Yes, unfortunately the shows in the USA are seated. I don't understand that either and I don't know the reason for this (some people say it would be for security reasons but a concert in Europe is not dangerous).

It's also true that in the USA the VIPs sit in the front. Here in Europe the VIP-area is on the stand and the fanclub are the "real"VIPs who stand in the front.

I will have my first concerts in the USA in August and can tell you afterwards how it was compared to Europe. But as far as I heard from different people who were at different shows in the USA (not only BJ) the audience in America is very different to the European one.