Modern Big Gigs

stickyfiddle · October 2013

What a pile of shit

Saw the Killers at the weekend. They were sans-bassist as he's got a bad back apparently, but that wasn't the problem; the replacement dude was fine and the rest of them played brilliantly. It was the 6th time I'd seen them, so while a little less energetic than usual it wasn't far from their usual show.

The crowd, on the other hand, were awful. I can appreciate people wanting a few drinks but it really appeared that noone gave a shit who was playing except for Mr Brightside (never fails, that one..) and All These things That I've Done and tbh it could've been a DJ playing the records for all most cared. Between downing bottles of vodka and taking blurry photos of each other I don't reckon the people around us watched and listened to more than 20% of the gig. Not to mention the 2 blokes who tried starting fights with me (one walked into my handand dropped his drink, then gave "the look" even after I offered to buy him another, and the other too drunk to stand up straight accused me of constantly bumping into him..!).

The numbers say more people are going to see live music than ever before, but I can't help feeling it's just because it's become to done thing to go out drinking somewhere there's a famous band playing, not because people actually give a shit about the music. I know small gigs are always better but some bands just don't play small gigs. The whole thing just felt like people there to be seen, all wearing identical high-street clothes, and noone there for music as #1 priority. Is there no such thing as a muso anymore?

Not sure I have a point beyond venting but if this is what gigs are becoming now then I despair for where we'll be in another 20 years.

monquixote · October 2013

I don't go to big gigs anymore.

The atmosphere and sound are shit, and usually you might as well be watching it on telly.

The one exception is probably Page & Plant because the Black Dog riff echoing around Wembley, fuck yes!

not_the_dj · October 2013

Should have seen Springsteen... ;-)

RocknRollDave · October 2013

Depends very much on the band, I expect.

Our ex bassist was a huge Kings of Leon fan, from back before Sex On Fire came out.
I remember him going to see them later on and telling us that people weren't interested at all in the band until they played Sex On Fire, at which point everyone went nuts and after the song a significant portion of the crowd actually LEFT THE GIG as they'd heard the one song they came for!
Ludicrous.

My main gripe with gigs these days - and it's not just the larger ones - is that the quality of sound/ FOH mix varies dramatically, and more often than not it doesn't sound good.
In many ways it's down to the restrictions of venues that are built with little or no consideration put into the actual acoustics, but I've heard decent sound in these places too, so there's no excuse for some of the shite soundI have endured.

digitalscream · October 2013

My last two big gigs were Godsmack at the HMV Forum (sounded great, but basically seemed like an excuse for a massive fight in the middle of the place...apparently called a "circle pit", which the kids these days appear to enjoy) and Soundgarden at the O2 in Brixton (sound was so awful that it was impossible to even distinguish which song they were playing, so I left half an hour early and had a pint instead).

To be honest, I rarely enjoy going to gigs at all - big or small. There's very rarely that perfect combination of good sound and great atmosphere.

I realise that makes me something of a hypocrite when trying to persuade people to turn up when my band's playing...

bertie · October 2013

not_the_dj said:

Should have seen Springsteen... ;-)

I did in 1986

not sure Id do it again tho.....

Drew_TNBD · October 2013

*siiiiiiiiighhhh*

And if this is how you guys feel about BIG gigs, I can't imagine how you feel about small gigs... no wonder we're all playing to empty rooms. even muso's don't give a flying fuck.... what chance have you got from big Bob the bricklayer and fat Karen the babysitter...

monquixote · October 2013

Drew_fx said:

*siiiiiiiiighhhh*

And if this is how you guys feel about BIG gigs, I can't imagine how you feel about small gigs... no wonder we're all playing to empty rooms. even muso's don't give a flying fuck.... what chance have you got from big Bob the bricklayer and fat Karen the babysitter...

No problem with small gigs.

I saw Pixies twice about 3 weeks apart once at some tiny club in Camden which was one of the best gigs I've ever seen and then again at Alexandra Palace which was total shit.

I always try and catch bands on the way up so I've seen them before they start playing enourmo domes.

stickyfiddle · October 2013

Drew_fx;57315" said:
*siiiiiiiiighhhh*

And if this is how you guys feel about BIG gigs, I can't imagine how you feel about small gigs... no wonder we're all playing to empty rooms. even muso's don't give a flying fuck.... what chance have you got from big Bob the bricklayer and fat Karen the babysitter...

It does depend, but the best gigs ie seen lately were Gaslight Anthem at Troxy in the east end and Sigur Ros in Brixton. Both of those had everyone there into it for the whole night. Likewise Springsteen in Hyde park last summer was epic and a great crowd.

It seems maybe the problem is bands who have a couple of hits with the yoof?

