Surly people are everywhere.  I don't think it's so much a factor of terrorism or paying too much money for tickets.  It's that there are loads of ill tempered people out there that are focused on themselves. Here's an example.

So...there I was, at a Jazz and Blues Fest to hear Hugh Masekala play and I was about three people back from the front barrier.  I'd been there all day, my skin red from the sun and I was really enjoying the music.  The three folks in front of me stood up.  They were all pretty average sized men, about six foot, so since I was seated, I stood up too, to continue to see the concert.  About three minutes after I stood up, a man and woman who were taller than me pushed in behind me and kinda carved a hole in the crowd for their two under 3 year old children and their blanket and proceded to sit on their butts.  In a few minutes, I felt a tap on my calf and I turned around, there was the man of this couple ordering me to sit down.  Nothing like, "would you mind moving so we can see" or "excuse me, we've walked all the way from Napierville and we're tired, can we work something out." I just needed to get out of his way and that's all that matters.

I'm 5'7" by the way, me getting out of his way didn't matter much next to the wall of huge guys in front of me.  I calmly explained that i'd been there since 10 a.m. and since he'd been such a prick, it would take an act of violence to get me to sit down. I invited him to find a security guard to have my stubby ass removed.  Instead of that, he shouted an obscenity at me and then tried the same thing on the guy in front of me.  They ended up leaving.

I always look behind me if I'm inspired to stand up during a show.  But bein' a short person, rarely does anyone mind.  But sometimes folks feel they have something to prove.  They're angry at the world, etc. and they bring that condition with them to the show.

One exception to that situation though.  One show I was working at as a crew person, there was a shortage of off duty police available so we "hands" had to go be house security.  Also, the house had created a "VIP" pit in front of the rest of the floor that last minute pushed the folks who paid for floor seats back about 20 feet from the stage.  Floor had no seats but the VIP section did so the rich kids stood on their seats, blocking the folks who paid extra for floor. My self and all the front of house security were supposed to keep them seated.  (remember, I'm 5'7") Little fights broke out between front row and VIP as the rabid fans kept getting blocked by the corporates.  I finished the night with a busted lip, a black eye, covered in beer and also made 7 bucks an hour doin' it. 

So, sometimes, ill tempered fans ARE because of the venue..but I think it's pretty rarely.  Most of the time, folks are just bein' jerks.

PRH