[Closed] The appeal of 'gigs'

If you have to ask... 🙂

Maybe you just don't like gigs?

It's you ,other people feel different about live music .
Don't worry about it.

Smuggling in joints in your socks.

If you don't get it, you don't get it. I can't stand watching theatre. Plays musicals, OMG borrreddddd much?

Atmosphere, meet new people, meet the bands, meet girls 😀

At home, I'm almost never allowed to listen to records turned up to ear-splitting volume while necking pints of over-priced Carling from a plastic cup.

🙂

I'm inclined to agree for the most part.

Saw CHVRCHES last week and it was meh, despite their efforts on stage, it was massively over bassy and the vocals were difficult to hear.

But I think for certain artists, with a very high level of musicianship, there's something special about seeing a live performance.

I've been to see RSNO a couple of times, and it's mind blowing.

I saw Martin Metcalfe last year do a gig to around 40 folk, everyone was singing along, really enjoyed it.

Hell no !

Stone sour - blistering performance.

Drums that thunder along, guitar riffs that slice your head off and a bass riff that feels like your in the ring with mike tyson.

And the magic of seeing bands you've never seen before, and if your lucky getting to see one of your fave bands live in a small venue.

Apart from meeting some friends about twice a month in the pub, its one way for me of having a reason to go out for the night, and not falling alseep on the couch watching a film.

Energy.

The atmosphere in Camden Roundhouse for Lamb a couple of weeks ago is exactly why I like gigs. Listening to music in the car or on headphones in the office is fine, but being in a dark space and feeling the bass is something quite different.

Some bands just are better live.

Ian Brown - singing wasn't exactly high quality but he had a real presence, filled the room somehow. Not had that experience at any other gig, and certainly not from a record.

Nick Cave (esp with The Bad Seeds) - just immense on stage.

The Ramones. Probably the first time I'd seen one of my 'heroes' live. 16 and drunk on cider helped.

Hey, we're the Ramones, this ones called ROCK A WAAY BEEEEACH

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Getting a pint of (still warm) p1$$ hit you on the back of the head.

Getting your boots stuck in the mud at donington and thinking your just about to die.

I'm at the other end of the scale... I can watch (almost) anything live and enjoy it, even stuff I would hate to listen to at home.

Ian Brown - singing wasn't exactly high quality but he had a real presence, filled the room somehow. Not had that experience at any other gig, and certainly not from a record.

I found the same with Ian Brown. Massive stage presence. It's a bit ironic that his singing is technically not great, but yet one of the most emulated voices around. Just part of the character and he does surround himself with some really cool musicians.

Gigs bore me to tears, I guess that's more down to my taste in music which is enjoyed in a club setting.

Standing around watching a bunch of (most likely) pretentious musicians playing their instruments on a stage is not my idea of fun.

Two gigs really stand out for me. Binner's favourites Mumford and Sons a few years ago at Glasto, they really really gave it everything, Songs you can sing and stamp your feet to, and sooo much positive vibe from them and the audience, amazing amazing gig.

and Pheonix, in reality just a bit of a average electro pop from France, but they ended a gig with a live version of Love like a sunset, and it was one of the most powerful things I've seen, really immense

Then there was Passion Pit a few years back with my then gf watching them do an amazing live version of Sleepy head

Oh, and watching Ritzy from Joy Formidable bouncing around on stage, is always full of energy...

Cant get that from a CD or Itunes 😆

Hey, we're the Ramones, this ones called ROCK A WAAY BEEEEACH

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😀 Saw the Ramones 5 times (IIRC). Absolutely bloody marvelous experience.

It's not just about the band, it's the experience that counts, you really need to immerse yourself in it.

Perhaps you're going with the wrong people?

Mastodon at Manchester academy, then Slash in 2 weeks in the arena, then finish off the year with Rodrigo/ Gabriella because they sounded good on the telly at Glastonbury.

some gigs are shite, maybe you've only been to shite gigs? 😆

The appeal of a gig? Live music. Loud. Simple as that.

