What is a Justin Bieber show without screaming fans?
An ontological problem if there ever was one, but that’s exactly what Bieber asked for at a Monday concert in Birmingham, England.
“Can you guys do me a favour? Can you guys just relax for about two seconds?” Bieber begged the boisterous crowd.
“I get it, I get it, but I’m like two feet away from you. And I can hear you. I appreciate all the love, it’s amazing. But can you show it in a different way? Screaming is just so obnoxious.”
Fan reaction, to judge by video clips at the show, ranged from polite applause to some more outspoken boos.
Bieber has been trying to underline a more serious, even spiritual redemption story with his Purpose album, to largely successful ends. Tracks such as Where Are U Now? have given him electronic-music credibility and a fresh lease on stardom.
But these flickers of his teen-idol past seemed to set him off.
“I get it, it’s been in our blood and it’s ingrained,” he added. “You go to a concert and you scream and stuff. But if you could just scream after the song, enjoy the song, and then take a chill pill for a second and listen to me speak. I don’t feel like I’m being heard sometimes, and it gets a little frustrating.”
