Proms ruined by Prommers

does anyone, like me, find the collection of regulars at the proms, the so called 'prommers', the most awful thing about the whole festival?

i am a relative new comer to the proms, having only been going for two seasons, but have been so put off by these weirdy beardies, who queue up rain or shine (despite the fact they have guaranteed entry) for every prom of the season, that i may not go back.

I understand they collect money for charity, and good for them, but i can't stand the holier than thou attitude and petty customs that come with it. This summer i came back to the arena after the interval and was told by one bearded chap (with socks and sandals and very short shorts) that i was 'in his space'. In his space, i tell you, it was a half empty arena. I politely reminded him of this, but he refused to stand anywhere else, and proceeded to lean on me in 'his' spot, until i relented (with such a sudden movement that he crashed to the floor). The ensuing argument led to both of us being removed from the hall by the usher.  Luckily the orchestra were not yet on, so the concert wasn't disrupted.

i find these people very irritating and distracting from the wonderful music. the new proms management should consider having a 'prommers free prom' along with their one off folk proms and dr who things.

Like minded and polite music loving people, join me, let's give these weirdy beardies a night off!

hmm.i'm not so sure. I have a season ticket myself, but get quite claustrophobic at the front, so always just turn up 15 minutes before the doors close, and invariably stand at the back of the arena. Though i go to the proms most nights, i have no beard, nor do i don sandals and socks. Sadly i must concede that there are people who do have both, but these are in a minority.

I do find myself trying to ignore a lot of the prommers' traditions, the 'heave ho' and all the rest of it, but they are part of what makes the Proms unique, and the greatest festival in the world, it's hard to think of it without them. Without these slight exotic and erratic characters, it would all just be a bit dull.

I'd much rather put up with a bit of heaving and hoeing, than be told to sit still and silent and frowned at every time i rustled the programme. But lord help anyone who's mobile phone goes off!

I'm disappointed HBishop, these 'weirdy beardies' as you so distastefully call them, do a marvelous job of raising a huge amount of money each year and quite frankly that alone should earn them the right to behave and dress in any quirky way they see fit!

I entirely agree with HBishop about 'prommers' being the most awful thing about the festival.  Much though I detest men sporting beards and wearing socks, sandals and shorts ( unless they are on a beach), I don't particularly consider this to be a problem when I'm listening to music.  However, the fact that these folk apparently raise money for charity does not give them the right to behave as they see fit.  The dire consequences of such an attitude are fairly obvious I would have thought.  My problem with these people is that they are inappropriately noisy, distracting and quite often very silly and I suspect many of them are there for the occasion rather than to really listen to music.  I have no patience at all with this idiocy.

I'm with you on that juliemarie, it is just plain idiocy.

Also, although there are a few female prommers, this crowd does seem to be predominantly male, and they can be quite......blokey! (in a kind of 'difficult to believe,not your average footy fan, classical muso' kind of way). Ok, that didn't come across so well, but there is a definite feeling there that they are ruling the roost and marking their territory.

Admittedly i don't feel unsafe, but It can be very intimidating!

I'm all for them. As a player who has performed at the proms a many
times, it's always nice to have the audience so close. They say that
the proms audience is the best in the world, they are so knowledgeable
and enthusiastic. That said, a few of the characters in the front row
night after night are, shall we say, 'colourful', and this can be quite
distracting every now and then. But they do brighten things up for us
and make it that little more enjoyable, and any visiting orchestras
from Europe or America love their quirkiness. Only in England!