I fell asleep standing up at a Son Volt show. And I actually like them. I had just been burning the candle at both ends for that one.
I saw the Jeff Beck Group around the time in question, in the early '70s. It was, indeed, a lousy show. Many people have said that in the early days of Beck's career his performances could run hot or cold according to his fickle moods, and I obviously got a "cold". A major factor was the absolutely horrendous sound in the venue (the airplane-hanger-like San Bernardino Swing Auditorium) - guitar turned up to a painful 11, the rest of the band at 2, everything swamped in muddy reverberation. The difference is I didn't let my disappointment deter me - I've seen Beck a few times since and he's been amazing. Jeff has become a total pro and master over the years.
I saw the same tour. Let's Active opened up. Bayfront Theatre St. Petersburg FL. Great show. Unusual stage props i remember
There are lots but a few that come to mind are throwing up in a packed general admission at a deep purple show when i was 13 or 14. That cleared a space pretty quickly, enough time to bail before somebody killed me. A skinhead throwing me about 10 feet through the air and my head bouncing off Jeff Dahl's amplifier knocking me unconscious for a few seconds and requiring stitches. Having a firecracker explode inches from my girlfriends face at a forgotten rebels show and going nuts about it and getting thrown out. Musically there have been 100 or more disappointments so ill go with the first big one. Seeing Dylan for the first time (he redeemed himself many times since). It was at a period during my adolescence that I seemed to play nothing but Dylan, especially everything up to blonde on blonde. Like I still know nearly every note on those albums I played them so much then. And he was just atrocious, I didnt even know what song he was singing half the time until it was almost over. Another more recent disappointment at a Dylan show was getting thrown out before he even started. I was with my brother and I guess we were talking too much or too loudly during the foo fighers because towards the end of the set a security guy comes along with another ape behind him and says ok guys you gotta go. I was stunned like, how loud could we have been? I dont like people shouting in my ear when im trying to enjoy something either but we must have been seated beside the most uptight person there, I dont know. It wasnt an opera it was foo fighters. I was like are you joking? Not, "hey guys, keep the noise down" it was "lets go". Id seen Dylan enough times that i didnt bother arguing, and im too old to run away so I just split. And Ive never been back there since and I never will, even when im offered tickets. Actually I dont think ive been to any large arena show since.
Asia’s first tour in 1982. I was really upset when Yes broke up. At the time, they were one of my favorite bands. I was also a really big King Crimson fan (still am). On paper this was like a dream lineup. I bought the tickets before the album came out. When I got the album, I hated it. Went to the show anyway and hates that. The only good part was Steve Howe playing The Clap and Mood For A Day. Just awful otherwise.
He's happy without Beck in his life. I'm a Beck fan but wouldn't try and convince people into liking him. This forum seems to specialize in that awkward exercise.
I saw Rush a few years ago and a guy sitting directly behind me was obviously a big Neil Peart fan because he'd play the air drums and hit me in the head. He did it several times and would apologize each time. Should of worn a hard hat.
Saw her in Vegas, another bucket list show for the wife. When she was onstage she was very entertaining, but I was bored by videos filling in during the endless costume changes, but then the costumes were what a large part of the crowd was there to see.
The Alchemy tour gig I saw in 2012 (Calgary) was probably the best concert I've been to so far. Seeing McCartney two weeks later was nothing compared to Neil and the Horse blowing the roof off the ol' Saddledome...
Then get seats way in the back where you won't be blocking anyone. As I said, I'm paying to see and hear the artist, not you and your friends.
Rod Stewart's (ghosted) autobiography contains an interesting chapter on Beck. According to Stewart, Beck had no interest whatsoever in commercial success and got very pissed off with the 'girl guide' antics (his expression) that Stewart and Wood used to get up to. The contempt for commercial success seems to have been a constant through the years (though he made enough money to become a tax excise by the mid-70s). When I saw him 2014, he had completely silent audience that only applauded at the end of each performance - so, he must have been doing something right over the years.
