Wednesday 15 August 2012

SOAD & What Not To Do At Gigs

I thought I'd use this post as part feature about the Deftones and System of a Down gig we went to on Tuesday night and part rant about what you shouldn't do at gigs just as a general humorous rant.

But first lets start with the gig from Tuesday night. It was held at the DTE Energy Music Theatre which is a part covered amphitheater with seating going upwards finished off by a load of lawns surrounding. Even though we were pretty far back we still had an amazing view and the venue has live filming broadcasting on screens either side of the stage. Extreme traffic back up meant we arrived part way though the Deftones supporting set but from what we did hear they were certainly on form.

But System of a Down really nailed it, they appeared from behind their white curtain, playing loud and hard and did so for a full hour and thirty minutes. Predominately playing their big hits from Hypnotise and Toxicity and a few of their older songs thrown in for good matter. Ariel's, Lonely Day, Old School Hollywood and BOYB certainly got the biggest cheers with Cigaro even starting as a somewhat ballad was hilarious. Watching them sing they are so animated - just as you imagine and they sounded fantastic.

There are some things as a person who loves to attend gigs I've noticed. I don't mean to be cynical and ranting but there are things I wish people didn't do. You're there for the music and if you're full attention isn't on that, then you're missing out.

Driving - if you're driving to a gig in a venue that's in the middle of nowhere be prepared for the traffic to be insane. It took us 45 mins to go a mile once the traffic built up before the turn off on the interstate. If you don't want to piss off you're fellow gig goers don't think it's cool pushing you're car in before theirs and especially don't do it in front of our car - because we won't let you in. Get you and your car to be back of the queue like everyone else.


People who film the whole concert with their phone - stood in-front of us was one girl filming the entire gig on her phone. Even I could see over her shoulder that the film was blurry and just comprised of all the pretty flashes of lighting. The sound will be horrid so why bother wasting you're time and you're more likely annoying the people behind you with your arm in the air?!

Taking pictures the whole way through - granted you'll want to take a couple, maybe even a few - I do. But don't spend the whole concert doing it and like mine you'll just get tiny figures that looked something like the band.

Prepare for everything to be overpriced - from paying $8.50 for a pint of beer to them waiting $40 for a tee gigs are overpriced to the hilt. Saying that my Trivium tee was only $20 which in comparison is a bargain. All goes by the size of the band. Nevertheless take lots of cash with you.

Pushing and shoving - if your at a metal gig it comes with the territory, get over it.

I thought I'd leave you with the lighter moment from the Lonely Day song. Being outside people were actually able to use lighters too [like the UK there's the whole non indoor smoking thing too over here] and well the modern version of using your phone. Quite a goosebumps moment seeing all those lights coming up from crowds watching from the hillside.

What would be your gigging rants or tips?

23 comments:

  1. yeah... i kind of hate concerts for those reasons. really big ones are just awful for me - i'd much prefer wine and live jazz these days

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Both larger and smaller gigs have their disadvantage. Sometimes I've found the smaller gigs to be a lot more rowdy [which I love too]. Our favourite bar which is styled as a 1920s speak easy always plays jazz and the blues which is always great to have a cocktail too.

      Delete
  2. great post, I completely agree with you! My advice would be to turn up on time to see the warm-up acts, even if you've never heard of them. They could be the next big thing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah i've seen some great warm up acts in the past but it's sometimes hard to do that when gigs are during the week and the traffics a nightmare.

      Delete
  3. I frigging HATE people who film a gig through their phone, it's like they're only there to boast to their mates rather than to actually experience a fantastic band and drink in the atmosphere.
    The most annoying thing ever was being pushed out of the way at a Kasabian by a bunch of posh idiots, one of which called a mate when the band came on stage to shout "Yah, I'm at a Caspian concert!". xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That I can imagine! Sometimes I think some people sadly just go to a gig to say they've been to see a certain band live because they are a fashionable band at the time.