Also agree on sound. The mix wasn't too bad do the killers gig but the EQ was so bass heavy it literally hurt when I stood in one spot. Hugely over-loud too. You wonder if whoever the fuck gets to that level of sound engineering has already fucked their ears by that point and can't do the job properly anymore. Or maybe they jut mix the whole thing with plugs in?

Cirrus · October 2013

I generally agree about big gigs - the audience plays a huge role in whether the whole experience is worth it or not. Usually if you want to feel like part of something you need to be pretty close to the front.

I will say that I've noticed there's an art to actually keeping an audience's attention in a huge environment and it involves having lots of great well known songs you can sprinkle through the set, and having a production that can't be ignored.

Example; Saw U2 in 2005 or so in Manchester Arena. It was a regular stage set up, not terrible near the front but by the time you got back past the half way line you could be forgiven for forgetting you were even supposed to be watching a band - families milling about, people chatting about stuff and drinking while off in the distance you heard echoing kick and snare hits, the occasional throb of bass etc...

...then in 2009 I saw them in Sheffield's arena and the atmosphere was totally different. The stage dominated and towered over the crowd, the sound was crystal clear and there were times where the whole crowd seemed captivated. It was a spectacle and real entertainment.

So I think sometimes bands don't put enough thought into how they're going to blow people away. Sure, they sold out both shows but in the first instance it was like they'd just decided to go out on the road and spend as little money as they could get away with, knowing they would fill the stadium. If you do that too much people will stop coming.

All the best shows I've seen have been smaller - Elbow in 2006 at the old Academy in Brum, Daniel Lanois and Black Dub a couple of years ago at the Jazz Cafe in London, Arcade fire in the small tent at Reading 2004 or whatever. Sadly above a certain size it becomes sound business sense to throw the band into the biggest venue possible and hang some lights up while the great unwashed come pouring through the stiles stinking of booze and fast food, ready to hear that one song that was on the radio for a bit.

digitalscream · October 2013

Drew_fx said:

*siiiiiiiiighhhh*

And if this is how you guys feel about BIG gigs, I can't imagine how you feel about small gigs... no wonder we're all playing to empty rooms. even muso's don't give a flying fuck.... what chance have you got from big Bob the bricklayer and fat Karen the babysitter...

Guilty as charged - I hold my hands up to that. It's probably a bit different in your neck of the woods, but round here there really is bugger-all to choose from. Even the good venues struggle to get decent acts in (signal:noise ratio ain't great), and even when they do the sound guy's ineptness or lack of decent equipment lets them down.

It's entirely possible I'm too picky.

RocknRollDave · October 2013

Drew_fx said:

*siiiiiiiiighhhh*

And if this is how you guys feel about BIG gigs, I can't imagine how you feel about small gigs... no wonder we're all playing to empty rooms. even muso's don't give a flying fuck.... what chance have you got from big Bob the bricklayer and fat Karen the babysitter...

Either being all ironical and that or...missing the point completely.

Drew_TNBD · October 2013

Me or you?

HAL9000 · October 2013

After seeing RHCP in Hyde Park some years back I vowed that I'd never go to a big gig again. Guy in front of me had a Mohican that was about a foot high and whenever I moved so did he (oh for a pair of garden shears), the sound was poor, and the usual idiots throwing bottles etc.

Of course, having vowed to give big gigs a miss, Clapton was at Hyde Park (the following year if memory serves), then Springsteen the year after that so that was my vow quickly forgotten! Both were excellent by the way.

Cirrus · October 2013

HAL9000 said:

After seeing RHCP in Hyde Park some years back I vowed that I'd never go to a big gig again.

The last time I saw them at Reading I vowed not to see them again. They were terrible and it would be no surprise to me to see a crowd being disinterested. Badly structured setlist, little to no crowd interaction, and they threw a tantrum and wondered off stage for 5 mins when something went wrong at the beginning of the third song. The "climax" of the show was a jam where John played the same note with all his effects on for what felt like about 15 minutes.

EricTheWeary · October 2013

Mooching on here whilst waiting for my BIL to turn up with the tickets for Deep Purple. Finally, a crowd where I look young and trendy. Think this lot will behave. >:)

viz · October 2013

Is that tonight?

ICBM · October 2013

Most of the big gigs I've been to have been great. The last one was Neil Young at the SECC, and I seriously think it's the best gig I've ever been at. Fantastic atmosphere and sound.

I have been at some smaller ones with twats in the crowd who don't seem interested in the music and more interested in getting pissed and shouting to their mates through the whole thing though.

historyisjunk · October 2013

Don't go to many big gigs & less gigs generally than I used too. I think I've been lucky with the sound at both big & small- though a couple of times it's been spoiled by the PA being overdriven & distorting already distorted sounds.

Main complaints about big places- being forced to sit when it's not that kind of stuff & just being far too far away for it to mean much.

