Can I enjoy the concert with my friends while staying farther from the speakers?

When I put my earplugs in, my friend said, 'You can't hear the proper sound with those.' He wanted us all near the speaker stack, where he'd stood for the support act.

I wanted to move farther back. At another loud show I'd noticed ringing afterward, and I didn't want to make keeping our group together the reason I ignored my own concern. I wasn't asking anyone else to leave the concert.

He said he'd spent the afternoon queuing so we could share a good view. That effort was real. The other two friends were waiting to see which way we'd go, and I felt as if changing position meant rejecting the outing he'd organised.

Before our next show, how do I make my listening choices clear without turning it into a debate about who is the more committed fan? I'd like to spend the evening with them, but I don't want that to depend on standing wherever one person prefers.