The National at Metropolis in Montreal

The National played at Metropolis in Montreal this past Friday night. I went. I told G that I'd give a review, so here it is. The show was good.

There was an opening act that was a guy playing a huge saxophone that sounded like elephants dying. Baby elephants. I liked it.

The National started off mellow and slow. They lost my attention pretty quickly. As the show progressed, they stepped it up and played with greater intensity. This grabbed my attention and the review in my head went from "these guys are better as dinner music" to "these guys know how to rock and how to create a slow, steady build." Though I think they should make more rock tunes instead of the dinner music stuff.

Now, some complaints. Some people have rules and etiquette they like to adhere to at concerts. I used to think I was one of those people. But as the National lost my attention early on, I started breaking those rules. I was texting people to keep myself entertained. My friends and I were loud during the performance. We were then asked to quiet down by a bystander.

If I were that girl, I probably would have been upset with us too, though I likely wouldn’t have said anything. I’d just stare with that librarian “quiet down” stare. And to her credit, she was kind in making the request. But my initial reaction was annoyance. We were at a rock show. In a bar. In Montreal. At the back of the crowd near the bar. She could move closer to the stage or away from us.

Now I understand that we weren’t being the most considerate people at this show. But even though we were loud, we were not obnoxious. In fact, I think we were fun (though I’m reminded of Homer Simpson’s recollection of his drinking binges being different than the actual events).

Upon reflection, my annoyance turned to confusion. What are the rules of etiquette for a rock show? Should you just be quiet and still while we watch a show and only make noise to applaud between songs? I don’t think so. I’ve seen this at a Sufjan Stevens show, it’s eerie.

So where do you draw the line? Are the rules different for each band? By location (bar vs arena vs concert hall)?

I don’t have all the answers, though I think the girl, Jen was her name, has a better handle on it than I do. Whatever is happening, you are at a rock show to see a performance. Be considerate. But also have fun. Don’t let others spoil it for you. If someone is being too loud, ask them to quiet down as nicely as possible, like Jen. If that someone is you then try to keep it down, but not at the expense of having your own fun.