I Can Still Rock Out Sitting Down

I love going to shows and watching live music. There is something about experiencing live music that brings me so much joy and makes me feel truly present (now that I think about it, was I practicing mindfulness all this time??). Whether in a small venue, an arena, a coffee shop, or outside in a park – I love it. I can’t help but move my body and sing along.

For the majority of concerts I go to, the tickets are for standing in the “general admission” section. When I was younger, this didn’t bother me that much. I also didn’t want to be that lame old person sitting down during an indie rock show. Standing for a few hours always got a little tough after a while, but a good night of sleep, singing the songs back in my head, always cured me.

Once I hit my 30s, I was more ok with being the lame old person, so I started purchasing seats if possible. But I still didn’t mind if there weren’t seats available – there is something about the energy of standing among a bunch of other people singing along to your favorite songs that’s really something special.

For me, living now with MS, standing for hours at a time in any situation is not great. Not only does it start to hurt a lot faster, but it could mean a day of recovery.

Enter: accessible seating.

My first experience with accessible seating was at a Decemberists concert at the Salt Shed in Chicago. My lovely friend bought tickets and did some research to figure out how to request accessible seating so I wouldn’t have to stand. When we got to the venue, they escorted me and our party to some (pretty epic!!!) seats, and we were able to enjoy the concert without me keeling over. Since I never needed disability accommodations before, I never thought to ask – but now that I know, it’s the first thing I look for when buying concert tickets.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), venues must hold at least 1% of their available seats for people with disabilities. According to ADA.gov, an accessible seat is for “People with mobility disabilities who require accessible seating because of their disability…This group includes people who use wheelchairs, those who use other mobility devices, and people who cannot climb steps or walk long distances because of significant arthritis or severe respiratory, circulatory, or cardiac conditions.”

If you need accessible seating for an upcoming concert, look for the option when you’re purchasing the ticket on Ticketmaster, for example. If that option doesn’t pop up, call Ticketmaster or the venue directly. Look on their website for an FAQ or info section to find the right contact to ensure you get your accessible seat. Even if you are going to an outdoor festival, there will be accommodations available – just look on their website for the information to ensure you get the accommodations you need.

I took advantage of accessible seating for a recent concert at House of Blues – I purchased my ticket, then called the venue and spoke to someone about how to get accessible seating, since it wasn’t really a “sitting” kind of venue without the purchase of expensive VIP tickets. When we got there, they had a seat reserved (with my name!) and my husband was able to stand right by me this special section. We saw one of my favorite bands – one I’ve listened to since I was in high school and seen probably a dozen times – and it was certainly the first time I’ve seen them while sitting down. I was so happy to be able to sit and not destroy my body by standing for a few hours. I was worried about how I’d enjoy my songs in a chair, but I can confirm: you can still rock out when sitting down.