      Delete
  4. O my God, I hate hate hate it when people film it! Why??? I was on a haunted walk (bit different, but whatever) a few weeks ago and a guy spent most of the time filming the poor woman taking the walk on his phone! What was he gonna do, watch it later? She told him to stop, haha.
    I have a love/hate relationship with gigs, I love watching my fave bands but hate a lot of the culture that comes with it. However, I will spend whatever I have to to get a t shirt! Glad you loved your gig xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd find that really rude being filmed on such a smaller occasion as a ghost walk. I don't know where the culture with the need to film everything on a phone came from!

      Delete
  5. I'm going to sound like a real old lady with this, but I have learnt from experience that I hate to be squashed in at the front (once came very close to passing out and was sick with the heat and fear) so I like to keep quite far back, have enough space for danicing etc if I want to and then you don't get shoved over or covered in beer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah sometimes the front isn't the best - but that's the place i loved being when I went to gig in my teenage years. Now I don't mind getting the tickets for the seating and enjoy it from the back.

      Delete
  6. I was actually in a cinema once and a girl in front of my was trying to film the film on her phone... it was so annoying, hubby tapped her on the shoulder and told her in no uncertain terms to put the bloody annoying phone down. Some people are unbelievable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's shocking enough too. We went to the cinema last week and a guy was sat playing music on his phone throughout the film!

      Delete
  7. I am beyond jealous, I would kill to see SOAD
    I do not understand people who spend the whole time on their phones videoing/taking photos, you paid the money so enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah man they are so good! And seriously those tickets weren't cheap, and certainly not cheap enough to wave your arm in the air trying to film it with a silly phone!

      Delete
  8. Wow sounds like a great time hun :) I made the mistake when I went to go and see BMTH and was at the front so I nearly ended up in a fight as someone was constantly jabbing me and elbowing me so had to move myself away from the madness and ended up getting a great review from the back as it was raised slightly lol.

    Charlee
    http://charmedcharlee.blogspot.co.uk/
    xxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah while the front does have a great atmosphere I use to hate being shoved in the back and pushed aside. You do get a lot more space hanging around the back - easier to get to the bar too haha

      Delete
  9. How fun! I'm not a huge SOAD fan but still, that would be fun!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I haven't been to a concert in years but it's because I can't stand driving to them and looking for parking. GAHHHHHH. And crowds. I'm not good with crowds ;)

    ♥ laura
    the blog of worldly delights
    the shop of worldly delights

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah luckily this one had "traffic management" but that was once you got into the parking fields lol. Getting that close was the biggest nightmare!

      Delete
  11. I hate it when people film the entire thing especially when their phone is like in my face! sounds like a good time x

    ReplyDelete
  12. I haven't been to a 'proper gig' for ages now. I used to go all the time!

    My biggest pet hates about gigs are when you are moshing, and you fall down and people don't help you back up again. It's usually girls that ignore you as well in my experience. I may have this grudge because of the few times someone did pull me back up at a Billy Talent gig (yes, multiple times I fell on my arse). It was one of those 'restoring faith in humanity' moments each time - and it has happened since at other gigs, so when they just leave you to get trampled, it makes you feel rather peeved!

    SOAD are great and I'm jealous you've seen them live! The filming thing really frustrates me - as well as at a gig where there's no seats and there's lots of room behind you, but the tall people just stand right in front of me. I'm tiny, and if there's room behind me, you'll definitely still be able to see!

    And finally (wow, I'm really going off on one here!), the people that come up to me at shows and say "You can't even see the band" (because as I said, tiny) - I am not there to swoon over the band members, I'm there to enjoy live music and an atmosphere that generally cannot be beaten! I'll end this essay now...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I find fellow girls some of the worse people at gigs, they can get as bitchy and as pushy as guys but I agree that they are less likely to help you up. Also sadly too many act like they are seeing boy bands at metal gigs and get all dressed up and it's like face palm.

      As a short person too I feel you! I often end up having to stand up on tip toes sometimes as a tall person is always bound to stand before me. I had one guy do that who was tall and wide at a Razorlight gig - yeah spent most of the time trying to see over his shoulders!

      Delete