[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

1
2
3
4

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

1
2
3
4

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.