Beethoven's Better With Your Eyes Closed

The other night I went to the Symphony with a friend of mine who likes classical music. And though I sell tickets to shows and concerts all day long, I rarely get to sit and enjoy them like a regular audience member. I found it to be very enlightening time, because we started the concert on the very front row, where I discovered that:
a) it's a bit close for a symphony, but probably lovely for a lecture or small combo
b) it's a tad chilly down there,
and
c) it's like sitting on the front row in church - you REALLY can't make comments and cut up and giggle, no matter what silly thoughts come to mind. And trust me - when you're sitting that close, almost in the spotlight yourself? Many Many silly thoughts come to mind.

So for Act 2, we went up to the balcony, where:
a) you can see EVERYTHING, including those poor saps on the front row - unless you're sitting directly behind The World's Tallest Man, as I was.
b) it's more than a little warm (due to the heat rising - I wonder if there are any seats where one can experience the happy medium?)
and
c) you can hear every cough, nose whistle, and rustling candy wrapper in the house. And there were a lot of 'em.

While I was sitting there in the balcony, listening to the concert and imagining shushing and smacking the hands - schoolmarm-style - of every candy rustler in the house (and telling the nose-trumpet guy to SNIFF, fercryinoutloud!), I closed my eyes.

And you know what? It actually sounded better. Pretty strange, I know. But with my eyes closed, I could imagine the orchestra was bigger and fuller. The lighting was better. The musicians were better-looking and more dignified. The music was washing toward me in waves. The World's Tallest Man had gone out for pie. It was a beautiful thing.

So do me a favor, wouldja? The next time you go to a concert, close your eyes, and tell me if you notice a difference in the sound. I'm curious to know if it's just me, or if it's just Beethoven.