Well, look at the bright side: at least you got to see your favorite bands--oh, that's right...you hated them... Hmm, since I view this kind of experience as a sort of perverse 'accomplishment', I must say that if you were here I would personally give you a hearty handclasp and a 'well done'. But since I can't do that, instead I will now award you three gold stars. You should be very proud indeed. The most I ever give is four.
Getting floor seats at a concert past the fifth row. I'm 4'11". Once everyone stands, I do not get to see the concert. There's no point in paying $150+ dollars to strain my neck & look at a giant screen for two hours. I know, first world problems.
That's always a socially awkward situation at a concert. I try to stay seated, except when the folks ahead of me are on their feet and obscuring my view. And then I stand up, and become the one obscuring the view of whoever is behind me. Who then has to stand up. And so on.
The best concert venues have sloped floors (often old movie theaters) and this helps avoid this problem.
Surprised to see more than one story about The Musical Box. I have one, too. I saw them do the "Lamb Lies Down" in Gatineau, Quebec. The guy sitting in front of me had a cocktail or three in his system. Every time "Peter Gabriel" launched into what was clearly a memorized spoken word bit between songs this guy would start yelling back at him, trying to engage him. "Peter" gave him no recognition whatsoever but he kept it up all night while several of us were muttering shut up or ferme ta bouche. It was only between songs so he didn't ruin the whole night. Afterwards this guy stands up, turns around, grabs my hand and shakes it while saying "what a great show!". Yeah, except for you. Chuck Berry - I think I told it before but a friend of mine was in the local band that played with Berry in Ottawa, Canada in the late 50's. The band knew his songs and which keys they were in. This was their sole interaction with Chuck before the show - he walked into their dressing room and spoke one sentence with a thick enough southern accent that nobody in the band could understand what he said and then he walked out. Next thing you know, they're on stage with no setlist. He said Chuck seemed to pick keys at random throughout the set. They never knew what the song was or what key they were in when Chuck started to play. Legend has it that Chuck watched the young sweet little 16-year-old girls going crazy over headliner (and local boy made good) Paul Anka that night and went back to the hotel and wrote a song about it . . .
G3 (Vai, Satriani, Johnson) at the Paramount in Seattle. 2nd row seats, great view, horrible sound. A very difficult room to mix in, apparently.
Toyah Wilcox in December 1983 my worst ever concert, sat at the front sound was awful and even though I was 23 at the time got the impression most of the crowd was about 12. Since haven't even bought any of her music
Alice Cooper and Faster Pussycat. Terrible sound, was like electric garbage cans being played with chainsaws. The sound for Alice was somewhat better. Good show by him. jerol
Sorry to hear that ....what a drag... Nowadays, if I am located anywhere near one of these loud buffoons, I would not hesitate to complain to any security guards. Especially if the ticket costs an arm and a leg. I understand that concertgoers deserve the right to enjoy a show, but that should not infringe on other's enjoyment.
I've been there,too. Anyone who has never had a "Spinal Tap moment" or a "gig from hell" hasn't played very many gigs.
Worst concert hands down Megadeth. My son was a huge Dave Mustaine/Chris Broderick fan so for his 14th birthday I bought a "Meet & Greet" ticket for my kid and just a general admission for my son. Venue was Hard Rock Live Universal Orlando 5 years ago. Waiting outside the venue the girl who was with VIP Nation came out to get the "Meet & Greet" ticket holders. After viewing what kind of people were going to this event and since I had only a general admission ticket I spoke with the girl and told her I was going in with him all the while scanning the crowd. She agreed and assured me after the meet and greet she would come and escort me along with my kid to the side entrance since they were also front and second row to see the concert. So, after about an hour and a half she did come to get me. Met up with my kid and got first dibs at the merchandise but passed since he got a free shirt already and got their autographs on his laminated VIP pass. Fine, saved money. Next we went into the side door and were right up front middle. I thought, awesome front row middle to see a show. Little did I know how things went at one of these shows. First the crowd. ALL dudes. Even the 3 women I laid eyes on looked liked dudes. Not into that sorry. They were damn repulsive and freaked me out. Second, they all looked liked they hadn't showered or bathed in three days and most around me were sweating like they've just ran a mile in 3 minutes. I was thinking this isn't going to be fun at all. We'll the show starts and it's ****ing LOUD. I mean like jet propulsion sonic boom town loud. Broderick and Mustaine playing 2 millions notes a second and the "dudes" are getting rowdy quick. Then in a instant we were being forced into the rail and squeezed and crushed. I was trying to keep some distance between the rail and my kid so he could breathe. I looked at the security guard who was right in front of me and he just rolled his eyes. I, not being a little guy had had enough after 15 minutes. When I turned around the "dude" in back of me was being squished up against me and held up his hand's saying it's not me. I scanned, saw the thugs who were causing the problem. Made my way back and quickly piled drived the first on onto the floor. His buddy came to help and was quickly neutralized when I grabbed his throat and threatened the rip out his larynx. Security came and actually thanked me. I made my way back up front but couldn't stand any more after about a hour. Concerts aren't any fun when it's just a bunch of sweaty, hairy, ugly "dudes".