There are plenty and I mean THOUSANDS of gigs I don't see the appeal of. So I don't go to them. Much like other things I don't enjoy.

The Ramones at the Barras was my first ever gig. 🙂

Their studio stuff always sounded neutered after that. As CGG says: energy.

Just part of the character and he does surround himself with some really cool musicians.

Aziz Abrahim - great, original sounding guitarist. Had a beer fridge disguised as a Marshall cab. I want.

Tons of different things tbh. Nothing wrong with not being into it but I'm really glad I am.

Also, how good a gig is is dependent on the crowd, nothing worse than going to see a good band, who are putting on a decent set and the crowd is static. It's when the crowd gets into it, that's what makes gigs for me.

If you want to watch a band live then go and watch Rammstein 😀

Jumping around like a whirling dervish to The Beat in a tiny venue, 200 people packed in all sweating like a cheese in clingfilm...the stage only 1 foot higher and the band about 3 feet away...I HAD RANKIN ROGERS SWEAT ON ME, MAN!

And the next day feeling every muscle in your legs after jumping up and down for 3 hours, crushed toes from being stomped on, bruised ribs from the mosh, sore throat from the (ahem) singing...but its all worth it 😀

[i] good a gig is is dependent on the crowd[/i]

yeah, especially the ones where they are into it enough to leave their sodding phones in their pockets. Few and far between these days, unfortunately.

Did anyone used to go to those psychobilly gigs - Mekons, King Kurt etc?
They were GIGS!!

For me it's when the venue is a bit smaller and you can see (and feel) that people can really really play their instruments/sing is really magical. Big concerts where everything is time locked to backing video/whatever are great spectacles but not the same

apart from rammstein maybe 🙂

I've been missing my eyebrows after rammstein in the Manc apollo in 2000ish

+1 for this

seosamh77 - Member

Also, how good a gig is is dependent on the crowd, nothing worse than going to see a good bad, who are putting on a decent set and the crowd is static. It's when the crowd gets into it, that's what makes gigs for me.

Watched florence and the machine at ABC in Glasgow was a great gig saw them 6 months later with a bigger band and more songs at Corn Exchange in Ediburgh and it was ruined by the lack of atmo. Similar with The Magic Numbers at The Barras 🙂 and then at Perth Concert Hall 😕 .

Love live 'cause it's a wee bit raw and far louder than I can get at home. Sayin that have seen Belle & Sebastian 3 times and they are so tight as a band you'd swear it was a recording. The other thing is sometimes you never know what you're going to get awesome or awful.

Alan Partridge called, he wants his persona back

Yep bit like watching Henry Rollins in Liverpools stanley theatre 👿

OP have you checked for a pulse? 😉

Some people just don't get it but some people don't drink or like drugs. Its horses for courses I suppose I loveall 3 so happy days. Apart from some bad acid in the rain once which wasn't nice. Oh and having my nose broke at a theater of hate gig

I've been a gig-goer since I was a teenager and I love them! Of course I've been to a few disappointing ones but most have been great. I'm not so keen on big stadium gigs, the more intimate ones where you can see the band properly are my favourite ones.
Interestingly we saw a band earlier this year who played and sang well, but it was just like listening to them on CD because they didn't bring anything extra to the performance.
When a singer has a great voice and you're watching and listening up close, it's brilliant 🙂

King Kurt etc?

Yes, King Kurt gigs were special 🙂 Never too close to the front when they got their doctors coats on unless you wanted to be part of the show.

Atmosphere. Being there. Hearing music with your whole body. Being part of a crowd experiencing the music in the same way. Experiencing a performance that is unique - the band will play the same songs again, they may use the same banter with other audiences, but this is how it all came together tonight.

That last one is pretty important for me. Some bands are just too practised, and too good and they lose it a bit. It no longer feels like a unique one-time experience.

Pearl Jam were like that when I saw them - musically great, Eddie Vedder engaged with the crowd well, but it was all so well put together it could have been any gig or live album. The Hold Steady on the other hand, well I know that almost every crowd gets Craig Finn's "There is SO. MUCH. JOY. here!" speech but he does it so well you feel like it's a special moment just for the night that you hear it. Then there are bands where being shambolic is part of their live appeal. Every Alabama 3 gig seems unique and probably is (unless they script out arguments between band members or when D Wayne Love will get confused and miss his marks).

