30 is the age people stop standing at gigs, new study claims

30 years old is the age at which people stop standing at concerts, a new study claims.

In a survey of 2,000 music fans, SpaSeekers found that 30 is the so-called “concert cut off”, where gig-goers opt for comfortable seating over standing.

It also found that men often prefer the comfort of seating from an earlier age than women, with men retiring to comfort at gigs from around 28 years old on average, and women at age 32.

49% of those who choose to sit say that they prefer comfort, while 28% of those say that they value "the convenience of having a designated spot" at a gig.

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Just 23% of music fans surveyed said that standing at a gig is the "definitive" concert experience, while 21% said that they want to get as close to the artist as possible.

The study also found that 22% of those surveyed want to "dance freely" at a concert, while 25% value having more space and not feeling overcrowded at a gig.

Gen Z (18 to 24-year-olds) are the generation who favour standing at a concert, the study found, with one in three (33%) saying they’d rather stand and get close to the artist.

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"The length is the whole problem, because the strain here is about accumulation, not intensity," says osteopath Michael Fatica on the study. "Twenty minutes on your feet is nothing, but five hours is a different kettle of fish."

"Standing still is deceptively hard work. People think of it as "resting on your feet," but it's the opposite. It's hours of continuous low-level effort from the muscles holding you upright."

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor