Why Has It Taken This Long for Someone to Publish ‘Shit People at Gigs’?

Melbourne artist Olivia Grbac has been going to gigs since she was 17. In that time she's come across her share of shit heads. Inconsiderate stains capable of ruining what is meant to be an enjoyable experience by being bona fide toss pots. Grbac has experienced enough of these tools that she's been able to put together Shit People at Gigs, a 16-page illustrated booklet that highlights their rude and inconsiderate behaviour when placed in confined space with other, less shitty, people.

Printed by Helios Press, Shit People At Gigs will be launched August 25 at Melbourne’s Old Bar with performances by The Pink Tiles, Eat Man and Piss Factory.

Noisey: Hey Olivia, what set the book off?
Olivia Grbac: My first idea came from an experience a few years ago. I was at a gig and this girl in front of me filmed the entire set on her phone. I was enraged afterwards. And then after many more similar incidents I realised "wow there are enough dickheads to fill a book". And so Shit People At Gigs was born.

You cover fighters and shirt removers. Are you often surprised why someone who has no interest in music would come to a gig?
I am intrigued and really surprised at how these sorts of people end up at a gig. Did they get a free ticket? Are they people who decided to tag along with a friend and in fact have no interest in the band or being nice to humans?? Friends are supposed to tell friends when they’re being assholes.

Is there an ultimate shit person at a gig?
The heckler by a long mile. No one appreciates an idiot harassing a musician who is doing something with their life. It’s low and cowardly. Dack them and tell them to GTFO.

Why riso?
Because it’s beautiful! It has been a dream of mine to make something like this and I was lucky enough that Ashley Ronning at Helios Press asked me to :-)