The Relationship Between UK Music Culture and Sports
I’ve been to concerts in many parts of the world. One of the things I find fascinating is the differences in crowd behaviour. Fans in some cities are restrained and polite. Others offer lukewarm or indifferent responses, no matter what the band. And then there are the places where the audience just lose their minds.
That brings me to the UK. I’ve never been to a show in Great Britain where the crowd hasn’t been totally into the show–at least by most North American standards. The atmosphere at a typical British show is raucous and enthusiastic with most of the punters singing along to almost every song.
What accounts for this marked difference between us and them? Could it be the influence of British sports culture?
Check out this article from the Toronto Star by Kenneth Kidd, a guy who recently attended five Premier League games in eight days. As I read this, I couldn’t help make comparisons between his description of British football supporters and British concertgoers.
Is there a connection between the longstanding behaviours between these two types of public displays? Or am I just seeing things?
Yes, the connection is how North Americans are sheep, and the real passion is from Britain. Hence, why the best music is from there (without needing to point out per capita, which really makes it embarrassing), as well. Simple, really.
I've always seen the connection and always wondered why so few North Americans got it. We're quite an insular society, really.
There is a connection. I thick it has more to do with how Brits are very willing to loose themselves in a crowd or, dare i say it, mob. This ability to shed the reserve required of a class system, to just be yerself in a classless and anonymous mass, is vital to the appeal of concerts and sports alike. It is however not an actual realization of yerself that transpires. You lose yerself and replace your identity with that of the tribe. That is why both music and football have spawned youth subcultures. It's tribal,visceral and very freeing. Of course all these effects were applified with the arrival of MDMA in the 80's. People forget just how prevalent MDMA use is, not just at raves and clubs, but down the pub or on football terraces. (Yes I know the terraces are all gone now. The idea of them lives on though.) I guess it's just a Brit thing.