Concert going experiences? *rant*

Ok. I know I'm not as young as I used to be. But I don't think I'm that old that going to a live show just doesn't seem to be as fun as it used to be.� Richard and I went to see Wilco a few nights back in London, ON and like most times we were there early enough to get quite close to the stage.� The band hadn't done 2 songs when at least 3 different people around us started smoking pot.� Security weren't doing anything, and these people were passing their joints around so much, we really felt in the minority to say anything.� We got so annoyed that we went to the back of the crowd. The venue, which was comparable in size and set up to HarroEast here in Rochester (school gymnasium sized empty floor with seated balcony on the sides), was only about 3/4 full so we had plently of space in the back.� However, now we had to deal with high and probably drunck people acting like idiots and not caring who they ran into as they cavorted about.� For those of you not familiar with Wilco, they are NOT a mosching type band.�Can't people just enjoy a concert for the sake of the music and not insist on altering their state of mind in order to enjoy the show?� I just don't understand spending that much money on a ticket and not being able to remember it the next day. �By the end of the show, we left feeling pissed off, annoyed, disappointed and rather old.� I don't remember being this annoyed at such things before - and I went to see fruvous before there was even a smoking ban in NY and Canadian clubs.� Maybe I am gettign too old for this kinda thing.� Does anyone feel this way.....or am I just becoming� too uptight for my own good? ;-)

Way back sometime in the 90s I was at a show at the Bottom Line. They had a smoking ban before it became law in New York City. The guy next to me lit up a joint. I said, "excuse me, there's no smoking."
At first he got mad then he said, "Oh you mean smoking anything?"
When I said, "yes."
"He said, Ok then I'll put it out."

I loved that. He wouldn't obey federal or state laws but he'd obey the club's no smoking ban. It does show that it pays to ask politely.

I've gone to shows where fans made it harder for me to enjoy myself. One tour a huge group of obnoxious fans followed GBS down from Canada. I thougth they were from Newfoundland but someone told me later they were from Nova Scotia. In any event they thought that since they came down from Canada they were entitled to do whatever they wanted. At one show they pushed us so much they separated the party I was with into two groups 20 feet apart. At another someone stomped on my jacket and broke the jewel case for a CD I bought.

Maybe you just had a really bad crowd?� My ex lived in London & from what he told me, I gathered that the locals are heavy on the asshattery.� I also�was given the impression that�there is nothing to do up there except smoke weed & drink.� That may have been part of it?

I went to a Nine Inch Nails show last week & I figured if I'm too old for a crowd, it would be that one.� Turned out that I was at the upper end of average there.� Had a great time too.� In fact, I was the one (soberly) dancing like an idiot & everyone else stared (except the woman who told me I had the "best butt").

*shrugs*
$.02 from the other Amy :-)

That interaction with the joint smoker is classic, lol. I guess it shows that they are better mannered than drunks. Personally I enjoy it when the crowd is TANKED and all kinds of hilarity ensues.





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Nowadays, I feel like I've become too cranky to put up with big shows.  I don't like having to get to a venue hours early to get a good spot up front, only to be pushed out of the way by younger people who arrive just as the headliner starts.  Seated venues are good, but they're usually in large places where the best you can get affordably is to just hear the music, and watch the band on the video screen.

My days of waiting hours for a show are certainly over.  Unless it is a super small show, I will hesitate to go.  Where you get bigger shows, there is bound to be SOME rude people, and they're the ones who end up ruining the concert experience.

I'm glad I've always preferred being in the back at shows. :)

This could, however, be due to the fact that I've always preferred small concerts.... so the "back" is still a good view.

But yeah, while I would sometimes hit huge shows when I was younger, now I just don't bother.

Well maybe I'm old at heart

I recently went to a few shows that were quite small.

At one there was crowd surfing whisteles and all sorts of strangeness but it seemed to work when people threw slinkies and went up on stage (probably helepd that I knew the people and that the band seemed to be loving it)

At the other (which was pretty cool) I skipped the first act but tried to listen to the second. I hate it when people talk thorugh bands but in this case it was the third act on that night slagging off the band that were playing (yes they were earnest emo boys with bad haircuts but they deserved to be listened to and one of them lent him his guitar when his passionate performance got him breaking strings)

I think people are always rude at gigs. Sometimes there is a cool crowd and a great atmosphere and you can ignore them other times they are just obnoxious and seem to follow you around.

The guy who talked through the gig had played a show that week where the audience had spent the whole time running around and having water fights ro soemthing. That would make me feel very very old...