THIS IS A LETTER THAT I WROTE TO THE DAYTON DAILY NEWS

I attended the first two concerts of the season (Goo Goo Dolls & Gregg Allman) at Fraze Pavilion over the weekend.  For the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed myself at both shows.  But, I have to say that I had something happen to me that has NEVER happened before in my almost 30 years of concert-going: I was asked by the staff to SIT DOWN.   I was not drunk, belligerent, or standing on my chair,  I wasn’t even flailing about.  I was standing up because I was excited by what I was seeing on stage, and I was told that I had to take my seat.

My seats were in the second row of the pavilion, just behind the folding chair section.  I turned around and looked back at the crowd behind me.  Almost all of them were sitting down.  This wasn’t during a slow song or even a new one that no one knows (we all sat down through those), this particular song was “Statesboro Blues,” a highpoint of ANY Allman Brothers show for years (and I’ve been to six previously).

The staff person later apologized and said that she only tells people to sit down when she’s had five complaints.  Complaints for standing during a concert?  I didn’t see this in the list of Fraze “Do’s and Don’ts” To compare, the night before at the Goo Goo Dolls, everyone stood THE ENTIRE TIME. There were times when I needed to sit down and take a break.  I didn’t complain, if I wanted to see, I stood up!

I’m not sure where to direct my anger at this, the people who complained or the staff person that actually listened.  Why go to a rock concert if you’re going to sit down the entire time?  I’ve been to concerts where the experience has been ruined by that wasted, out of control fan.  But, this was different.

Note to those fans who want to sit down the entire time: next time, buy the DVD, and stay home.

Tony Peters
Kettering, OH