The rise of tiered standing areas at gigs, where fans can pay more to stand closer to the stage rather than relying on early queuing, is prompting debate about whether the practice improves the concert experience or simply exploits fan culture. The article weighs both sides: splitting standing sections with extra barriers can reduce dangerous crowd surges and cut down on excessive queuing, but it also risks entrenching a hierarchy where proximity to the artist becomes a marker of status or wealth rather than devotion.

The piece cites Oasis's recent Heaton Park shows, where Ticketmaster divided standing areas into general admission and front standing "to ensure fan safety and improve the fan experience", triggering backlash because the change came after tickets had already been sold, even though no extra charge was applied. It also references Far Out writer Lauren Hunter's argument that "barricade culture" fosters unhealthy competition among fans over who queues longest or gets closest, concluding that whether via paid tiers or endurance queuing, fans ultimately face two versions of the same trade-off.