Why are we still queuing days in advance for gigs?
Dedicated fans started camping outside The O2 arena 3 days before The 1975’s show.
Photo by Sushil Nash for Unsplash
Since the beginning of time, aka when the first iPhone was launched, people have camped outside for a ridiculous amount of time just to be the first ones in the building. Now, in 2024, young and impressionable fans are seen on the streets of London in their pyjamas and quite literally camping outside one of the biggest arenas, The O2, to be front row for their favourite band.
I’m not entirely sure what it is that motivates someone to do such a thing. Sure, waking up at 6AM and getting there in the morning of the gig is a far more plausible situation, but rocking up three days in advance is, to put it plainly, ludicrous. People will turn up when doors open and be at the barrier. You cannot police a crowd, and you definitely cannot try and control your way to the front because you feel like you deserve it. No one is asking you to sleep outside for three days.
With windy conditions and bad weather, it seems odd that The 1975 or the venue wouldn’t speak out against this. It’s more an issue of safety than that of why on Earth they’re queuing so early in the first place. If bands don’t speak out, these fans will continue. No one should have to suffer — it’s not fun or quirky and shouldn’t be encouraged.
If this wasn’t already enough, the fact there are designated “queue leaders” that you are told to come to for your number is beyond ridiculous. What happened to the days of arriving at a gig at a normal hour and queuing like the rest of the paying crowd? Why are we policing queues? Queuing is so quintessentially British: you turn up, stand until your legs ache and, if you leave, you go to the back or you ask the person behind you to hold your spot. There’s a fine line between enjoying yourself and a tightly-knit army regime.
Life is too short to spend three whole days sitting around waiting for a gig that’ll be over after a few hours. No band is worth putting yourself in physical pain for.
