An Olivia Dean concert in Sydney has prompted a debate about etiquette in seated areas after a disabled concertgoer said her view was blocked by people standing in the rows ahead.
Kitty O’Brien, 25, paid $200 for a regular seated ticket at Dean’s performance at Sydney Olympic Park’s Afterpay Arena on Saturday. She said she had been unable to secure one of the accessible tickets reserved for people with a disability.
O’Brien, who has endometriosis and autoimmune conditions, shared footage on social media showing her obstructed view. She said her conditions caused debilitating pain, joint instability and fainting episodes.
“Sadly seeing Olivia Dean in Sydney didn’t pan out the way I had hoped,” she wrote. “Also this is no hate to the person in front of me, they were only standing because everyone in the rows in front of them were, but it just sucks that people have normalised standing in seated areas lately??”
She said the experience could discourage her from attending live events, particularly when accessible seating was unavailable.
“As a disabled person it takes a lot of energy to leave my house and attend events, so I don’t really want to waste that energy when I’ll be staring at someone’s back,” O’Brien said.
She added that she had a ticket for an upcoming Hilary Duff concert but was considering selling it because she had again been unable to obtain an accessible seat.
Concert etiquette debate
O’Brien said she had encountered a similar problem at a Taylor Swift concert. Having attended more than 50 concerts over 12 years, she said seated sections had usually been occupied by people who remained in their seats.
Her post prompted divided reactions online. Some people argued that standing and dancing was a normal part of enjoying a concert, while others said those wanting to stand throughout a performance should buy tickets in a standing or floor area.
“Get up and have some fun. Australia has a thing about seated tickets and miserable people at concerts. Get a grip and enjoy yourself!” one commenter wrote.
Another person said: “I go to many concerts and always buy a seat because I want to sit and watch the concert. If I wanted to stand and dance, I would buy the floor tickets. I think it’s fine to get up and dance occasionally in the seated section but definitely not the whole show.”
O’Brien said her post was not intended to criticise individual concertgoers, but to highlight the possibility that other audience members might have hidden conditions or disabilities.
“That’s why I’ve kept my post up, regardless of the hate, because I think conversations about accessibility doesn’t happen enough,” she said.
Patrons with reserved seated tickets are generally allowed to stand during performances, provided they remain in or immediately next to their assigned seat.
O’Brien said she did not approach venue staff during the sold-out show because she assumed there would be no alternative seat available.