On the other hand sometimes the sound quality can be pretty annoying. I tend to greatly prefer gigs where I know most of the music already, otherwise I get annoyed by how some of it can be lost in the noise.

On the other hand sometimes the sound quality can be pretty annoying. I tend to greatly prefer gigs where I know most of the music already, otherwise I get annoyed by how some of it can be lost in the noise.

You are describing Roni Size last Thursday. Sound was shaky and they performed loads of new stuff rather than mixing it up with the stuff people know and want to hear. It was ok but it could have been so much better.

All forms of live entertainment is ace. If you have experienced live music but fail to understand the appeal then sadly no one can help you. In the same way that no one can help you if you fail to understand the appeal of hurtling along a single track on two wheels. It's all very personal.

All forms of live entertainment is ace

Mime
Modern Dance
Coldplay

Get out of that.

Interesting - thought it was just me.

I love listening to music and even though I have been to heaps of gigs - I have never walked away loving the music, but have ALWAYS loved the atmosphere and party.

And I have seen some epic acts.

King Kurt etc?
Yes, King Kurt gigs were special Never too close to the front when they got their doctors coats on unless you wanted to be part of the show.

Duh, "Mekons"? Meteors I meant, of course.

The Meteors took themselves rather more seriously but I used to love all those gigs. Mental mosh pit with cold, condensed sweat dripping on you from the ceiling 🙂 We'd all be so battered the drive home was painful.

You're from Portsmouth way aren't you DezB, I used to go to a lot of psychobilly gigs at Grannies/Basins on the Tricorn.

You're from Portsmouth way aren't you DezB, I used to go to a lot of psychobilly gigs at Grannies/Basins on the Tricorn.

Wow, really? Same place as me then! We probably elbowed each other in the face at one time! Played a couple of gigs there too... and met my (now former!) wife there. RIP Tricorn 😀

For me it's the things you can't do at home listening to music, jumping around, singing badly, dancing with strangers & a shared experience.

Personally only try & go to gigs by people that are loud & energetic or fun, & actually want to entertain, seen too many people who seem to think they just need to turn up & you'll worship them.

And the magic of seeing bands you've never seen before, and if your lucky getting to see [b]and meet[/b] one of your fave bands live in a small venue.

This is what I love. Like meeting Torq Cambell of Stars, and when he signed my CD, he wrote 'That's my missus' on the cover photo. Or meeting Maria McKee for the first time, who's always been pretty scary and grumpy on stage, but was as sweet and lovely as you could possibly want.
Seeing Killing Joke in Bristol, standing outside steaming in the cold air, with my leather bike jacket soaked right through, and my mate looking at me, saying, "you know, you're a really unhealthy shade of purple!"
Or standing in front of Dark Star in The Fleece, Bristol, while Dave Francolini, the drummer, set about his kit with maraccas for drumsticks; the concussion against your chest made you feel your heart was going into arrhythmia!
In connection to another thread, their guitarist, Christian Hayes, was formerly with The Cardiacs.
Astonishing band, I miss them very much, still love their albums.
Or being invited up on stage by Cerys Matthews to add percussion to a song at a gig in Bath. I [i]love[/i] Cerys, she's such a lovely person live, and was terrific with Catatonia.
Or seeing Lauren Laverne with Kenickie in The Fleece, one of the most fun, entertaining bands I've seen.
Of course there have been disappointments: an extremely pissed John Martyn who was virtually incoherent; Mark Lanegan with Isobel Cambell, where he just walked straight off stage without a word after each song, leaving a clearly stunned, and rather embarrassed Isobel to carry the show; Asobi Seksu in Oxford, where their headline gig was changed to supporting 65Daysofstatic, which saw me walk out on a headline act for the first time in my life. They were so bloody tedious, a bunch of blokes with a charisma-bypass churning out monotonous dance-rock with no vocals and no tunes.
So many great experiences; Joan Baez walking on stage to sing five songs with The Indigo Girls, St Vincent and David Byrne at the Roundhouse, just one of the most amazing, mesmerising live shows I've ever seen, extraordinary choreography and musicianship on stage, that I was totally unprepared for, and which utterly transformed the music.
So many great performances over the last forty-four (nearly) years, so many great memories of many of the world's greatest bands and musicians, a few of whom I had the very great pleasure in meeting; it's often said you should never meet your heroes, but I can honestly say every artist I've met over the years who've signed things for me have been gracious and chatty, and you can't ask more than that.
OP, it's a shame, really, that you've never gained as much genuine enjoyment from live music as I have; I rather pity you in that, it's really rather sad.
Oh, I nearly forgot possibly the greatest live music experience in my life, seeing Kate Bush stood just a few feet in front of me, something I never ever expected to happen, and will stay with me forever.