Mazzy Star, this year, Sydney Opera House. Mazzy Star were beautiful, but the audience was appalling. Not only did half the concert hall come in late, there was a constant stream of people in and out of their seats, coming and going, for the rest of the show; people on their phones, after a specific request for no phones; people leaving before the encore; and a whole lot of people that left as soon as they played 'Fade Into You.' The people in the seats beside me complained that they were bored and left after about two songs in. The media reviews were just as clueless, complaining about the lighting, complaining that Hope Sandoval didn't move enough, that the songs were of a slow tempo, and generally pegging them as a nostalgia act who shouldn't play anything other than 'Fade Into You.' Have these people ever listened to a Mazzy Star record? And why even bother paying for a ticket with that attitude? Ugh. I feel like the people who went to the show and the people who reviewed it just had no idea what a special thing it was, and what a rare opportunity.
Thank you for making me feel a lot better about not shelling out the money for a trip to Sydney for that show!
New Jersey Meadowlands ...Faith no more , Metallica , Guns n Roses FNM we didn’t go in . Metallica was good and then Guns n Roses .... they came on after midnight . Sounded terrible and disinterested . We left during encore it was something after 1 am if I recall correctly
Dylan and The Dead, Giants stadium 1987. Bob completely mailing it in, and The Grateful Dead at their turgid worst. With 95 degree temps and 95% humidity marinating the patchouli oil. Hell.
I saw Judas Priest in Birmingham (UK) years back (2007/8?). The bass drum was like being hit in the chest it was so loud. During the encores we moved about 50 metres back towards and exit and all of a sudden it was fine. The previous 2 hours had been hell with my cheap foam earplugs not doing much to save my hearing. Loudest and most unpleasant experience I've encountered at a concert. Ever since have made sure to have decent ear plugs with me.
I think Beck had troubles in his early career. 1) He was a perfectionist 2) He would get irate at the drop of a hat 3) He could not write songs and was too dismissive of Rod's writing style being unsuitable for the group 4) He and Keith Relf did not get on 5) He downplayed himself at times feeling privileged that greater musicians (actually lesser than him in ability) were in his bands re:71-80 6) He at times had dreadful self doubt 7) In JBG MK1 Rod had a seperate management from the rest of the group 8) In BBA the group had seperate UK & US managers 9) He at times lacked direction and was no natural band leader or mediator
I had a similar experience at a concert that was totally unexpected. In 2009, my wife wanted to see Kenny Loggins [I found out later that she was expecting a lot of Loggins & Messina acoustic material]. There wasn't much acoustic material played. Regarding the bass drum: I've been to over 100 concerts in my life and never had that feeling before (or since). The concert was in a theater-size venue. The sound wasn't just loud, it was a visceral pounding in the chest. It didn't bother me but the wife still talks about it: PTSD from a Kenny Loggins concert!
Were Mazzy Star, like, "Big In Australia" or something? I don't think they could have ever played a venue that size in their home country.
1. 7os Long Beach Arena: Malo opens for ELP. Sang every song out of key. Not sure if the monitors weren't working but it was horrible. 2.70s Universal Amphitheater: Gordon Lightfoot, drunk, forgetting the words to songs and complaining the whole time about being mismanaged and not getting the advertising or airplay he deserved. Dreadful... 3.90s Stan Rogers Folk Festival in Nova Scotia Canada: Fariport Convention is playing the main stage. Bass player is drunk, falling down, knocking over mike stand, total mess. Stage hand tries to help him and he tells him to F$%K Off and keeps stumbling around. I was really excited to see them but it was a total disaster and embarrassing. Probably the most disappointing band experience I've had. I was working one of the smaller stages that they played on around 9 or 10 in the morning and the drummer was drinking a beer which he kicked over on the stage. Apparently they weren't happy to be there and they let it be known. Don't think I'd ever try to see them again.