By far my biggest girn about gigs of any size seems to be shared by some others here- i.e some of the other people in the audience. I just don't get the attraction of going somewhere for a chat & a laugh with yer mates when there's really loud music & you have to pay ages in advance to go there. Isn't going to the pub challenging enough?
I don't see why you'd go to see someone you like (I assume) & then treat it almost as background noise, they should just bring a picnic basket/take away & a portable TV.

It might be that I'm now an auld git, but I really don't remember this when I first started going to gigs. It's a phenomena without age limits though so perhaps it did.

EricTheWeary · October 2013

viz;57612" said:
Is that tonight?

Yes, just back now. Three blokes in front of me who had payed £40 a head to chat with each other, check their mobile phones and then go crazy during Smoke on the Water. Its hardly beating up old ladies but if they don't really enjoy the music why are they there? Hardly for the atmosphere at the NIA.
Gillan kept it together but is long past his best. Sorry to say that a band who can play that well would just be better served by a better singer.

guitarfishbay · October 2013

Last big gig I went to was the Halle Orchestra at Jodrell Bank playing space themed music. It was excellent.

mudslide73 · October 2013

I think it's just so they can look cool on Facebook. People trying to do interesting things to look more interesting. Big gigs have big audiences with a bigger percentage of undesirables. I did have a bloke try to fight me at a Rival Sons gig at Bham institute (approx. 2500 capacity) though.

Handsome_Chris · October 2013

I must admit that Stereophonics has proved to be a source of repeated disappointment live. I saw them at V02 and they were drap, and same again ten years later at the Olympics opening gig in Hyde Park. They were blown away by Duran Duran, FFS!

When you're made to look piss poor by old New Romantics, maybe it's time to give it up.

bertie · October 2013

stickyfiddle said:

The numbers say more people are going to see live music than ever before,

probably cos of the middle class trend of Fest-overkill. More people going to less gigs.

It seems every other market town in England has its own xxxxxFest these days...........

Bellycaster · October 2013

stickyfiddle said:

I despair for where we'll be in another 20 years.

So do I, It'll be Miley's Comeback Tour around then

:-S

Drew_TNBD · October 2013

Tell you what, as a player... playing a biggish gig can be brilliant. April 2012 we opened for Pelican downstairs at The Garage in London. We played a range of songs, one of them being 'Wake' from our last album. Got to the quiet bit in the middle... couldn't hear a single person talking. Was amazing... usually that's just when someone yells "OI BAAZZAA!! GET ME A FUCKING PINT YOU PRICK!!!" or something...

dindude · October 2013

The other scourge of modern gigs, especially around London, is "corporate hospitality", it goes on to a massive extent, basically people on the free piss after work, often don't know who they are seeing or where they are but it's great for the bacefook page no doubt. They aren't even confined to separate quarters anymore, they are amongst us!

My wife works in media in London and she's forever sending me emails like, "got offered tickets to see (example) Ellie Goulding tonight, do you want to go?

I've never answered anything other than "no I fvcking don't" just to be clear.

Danny1969 · October 2013

Recent ones I've seen were Roger Waters, The Wall at Wembly Stadium, sound was superb, best live sound production I've heard at a big gig. Shows what can be done if the budgets there and the artist cares about the PA

ZZ Top, Apollo. Quality sound and good atmosphere but PA was too quiet for a rock gig, needed to be louder.

Joe Bonamassa, Academy, couldn't see a thing, sound not great (Joes guitar is way too loud, way above his vocal even)

I like the Brook in Southampton,seen Albert Lee,Walter Trout, y&t, Steve Lukerford, Devon allman recently and all the gigs were great.

duotone · October 2013

Saw the Killers a few months ago at Wembley Stadium. Sound wasn't much good, so that venue along with The 02 is struck off the list for possible future concerts. Soundwise for gigs the Royal Albert Hall gets my vote and the Barbican isn't bad, although if the bands you like aren't playing at either venue then it's not really much help, sorry!

viz · October 2013

Saw Robbie Williams and Basement Jaxx at Milton Keynes bowl a few years ago. Wow what a concert. First time I've been to a gig that big. Unbelievable how many people were there, and how good the sound was, and how both acts managed to keep the crown engaged - it was an ace night.

StageStruck · October 2013

My mind was made up at the last big gig I attended, Rush at the SECC earlier this year. Piss poor sound, crap view, stupidly expensive food/drinks/booze not to mention stupidly expensive merchandise (band's fault, not the venue I suppose). Folk prefering to look at the entire gig though a mobile phone whern there was a pro film crew filming at the same time. Great... I don't think!
The biggest failures that's true of most big gigs now and one which can kill a gig is that the bass and drums are mixed far too high up in the mix. I've been to shows where the vocal, guitar and keys could barely be heard clearly over the distorting bass... not good! I've found the best venues for live music are undoubtedly 'proper' old concert halls, thinking of places like the o2 Academy and Armadillo in Glasgow rather than the aircraft hangar venues like the SECC.

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