The vast majority of rock, pop and indie gigs are gonna be dross, so I don't go to them.. But every once in a while, summink special comes along, where the band are real performers, or have some integrity..

Dance music is always more likely to provide a satisfying experience imo

Has no one mentioned drink or drugs? If you're seeing a band you like, and they are have decent live, and you're intoxicated how can you not have a good time ? 😆

No but seriously. I know people who live for gigs but I can take or leave it Apart from the few bands I love, which were incredible experiences I am generally underwhelmed.

As I like "[b]METAL" [/b] what I loved about the gigs I did enjoy was the incredible atmosphere, amazing skill and showmanship of the band, the variations on songs, stage show visuals and crushing, gut punching volume.

The Wedding Present live is one of the few real pleasures i get in life, drink, jump around, sing along to words with meaning, get pulled up off the floor by strangers...

...when its all over it's going to be a sad day.

pure joy...

they're in Camden tonight,..fill yer boots!

yunki - Member
The vast majority of rock, pop and indie gigs are gonna be dross, so I don't go to them.. But every once in a while, summink special comes along, where the band are real performers, or have some integrity..

Dance music is always more likely to provide a satisfying experience imo

😯 🙄
How satisfying can something with no real emotional involvement be, when it's efectively just a bunch of samplers and drum machines being poked and prodded by some anonymous shadows?
And if you don't go to rock, pop and indy gigs, how the hell can you possibly know they're going to be dross?

I have to admit I generally prefer playing them to going to them, though!

unki - Member
The vast majority of rock, pop and indie gigs are gonna be dross, so I don't go to them.. But every once in a while, summink special comes along, where the band are real performers, or have some integrity..

Dance music is always more likely to provide a satisfying experience imo

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Easy to go to a disappointing gig - been to more bad ones than good and as I get older the logistics behind attendance puts me off more and more .. Having said that when they've been great the experience has been long lasting and rewarding .. One needs to go to good one at least once in their lives ..

I'm not really a gig person either but I still go to a few a year as every once in a while you get to be part of something amazing. Three gigs that stand out as markers in my life:

System Of A Down at Brixton Academy - blown away by the whole thing. Never heard of them before then, got dragged along by my sister as I was visiting her that weekend!
The Eels at Bristol O2 - a brilliant, friendly vibe.
Jools Holland at Brecon Jazz - if you didn't start dancing along and enjoying yourself you had no soul.

Plenty of others that were good but nothing special, loads of random stuff.

On the other side you have the Radiohead Kid A gig at Tredegar House, what a complete and utter disappointment.

[i]And if you don't go to rock, pop and indy gigs, how the hell can you possibly know they're going to be dross?[/i]

And if you don't go to dance music gigs, how can you possibly know anything about them?
Personally, i don't choose gigs by genre.

I love seeing and hearing people play, but 'gigs'.. I dunno if my ears are more sensitive or what, but it's extremely uncomfortable. Too loud.

Wedding present - that clip - they are even shitter live than recorded, if that's possible.

