'Just go home watch TV': Should you sit or stand at Singapore concerts?

It was meant to be a "Celebration of Mimi" - but some fans at American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey's Oct 8 concert were fuming after being told to sit.

Clips circulating online showed concertgoers complaining that others had asked them to sit, sparking a debate over whether Singapore audiences are too reserved to truly enjoy a live show.

'Just go home watch TV'

Joseph Pek, whose TikTok handle is @eldermillenniial, posted one of the viral videos with the caption: "Tell me to sit down and I'll stand even more, Singapore."

His clip has since racked up over 59,000 views and 470 comments as of press time.

"Singapore, you don't deserve concerts sia, just go home and watch TV," he said, calling it "the funeral of Mimi" instead of the "Celebration of Mimi".

Mr Pek told The New Paper that he had travelled from Kuala Lumpur for the concert at Arena @ Expo. The 36-year-old calls himself a "professional concertgoer" who already has 10 concerts lined up until August 2026.

Younger fans told him to sit, not older ones

When audience members told him to sit during the song Touch My Body, he felt "angry and provoked." He stressed: "The choice to sit down is the same as those who choose to stand."

He pointed out that it was actually younger fans - those in their 20s and 30s - who asked him to sit, not older ones. "It's a myth that older people are less energetic," he noted, adding that he has seen seniors dancing more enthusiastically at other shows.

Even in the standing zones at other Singapore concerts like Backstreet Boys and Lady Gaga, Mr Pek has seen fans "causing a ruckus" over others not following their personal rules.

By comparison, he called concerts in Malaysia and Europe "pure joy," and said he even made new friends at those shows. Singapore, Mr Pek added, would not be his first choice for concerts unless he could not get tickets elsewhere.

Singapore concert crowds 'more reserved and calmer'

Joe Borg, 32, found it "silly" that even the area in front of the stage at Carey's concert had seats, but said he understood both sides. "I wouldn't have minded if people danced but understood if people had gotten annoyed as they wouldn't have been able to see the concert."

Originally from the UK, Mr Borg, who works in global security, has attended eight concerts in Singapore since moving here in January.

When asked about concert etiquette, Mr Borg said it ultimately depends on the artist, but audiences should always be considerate. He added that Singapore's concert culture is generally "more reserved and calmer", with attendees less likely to participate and noticeably "less alcohol and rowdiness" than in other countries.

He also pointed out a generational divide: younger concertgoers tend to be louder and more outgoing, while older audiences usually stay further back or remain seated.

'Appropriate times' to sit or stand

A bank employee and avid KPop fan who only wished to be known as Ms Tay, 23, agreed that there are appropriate times to sit or stand. Having worked as a concert usher, she said fan boards and light sticks can be "annoying" when they block the views of others.

While she finds local crowds generally polite, she has also seen people stand on chairs just to get a better view.

While Ms Tay has never attended concerts overseas, she believes that there will always be "rowdy" concert goers, though most remain "respectful and willing to accommodate".

Ultimately, the debate over standing or sitting at concerts reflects a larger question about audience culture in Singapore.

Mr Pek, Mr Borg and Ms Tay all said there's the need to balance enthusiasm with consideration, and to know when to let the music - rather than rules - take the lead.