The Guess Who in 1972. Musically, it was quite good, but Burton Cummings was in a foul (and foul-mouthed) mood and took it out on the audience.
Mono at The Troubadour in Los Angeles. April 28, 2007. A friend of mine had an extra ticket and asked me if I wanted to go, and I said sure. Mono is a Japanese, noisy "post-rock" band. This isn't a real good match for a venue as tiny as The Troubadour. The show had the most painful sound I've ever heard at a concert. The whole set was a bunch of mopey, sluggish music amidst a deafening wall of distortion as the musicians just stood there looking tragic. I watched audience members start covering their ears, and soon I was doing it, too. I was going to go outside when my friend ran to the restroom and grabbed some toilet paper for both of us to use as makeshift earplugs. The songs may have been good, for all I know. All I heard was distortion and feedback.
rod stewart - star lake in pittsburgh. just horrible...sound, musicianship (a bunch of young kids in baggy shorts) and constant picture on the big screen of rachel hunter's legs for 2 hours. plus, rod did his mike stand thing at least 50 times.
Not myself, but a good friend went to see Mick Farren (originally of 60s proto-punk band The Deviants) at The Borderline in London last year. He managed to get through 3 songs before collapsing, and was pronounced dead a few hours later.
Playing a concert or watching one? hahahaha Watching, it would have to be The Grateful Dead, mid 90s I think. Hands down, they were visually the most boring music act I've ever tried to sit thru. So boring that whenever Garcia even stepped on a pedal, he got a standing ovation... apparently because somebody onstage actually moved. The drum solo went on for about half an hour (meanwhile we entertained ourselves by walking in the corridors and watching the twirlers and gawking at ... well, hippies, for lack of a better term) and then after the drum solo, I swear to God, some of the band members came back onstage banging pots and pans. I really like the Deads music but their stage presentation was not for me. They started the show with some of my favorite music, the opening tracks to Snooze For Allah.. which sounded great, and I could have relaxed and drifted off to sleep with it.. except these idiot morons behind us kept screaming "ROCK AND ROLL!!!"
Berry was legendary for doing that, changing keys at random, often in the middle of the song. Theres a clip of him on the Tonight Show (Carson or Leno, I cant remember which) and its just dreadful, even the Tonight show band cant follow him. I've heard stories of Chuck showing up right to the gig at time for him to play or late, going straight to the promoter and demanding his money.. then walking straight to the stage, opening his guitar case, get it out, plug it in to whatever Fender amp they provided him, and start playing. Not even bothering to tune or say anything to anybody.
for me it was the decemberists in missoula montana about 7 years ago. they were so off and sloppy we left half way in. that is the only time i left a show. i had seen them 2 years before in New orleans and they were great, so maybe just an off day.
Nova Mob's final show, Portland, late 1994, Club Satyricon: (Nova Mob was Grant Hart's band following the break-up of Hüsker Dü.) It was one of the most depressing musical performances I've ever seen. The band itself was fine, but there were 15-20 people paying attention (few enough to make Satyricon look empty--an achievement in itself), the vast majority of whom were clearly fans from the glory days. Everyone responded politely enough, but the only actual excitement happened when the band went into Hüsker Dü's "Terms of Psychic Warfare" (certainly one of Grant's very best songs, but nearly ten years old at that point). There was no encore. At the end of the set, Grant jumped off the throne and ran to the bar. As I left, he was chatting with a couple fans, and to my surprise, he was really cheerful--practically manic, in fact. In retrospect, it's clear that he'd decided, more or less right then and there, to break up the band and what I was seeing was the immense relief of having that great weight off his shoulders. I heard later that the break-up was really sudden--to the point that the remainder of the band was left stranded in Portland.
Barring the smartphone, it sounds like the Altamont. Gotta remember they've been together over 50 years.
gary numan in 2014 at fillmore. the sound was just a massive rumble of bass and it was nearly impossible to hear vocals and instruments. the staff were ducking around corners holding their ears. other fans seemed not to care, but i left after 2 songs when it was clear their sound guy didn't care either. the music became more cohesive the further away i walked from the club. after that, the worst experiences are the frequent moments when people are talking through the show next to me.