I don't gig anymore but there was always that worry that '"it won't happen."
You get there have a few beers ,the lights go down, there's the hiss of the dry ice machine then the first notes of the song comes over the P.A. Then bam YES ''it's happening" , next you're down the front grinning like a mad thing, dripping in sweat and there is nowhere on earth you would want to be.
God I miss it.

Rammstein. Even if you don't like shouty Germans, the show is awesome. Also Pink puts on a ruddy good show.

What is their appeal?

Cos when someone's chatting about music, you can be that person that pipes up "yeah, I've seen them live" zzzzzzzzz

yunki - Member
The vast majority of rock, pop and indie gigs are gonna be dross, so I don't go to them.. But every once in a while, summink special comes along, where the band are real performers, or have some integrity..

Dance music is always more likely to provide a satisfying experience imo

Yeh, there's alot of bands that don't really work well live. The slow boring ones like Radiohead? You just end up with a crowd of people, most of them seem to be dull professional couples, just stood there. Some might be swaying about, some will be videoing the whole thing on their cameras. Very dull.

The best gigs for me were always the punk/hardcore ones.

And you don't go and watch a DJ, everyone is there to have a good time. No standing around videoing the guy on your phone.

If I'd been asked to write up my feelings on gigs and live music I would have written the OP verbatim.

Weirdly, I've played lots of live gigs in many, many bands for over 30 odd years. The 'detached' feeling I experienced when going to see my favourite bands translated into, at first anyway, a lack of confidence in the audience returning for another show or indeed, turning up at all*. Of course, over the years you glimpse the same old faces in the crowd sometimes, very encouragingly I might add, singing lyrics I penned.

I don't do much these days and I admit to never 'getting' it. I get the music - I've been a part of performances that have been utter shit as well as complete blinders where everyone present feels it. Aside from one gig at Wembley by Rush on the Hold Your Fire tour, I've never felt it from an audience standpoint, though...

*Edit - I'm referring to music performed by myself and others, not other folks gigs.

Because, metal. There is b comparable experience to hearing the feedback of a guitar Jack being plugged in at 11 before the wall of sound. Your brain can't figure out the sound so just gives up and fills you with joy and adrenaline.

Contrary to popular belief, metal gigs can be more euphoric than a rave. Thusly:

That would bore me senseless.

ricardo666 - listen out for Monster Truck supporting Slash (I think). Good band.

Being able to stand a few feet away from somebody that has sold millions of records, played to tens of thousands at Glastonbury etc, with a couple of hundred people at King Tuts in Glasgow is an amazing experience. For me I'm more likely to be disappointed if I go to a gig and it sounds just like listening to the CD, record etc. Rolling Stones and Guns N Roses were a bit like that. Venue can make a difference but I think a good gig is the sum of it's parts. If the band isn't up for it or they're touring a crap album, that can all spoil it. I've just got back from watching the footie in the pub so this may have made more sense in my head.

I can only assume you've gone to bad gigs or to see bands you're not that bothered about. Great live music moves you like nothing else... but not all live music is great.
Live music IS music. Mankind has been playing music to itself for centuries and centuries. Recorded music has been around for mass consumption for about 50-60 years only...

You can't crowd surf or mosh in the lounge either. Tends to hurt 🙂

I can only assume you've gone to bad gigs or to see bands you're not that bothered about. Great live music moves you like nothing else... but not all live music is great.
Live music IS music. Mankind has been playing music to itself for centuries and centuries. Recorded music has been around for mass consumption for about 50-60 years only...

You can't crowd surf or mosh in the lounge either. Tends to hurt 🙂

Wedding present - that clip - they are even shitter live than recorded, if that's possible.

they're the best band in the world ya puddin! 8)

Had a 10-odd year break from going to gigs when my kids were small. Started taking my elder daughter (just turned 15) to gigs, mainly old punk bands. Last couple were the UK Subs and last week Cockney Rejects. Neither are bands I was ever really into, but I consider it part of her musical education.

Neither gig would quantify as a musical masterpiece, but it's all about the energy, attitude, and volume.

More importantly it's sharing things I love with my kids, which cannot be beaten.

Why go out and splash in puddles when you can see the rain from your window?

