The year is 2026. It’s 8:30pm and the headline band has just come on. You’ve been waiting to see them since you set up camp outside at 4am, determined that nothing and nobody would be between you and your favorite band. Front row, center. The wait was worth it.
Except, it has now been 16 hours since you got here. You haven’t had any water and are trying not to faint. You have to pee. And then suddenly, a gurgling in your stomach. The choice needs to be made: Do you run to the bathroom and hope they don’t play your favorite song while you’re gone? Or do you hold your spot, make eye contact with the lead singer, and shit your pants?
This shouldn’t even be a question, let alone a hypothetical one, let alone a real one that people are asking themselves.
We cannot normalize shitting our pants in public. This should not be a conversation we are actually having.
And yet, somehow it has. This conversation gained attention during the Eras Tour (Don’t believe me? Check out this video on the trend between Walmart’s adult diaper sales and the tour coming to town.) More recently, Olivia Rodrigo has admitted she can smell bodily fluids from the crowd while performing. Noah Kahan also addressed a "poopgate" during some recent performances and posted about it on X.
Of course, some people have medical conditions, and accidents happen. When that is the case, these situations need to be treated with dignity and class. But when accidents happen because of choice rather than circumstance, it often comes down to fans who are either very drunk or unwilling to leave their spot.
Some arguments have been made that it is because of the economic cost of concerts. Ticket prices have risen about 36-50% since 2019, according to Rolling Stone. As people are spending more and more money, they want to make sure their experience is not diminished at all, even if it means everyone around them has to deal with the consequences.
And sure, concerts DO cost more. It IS making us have to savor every moment a little bit more. But concert etiquette is still a thing, as is adapting to the norms of behavior in a social environment. When we are in a shared space, we have to respect others around us - the selfishness and entitled response of thinking you deserve to shit your pants because you want to see the band more than anyone else there, and everyone else can be subjected to your fluids and smells, is not okay.
But I think there’s another factor involved - the parasocial dynamic between fans and artists. Fans feel deeply connected to these artists and want that connection to feel mutual. Refine Magazine recently explored how social media can blur the line between admiration and perceived friendship. For some fans, being seen from the barricade and acknowledged by the artist becomes a major part of the experience itself.
The irony is that in trying so hard to be remembered by the artist, you may end up being remembered for all the wrong reasons. "Oh look, it's the fan who shit their pants." Do you really want to be known that way?
So let’s remember that concerts are shared, community experiences. You don't need to sacrifice your dignity, your health, or everyone else's enjoyment just to stay at the barricade. Let’s bring back the idea that going to a concert is about having a good time, both for yourself and for those around you.