now and then just to create some breathing room, but I wouldn't think your life would be in danger at any point. There won't be any moshing (is this still a thing?) or anything like that.
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
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    slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,744
    Did the GA Pearl Jam shows in San Francisco in 2006. It was nothing too crazy or violent, but if you are claustrophobic, it can get pretty tight.

    You might find yourself pulling yourself back a few feet every now and then just to create some breathing room, but I wouldn't think your life would be in danger at any point. There won't be any moshing (is this still a thing?) or anything like that.
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
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    slightofjeffslightofjeff Posts: 7,744
    Did the GA Pearl Jam shows in San Francisco in 2006. It was nothing too crazy or violent, but if you are claustrophobic, it can get pretty tight.

    You might find yourself pulling yourself back a few feet every now and then just to create some breathing room, but I wouldn't think your life would be in danger at any point. There won't be any moshing (is this still a thing?) or anything like that.
    everybody wants the most they can possibly get
    for the least they could possibly do
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    ZodZod Posts: 10,088
    I'm not sure because there's some interesting variables:

    1) Only part of the floor is GA. GA pits get more rowdy the more people have access to them. IE a music festival that's completely GA usually has a more crazy put than an Arena where only the floor is GA. The less people in the pit the less hectic it seems to get. Most of the squishing/pushing etc... up front comes from more people wanting to up front than is space up front.

    An Arena with a complete GA floor usually sells 2000 to 3000 tickets for the floor. So if you're at a 10c floor where half the floor is GA.. that would be 1000 to 1500 GA tickets? If you're at a show where its only 1/3 that could be 666 to 1000.

    There might not be enough people in the pits to make them super crazy.

    2) Age of the crowd. Most of the people up front are 10c members or friends/family/spouses of fan club members. I imagine the average age in the GA section could be in the 30s. I don't think 35 year olds are as eager to mosh as 20 year olds (I know I'm not).

    3) Springsteen & U2. I've seen both of the bands tour with GA sections up front and divided from the back. I've never seen moshing at them.

    4) The Wildcard. PJ does have some pretty crazy fans. They seem to attract a wide variety of fans. Jocks, assholes, geeks, music lovers, etc... Even in seated 10c events I've seen some pretty unruly behavior from people seated with 10c tickets. You just don't know who's going to be in the pit with you.


    My best guess: It won't be that bad. When the entire floor is GA you can usually stand about 10 rows (the equivalent of 10 seated rows) back and your out of the moshing. It's probably hard for someone 5'3 to see from that distance but you don't have to pull back that far. With only 1/3 to 1/2 of the floor being a pit.. you won't even have to go that far. The higher age of the fans in the pit and restricted numbers of people in it should make it a pretty good experience. Sure there might be some squishing up front but if you don't like it you probably won't have to move to far back.

    I don't think the pits will hold enough people to make it dense enough to support crowd surfing either.
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    backseatLover12backseatLover12 Posts: 2,312
    The main question here: how did you score GA to several shows? That's what I want to know.

    And GA gets more unpleasant the closer you are to the stage... Like any other show!
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    KamiKami Posts: 100
    Thanks for this post! I'm short too (5'2"), and I've been wondering the same thing since I managed to score GA for one show.

    In general I have faith in the PJ crowds (as well as the band) to help look out for each other. I hope that's actually the case :)
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