Posts: 4270 |
ElspethOllie Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 7:29 AM |
Hey all. I'm typing this as I wind down from a concert. A concert I was very much looking forward to, but it turned out to be not everything I was hoping for.
I just got back from Death Cab for Cutie, The Kooks, & Rogue Wave. I have been looking forward to this concert since early April. It was an outside venue downtown.
Now, the thing is, the bands were spot on, perfect, wonderful. The thing that made this concert going experience so horrific were the crowds. It really just pissed me off so much that it almost ruined the whole experience. No less then 5 groups of stupid kids tried to push past my friends and I to get in front of us. One guy tried to get him and his girlfriend in front right before Death Cab came on. At that point, it was hopeless. Everyone was packed so tightly that I couldn't move my limps, and I kept on breathing air saturated with the aromas of stale Miller Lite, cigarette smoke, and sweet Mary Jane (POT).
The guy and his girlfriend preceded to sway back and forth during the first part of their set, bumping into me each time. At this point the nice couple behind us were just as pissed off as I was and literally pushed them out of our area.
Another incident took place with a girl who was drunk. She couldn't have been older then 17. I don't care that she was drinking underage, I care about the fact that she was grinding on every other guy, stumbling through an area that was packed with people, and pushing people aside.
And the crowd surfers... not during The Kooks, during DCFC. Honestly, WHO THE FUCK CROWD SURFS DURING DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE?! No one was expecting people to crowd surf so naturally people didn't see it coming and got dropped or innocent bystander got kicked in the face (Me!) or worse. Crowd surfing, fine and dandy. But please reserve that shit for a concert where it's actually do-able.
All in all, a great performance from all of the bands, I just wish I could have paid more attention instead of being pissed off the majority of the time.
Anyone else care to share their concert horror stories? |
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Posts: 349 |
yulen10 Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 9:45 AM |
These aren´t a bad gigs, only to tell some anecdotes. In fact, some of them are the best ones of my life.
Well, I can remember that the third time I saw U2 (1997,Barcelona, Popmart tour) I finished the gig 50 meters far from my mates due to the crowds. It happened to me the same in the Zoo Tv Tour in Barcelona (1992),we began besides the little stage & we were tryin´to keep together a lot of time,but in the middle of the gig it was impossible when they played "Bad", "Desire","Where the streets have no name" & "Pride"; but at least I could watch my mates, not as the first mentioned one when I lost them.
What I dislike in general of gigs is that you´re "obliged" to smell joints smoke. In Travis gigs it hasn´t happened to me, but in other ones where I was sitting in the tier, harmful smoke clouds came from the hall.
When I saw Travis in Aberdeen last new year´s eve we were able to resist the drunk crowds. We were in the first row & the metalic bar helped us to keep us all together (in spite of having wasted energy running a lot some hours before to be able to get that priviliged position :-)). Security guards had to take part some times.
In general, I think Travis crowds have a good behaviour. The Aberdeen gig was special because of that date, when most of people usually commit excess.
Cheers |
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Posts: 5323 |
goosey_84 Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 10:13 AM |
| had a crappy time watching camera obscura. they're great of course but just crappy standing room venue with people in front of me throwin' off my groove. everytime i'd crane my neck to see the band the person in front would magically incline her head that way too. irritated me all night long. |
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Posts: 10115 |
ricv64 Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 1:26 PM |
Something like you discribe happened last time I saw Wilco. About a 1/3 into their set bunch of jock types tried to push their way past me and it was a constant hassle of " No you don't " the rest of the show. If I take the time to get there early and get a good spot , I ain't gonna give it up .
Also sometimes I've noticed this new younger group who seen too many edited old school videos trying to prove how " hardcore " they are by trying to start pits goin at shows but loose it with a , " Hey you stepped on my fuckin shoe " .
worst concert ever - Aerosmith |
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Posts: 2578 |
Esteban Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 1:37 PM |
| Ash at Keele University last year. Far too rough for an Ash gig, loads of lads (probably not Ash fans) just there for a ruck by the looks of it, had to do the protective boyfriend bit far too much and spent most of the night grabbing sweaty yobs and throwing them away. |
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Posts: 7404 |
Turtleneck Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 2:32 PM |
| I went to see Don Henley years ago at Pine Knob (now DTE Energy Theater, spare me!). Pine Knob is an outdoor concert place, with a pavilion for the expensive tickets and just a "hill" for cheap. My friend and I were on the hill. With 300 pot smoking hippies and about 100 drunk ones. When you are overcome by pot at an OUTDOOR concert, I think that's pretty bad. At one point, someone thought it would be cool to throw bottles down the hill. That wasn't cool. Nor was it cool to get so drunk as to fall or roll down the hill, taking out others as they went. After the concert we went to the parking lot to discover someone had smashed out the passenger side window of my car. We had nothing to brush the glass out with, so my friend had to ride home in the back seat with the wind in her face the entire trip. |
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Posts: 10115 |
ricv64 Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 2:40 PM |
OH MAZN , good one Kayte .
saw Jeff Beck at the greek theatre mega years ago with a SHIT FACED , ROLLING N THE GRASS , Wasted friend . He passed out right when Beck hit the stage and a person next to me asked , "Is he asleep ? Good ! " |
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Posts: 3859 |
BenFilbert Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 3:21 PM |
Fortunately I've not been disappointed yet. I'm sure I will be one day. Bit annoying at Travis in Warrington when at 9pm, just as the band were about to come on. Just as I was about to see my heroes for the first time, this HUGE, and I mean HUGE, guy stood in front of me and my dad. We just looked at each other. 'no!!!' He got called by someone and wobbled off! Was scary for a minute though. Haha.
