It sounds like Wednesday columnist Susan Staine (“Death to Hamster,” Oct. 15) needs a brief lesson on concert etiquette. At the very least, she needs to listen to her own advice. It is hypocritical of her to complain about concert-goers wanting a “personal bubble of space measuring more than 10 feet,” and then expect more space for flailing her own body. This is especially true for high-profile, sold-out concerts like last Friday night’s Death Cab show at the Riviera.

Staine is correct that if you’re at a sold-out show and you want to stand near the stage, you have to accept that you will be crammed like a sardine with 1,000 other people for the next two hours. But she doesn’t seem to realize that this means she won’t have enough room to dance either. If you’re standing around people who don’t have space to shift their weight without bumping into another person, what gives you the right to demand more room for yourself so you can dance?

There are exceptions to this rule with particular concerts (i.e. Girl Talk, Justice, etc.) But especially with a relatively mellow band like Death Cab, you’re going to have to accept that if you want enough room to dance, you’re going to have to move away from the most crowded areas of the venue. That’s just simple concert etiquette.

-SCOTT OLSTADMedill junior