It has to be one the most annoying pieces of learned behaviour from reality TV shows like X-Factor and Britain's Got Talent - hoards of women going 'Whoo!' as soon as somone opens their mouth, or plays a note.
Sadly, it is now starting to infect live concerts - I was at The Acoustic Festival OF Great Britain this weekend at Uttoxeter Racecourse -m Friday's headline was Steve Harley.
Now one of th emost played songs on the radio is Make Smile (Come Up And See Me), so everyone knows it, and sings along - no problem.
But in the two significant pauses, one before the second verse, and one before the guitar solo, some stupid woman right in front of me decided that the entire audience experience would be enhanced if she filled that two-second gap with her going 'Whoo!' at the top of her stupid voice. WHY????
Why do people have to whoop like junkyard mongrels all the time? It's not big and it's not clever. I badly wanted to say to her, if you haven't been to the rehearsals you can't expect to join in the show, but there would be no point.
Irritating but really not that important, and I don't think it's gender specific, I think there is an equal distribution of morons across the sexes on this one.
I am a gig veteran of over forty-five years, and I know that people get excited and shout and whoop and cheer, I have no problem with that.
But the constant 'Whoo!' seems to be confined to female gig-goers of a certain(young) age who do it completely at random, as opposed to a certain highlight of the event.
Yes I am getting old - but that has not dimmed my enthausiasm and enjoyment of live music - only the recent habits of certain people who also atnd
Can't honestly say I've noticed it being gender specific andy but then I go to mostly metal or alternative events so pop lovers are in short supply there. I photograph at these quite a lot and what irritates the hell out of me is that when you are in the pit security often come along trying to force you to wear ear buds, despite most people politely declining. Bloodstock had quite an issue with it amongst the photographers. The crowd can do whatever it likes as far as I'm concerned, but it annoys me when something pleasurable becomes a battle, shouldn't happen.
jim360 - "On a different note, why must we still have the Concerto for Cough and Orchestra every time there's a pause between movements?"
I have wondered that, especially during snooker matches which always include fusliades of coughing.
I put it down to the dry atmosphere in theatre and concert venues, a lack of fresh air circulating, and the fact that sitting still and quiet for extended periods tends to provoke reflex actions like coughing.
royfromaus - "I badly wanted to say to her, if you haven't been to the rehearsals you can't expect to join in the show,
But not badly enough to actually tell her?"
No - I am not so pompous as to think thant everyone should enjoy the concert in the way that I do. I am always mindful that as a journalist, I have free access, so being rude to paying customers is not really appropriate.
Andy, I am not sure I understand the whooo bit, ( I live in a bubble ) , however that particular artist and track is one of my favourites, great song and I would have been prone to given the look to anyone who spoiled it.