If you've seen them live "for a long time," I find it very surprising that you've "never been to a concert where there is seating on the floor in front of the stage." As mentioned above, the band generally requests that, and has done so for many years. It's only when the venue can't/won't do it (often because they want to charge more for true "pit" seats) that you don't have seats there.

And I really don't think anybody was rude to you at all. Nobody attacked you personally.