Good stories people. I've not had any mad experiences at gigs yet. Well, only been to 8. |
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Posts: 7556 |
I Came in Through the Bathroom Window Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 4:36 PM |
My worse gig experience was when I went to a festival in 2006. I wanted to see Keane, who were last in the bill.
First I had to suffer very bad pogo for a very bad band. The singer was like "now, everybody bent and when I count 3 you all start jumping and pogoing!"... yeah right, sure. And the stadium was quite empty, so if you push people, they fall, there's no crowd to keep them standing up. That sucked.
The day went by and it started to get packed. I was in a very decent spot but I'm too short. I couldn't breath and started to suffocate. I had a panic attack and the security people had to drag me out over the fence (?). My right arm was numb. I spent Babasonicos' show in the sickbay.
Fortunately, I started to feel better right before that band ended, so I could go back and see Keane, where there was pogo and people pushing and all that, but there was no way I was going to give up.
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Posts: 10115 |
ricv64 Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 4:49 PM |
| i passed out at Santana in 78 , feel asleep at Laaz rocket in 86 , and passed out at D O A in 87 , my last night at the infamous Mabuhay Gardens . Pretty sure I made a ass of myself in Dayton Ohio that year too |
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Posts: 4270 |
ElspethOllie Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 6:09 PM |
Turtleneck wrote: Pine Knob is an outdoor concert place, with a pavilion for the expensive tickets and just a "hill" for cheap.
It's taken me two concerts (John Mayer/Ben Folds 2007 and Weezer (SOB)/ Cake 2005). To figure out that if you go to those kind of places, if you can't afford seat seats, then don't go at all, because it's not worth it. |
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Posts: 350 |
cornax Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 6:22 PM |
I nearly died in a pit at RHCP in SF somewhere around 1990 I'm gonna guess. Ric was probably there...My friend and I were so proud of ourselves for holding our ground right at the stage all through the opening band's set and surrounding mayhem. But the second that the Chili Peppers took the stage, I mean literally the instant I caught sight of them, I got sucked backwards into a sea of people. I'm pretty tiny and my feet never touched the ground nor did my head emerge above the crowd for what felt like minutes. When I finally resurfaced it was about 2/3 of the way back and off to the side. I was drenched in sweat (not my own, I don't think) and gasping for air. Eek!
*Edit* Oooh...just googled a cool website that had their whole tour history. It was '89 at The Fillmore...
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AbsolutPurple Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 6:41 PM |
Turtleneck wrote: I went to see Don Henley years ago at Pine Knob (now DTE Energy Theater, spare me!). Pine Knob is an outdoor concert place, with a pavilion for the expensive tickets and just a "hill" for cheap. My friend and I were on the hill. With 300 pot smoking hippies and about 100 drunk ones. When you are overcome by pot at an OUTDOOR concert, I think that's pretty bad. At one point, someone thought it would be cool to throw bottles down the hill. That wasn't cool. Nor was it cool to get so drunk as to fall or roll down the hill, taking out others as they went. After the concert we went to the parking lot to discover someone had smashed out the passenger side window of my car. We had nothing to brush the glass out with, so my friend had to ride home in the back seat with the wind in her face the entire trip.
Sorry but your message made me laugh ! |
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Posts: 4270 |
ElspethOllie Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 7:00 PM |
ricv64 wrote: If I take the time to get there early and get a good spot , I ain't gonna give it up .
I hear you Ric. Me and my friends managed to find good spots. I just walked around a bit and found an open area where no one was standing. If I take the time to get to the venue early, then you're not getting my spot. Next time I'm bringing a taser. Seriously |
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Posts: 10115 |
ricv64 Posted Sat 31 May, 2008 7:42 PM |
cornax wrote: I nearly died in a pit at RHCP in SF somewhere around 1990 I'm gonna guess. Ric was probably there...My friend and I were so proud of ourselves for holding our ground right at the stage all through the opening band's set and surrounding mayhem. But the second that the Chili Peppers took the stage, I mean literally the instant I caught sight of them, I got sucked backwards into a sea of people. I'm pretty tiny and my feet never touched the ground nor did my head emerge above the crowd for what felt like minutes. When I finally resurfaced it was about 2/3 of the way back and off to the side. I was drenched in sweat (not my own, I don't think) and gasping for air. Eek!
*Edit* Oooh...just googled a cool website that had their whole tour history. It was '89 at The Fillmore...
nope I was in Hawaii then , like only 200 people showed up for the show there |
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