WILD is just around the corner, and we are all super excited. Ahead of the big event, I wanted to clarify some concert norms and guidelines. As someone who goes to a lot of concerts, I have seen it all: pushing and shoving, hundred-person mosh pits, and more. Yet, out of the many concerts I have been to, WashU students at WILD might have some of the worst concert etiquette of all, leading to rough, disjointed, and sometimes even troubling experiences. We should be enjoying the camaraderie of friends, great live music, and a few illicit substances that we may or may not have ingested in our apartment before the walk to campus, not preparing for battle.

I want to preface this by saying it’s not their fault. For many, if not most, WashU students, WILD is the only concert they go to all year, so they have not been exposed to proper concert etiquette.

Let’s begin with spacing, which may be the biggest problem I have seen at WILD. Try to leave around 3-4 inches, or about half the distance from your shoulder to your elbow, between you and your neighbor. Use this as an equilibrium position, which will allow you to see over the heads of the people in front of you and will give you and your neighbor (some) breathing room. If you are not in the spot you want to be in, pushing the crowd forward does not fix this problem; it will only exacerbate it. The more squished you are, the harder it will be to see the performing artist. You can, of course, jump and dance — this will impede on your neighbor’s space, and this is okay and expected. However, when you are done, revert back to your equilibrium. This extra space will allow you the freedom to enjoy the concert, as opposed to constantly pushing off people who encroach too much into your personal space.

Saving spots for friends is a gray area. While this is acceptable at most concerts I have observed, the WILD audience often takes this to a new, unacceptable level. One person cannot save a spot for their group of five or more friends. Nor can one friend group of six save a spot for their other friend group of eight. A group of, let’s say, four people can save a spot for a friend who has to come late. But when you do save a spot, make sure to save extra room for the person who is coming. Have a wider stance and tell your neighbors you are saving a spot for someone who is coming. However, if the headliner is already substantially into their set and your friend still has not arrived, that spot is gone. Just because you can technically fit a human in that quarter-of-an-inch of grass, that doesn’t mean you should. Be mindful about and caring of the people around you. This is the most important thing. We all know each other and see each other, so please be considerate to the people around you.

Along those lines, wear deodorant — a lot of it. You will be sweaty and smelly, but if we all put on deodorant, it will be much more bearable.

Regarding moshing and dancing, I am all for it. However, if you do mosh, clear a pit, then jump around; everyone will be a bit more squished for a song. But then stop, close the pit, and revert back to equilibrium. If someone falls down, pick them up. If someone loses something, like their glasses, pick them up, hold them in the air and yell, “Did someone lose their glasses?” (This happened to me at a Turnstile show, and a kind soul saved my glasses.) 

Once the headliner starts, be prepared to stay for the whole time. If you leave, even to go to the bathroom, expect that your spot will be taken. Do not get annoyed, push people out of the way, or sneak under them to try and find your friends back in the front.

As for having others sit on your shoulders, I am all for it. Though, if someone or multiple people ask you to stop, you should follow their request as you are blocking a whole section’s view.

For tall people (you know who you are) you generally have the same rules, but you should abide by them more strictly. If you want to be close, get there earlier and stand a bit more off to the side (if possible). Think about offering to switch with a much shorter person standing behind you. That being said, you have just as much a right to be there as anyone and should not be relegated to the back just because of your height.

Lastly, put the phones down. This is more a dream than a request (it is a problem at all the concerts I go to). Could we all just decide to record one song, go crazy, make it the best recording ever that we can post to our stories, and then keep our phones in our pockets for the rest of the show? It makes it even harder to see the stage when everyone has their phone in the air recording. Another piece of advice: make sure to keep your phone in a zipped pocket or fanny pack or closed purse. With all the jumping, dancing, and close quarters, it is so easy to lose your phone if you’re holding onto it the entire show. Bring something you can safely stow your phone in. Better yet, don’t bring it at all — do you really need it for a two-hour concert? Let another friend worry about texting after the concert to find the best after-parties.

On a whole, have fun, be respectful, and understand that WILD is for everyone, not for just you and your friend group. Let’s make WILD watchable, a concert experience that is made better by being at WashU, not worse.