Ian Anderson Thinks Fans That Shout At Concerts Are Rude

If you’re planning to see Jethro Tull live, Ian Anderson has one simple request: keep the noise down. The legendary frontman isn’t a fan of shouting, whistling, or song requests during his performances, and he’s not afraid to say so.

Anderson explained in a chat with Classic Album Review:

“I wanna be free of feeling that I am in any way having to comply with other people’s wishes and other people’s demands.
“And the more demanding an audience [is], by the way, the less I enjoy it.”

Concert Behavior That Bothers Anderson

Anderson believes concert etiquette varies by culture, and in some places, audience behavior can make performing less enjoyable. He said:

“I could name Brazil, for example, where audiences think it’s okay to whistle and shout and boo and shout out the names of songs they wanna hear.
“I actually find it incredibly rude, and I really don’t enjoy that. It’s not every concert I’ve played in Brazil, but I encountered it a couple of times last year when I was on tour in Brazil, and that’s the way they are. There are other national stereotypes where people do behave that way. You will encounter it sometimes in the U.S.A., where people think it’s OK to shout and whistle. It’s not OK.”

For Anderson, playing Jethro Tull’s intricate music requires intense focus, and constant interruptions make that difficult. He explained:

“I’m trying to concentrate on playing sometimes quite difficult music, and I don’t like to be interfered with. I like to have the flexibility to be able to do that.
“And so if the audience set out to somehow manipulate you or influence your way of playing, that’s not good.”

Instead of yelling mid-song, Anderson appreciates a more traditional way of showing appreciation.

“For me, it is absolutely sufficient, at the end of a song, to see smiles on faces and somebody applauding at the appropriate time. That means everything to me. I don’t wanna be interrupted while I’m performing.”

While he insists he’s “not complaining,” Anderson believes his concerts should be treated like ballet, opera, or a Shakespearean play. He said:

“I like a respectful, relative silence until we get to the end of a song.
“Then it’s time to applaud. And some people might find that difficult to understand or something they don’t particularly like, that I would feel that way, but it’s the way I’ve always been.”

As for fans who feel the urge to shout out requests? Anderson has a simple solution:

“You might as well just leave the venue and get to the pub early.”

Cell Phones at Concerts Are Like Nazi Rallies

Loud audiences aren’t Anderson’s only pet peeve—he also can’t stand when people record his shows on their phones.

“The first time I encountered that, I suddenly flashed back to playing in a concrete amphitheater in the middle of the woods somewhere in the former East Germany that was actually built for Nazi rallies, and I just thought that it must be like that,” he said. The sea of arms holding up cell phones reminded him of the Nazi salute.

“There’s suddenly this sea of arms shooting into the air, and you suddenly notice they’ve got phones on the end of them.”

To combat this, Anderson makes a point of asking concertgoers to put their phones away before the show starts. He says most people appreciate the rule. He shared:

“It usually gets a round of applause when they hear my voice saying that, because a lot of people feel the same way.
“They haven’t come to a concert and paid good money for a ticket, only to have to stare at the screen of the person in front who’s holding it up.”

So, if you’re heading to a Jethro Tull concert, be ready to enjoy the music—just keep the cheering for the right moments, and leave the phone in your pocket.