Or maybe you just went to see damp performances by drizzley bands 😉 ?

horses for courses i suppose wouldnt go to a football match if it was free cant beat live gigs saw springsteen five times on his last tour master of his craft ,

from the stage; the best gigs are when the crowd are rocking, even if it's not jumping then at least watch and take an interest and clap, shout at the end of the tunes 🙂

best from the audience; where the band know that the right mix of energy and skill make for a great show

it's the ones you don't bank on or don't come too hyped up for tend to be the really amazing ones, I remember seeing squeeze early on the lineup at V and they were on fire. Mark Ronson at the academy at Manchester before the album took off was good too, the really awful ones I can't recall (maybe I have a talent for forgetting about bad gigs!)

St Vincent and David Byrne

One of the best gigs I've ever been to! Just amazing!

I like a noisy gig, but not so noisy that it obliterates all quality. I want to be able to hear the guitar jangling in the right places,and to hear the lyrics. Sometimes a bit of noise is called for, in the right place too. But for me definitely when it comes to pure volume, sometimes less is more.

I guess that's another reason why in general I'd prefer a proper small venue than a massive football stadium. At the same time recognising that sometimes the quality of the gig isn't necessarily about the quality of the sound but the experience itself. Pulp headlining at Glastonbury, still makes me sad now that I will never experience that exact particular feeling again (some forms of stimulants may also have been involved, it was the 90s)

Well, there are just some people that cannot be properly contained within a record.

I've seen people like Gil Scott Heron and Elvin Jones. The recorded output is definitely 'two dimensional' in comparison to live.

One of my all time favourite gigs was Dinosaur Jr in Edinburgh in the late 80's. I'd blagged a guest list place and agreed to help sell t-shirts through their record company so was there to see the sound check and J blowing his third Marshall of the tour.... A replacement was duly red starred up and only arrived in the nick of time so he had to finish the sound check on stage to a packed Venue. They played a lot of covers including Smoke on The Water, Minor Threat, Barmy Army (well it was Edinburgh and they were desperate for Wattie to turn up!) and had their album cover artists sister came on to do Sweet Child of Mine. And Lou had some great patter about getting ripped off going to the castle, how shit the food was and, while banging out the Gigantic bass line, teasing the crowd about how they'd much prefer they were the Pixies. That cost me nothing but time and it was incomparable to the recorded version of Dinosaur, they were really ****ing loud (mind you I was about 5 feet away from the right hand speaker stack....). I think I was about the only person drinking their rider too for some reason. I was buzzing for days. Seriously, one of the most memorable nights of my life.

And watching someone like Gillian Welch, just two people on stage with two acoustic instruments. The interaction, no fancy equipment. The mates I went with complained about people talking round about (seated venue, Hammersmith O2?) but I was transported and transfixed and didn't notice. [i]thats[/i] why I go to a gig.

And completely different at the start of the year I went to Bill Callahan and stayed with my mate and family who I hadn't seen in a couple years. Gig was great (well maybe not the support!) I caught up with my mate, his wife and kids. Got me out and about for a change. All good.

Jimjam - yah, that looks suspiciously like pop to me 🙂

Actually, here's another reason: Touring actually makes money.

http://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/blog/our-favourite-bands-and-their-day-jobs

Also - Rolo Tomassi are great and Eva is cute.

Hmm interesting one....I play lots of gigs, and I'll be honest I'd much rather play than watch a gig.

I spent most of my late teens going to gigs watching bands at The Sugarmill in Stoke....be it local unsigned bands or small touring bands. King Prawn at The Sugarmill circa 2003 is the best gig I've ever been to. They had the right combination of being good technically and proper entertainers.

I've also been to countless bigger gigs and festivals etc. Aside from festivals which I still like, I really CBA with bigger gigs nowadays. I just don't feel that connection with the performers. I'd much rather go to a small blues or jazz club to see proper honest musicians.

Gil Scott Heron

I can only imagine how good that must have been.

I love smaller venues. But must admit Prince on his most recent tour was amazing in big venues.