Are stadium concerts worth the ticket price?

[BooseysMom]

Can anyone tell me if i have been a twat by never seeing my fave metal band live?! A crazy question i realise! But i've never been able to afford to go and now they're not even touring any more. Also my other fave band Iron Maiden. I has the chance to see them at Knebworth with the Cult about 7 years ago but missed that and since then things have been too difficult to go. So that was really my last chance... So what i'm really asking is for anyone who has been to these massive stadium shows to let me know is it as amazing an experience as they say? Is the huge ticket price worth it? Can you even see them properly? Or did i do the right thing just being an armchair fan and watching them on tv?!
Cheers x

It can be very hit or miss for sound quality. I've seen Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi and Prince at Wembley, all amazing. But Fleetwood Mac was really disappointing due to crap sound. It's beyond their control, with an open roof and unpredictable weather conditions, plus they sound check to an empty space, then 80,000 bodies distort the sound waves.

The O2 is better, more predictable acoustics with a closed roof.

But smaller venues are always the best. Bournemouth and Brixton Academies are lovely.

No. I've seen alot of big acts over 40+ yrs. back when it was £10 maybe now it's £100 upward. You stand/sit in a large venue that takes ages to get in/out of. You have to leave the car a month away or be packed in public transport. your bag may be searched and your drinks/food taken off you so you have to buy the overpriced drinks. Sat at the back you are watching big screens and hopefully getting a good sound, down at the front you are packed in and desperate for a pee. The star(s) of the show are in/out in minutes and back in a hotel or private jet prob before you are out of the venue or getting on the train/tram. If it's hot you bake, cold/wet you get get cold/wet. But you pay your money, take your choice

I saw Paul Waller at the Brixton Academy. Well, I saw hundreds of people’s back of heads and shoulders watching Paul Weller. I caught the odd glimpse of the man himself a few times through the crowd.

I had beer spilt over me, had the pleasure of squelchy, sticky, sloping floors, paid vast sums for the privilege of listening to other people sing over him.

I went home, put on his properly recorded album, and decided never to bother with live music gigs again!

I'm old, so I saw Iron Maiden in a nightclub in Bristol in the early 80s, also Brian Johnson's first British gig with AC/DC.

I'm not a huge fan of massive outdoor gigs. Quite often you're basically watching the telly while people push past you constantly.

AC/DC though...fantastic. No atmosphere like it. Maybe they'll tour again one day?

I generally don't enjoy stadium gigs as much as smaller venues, especially if we're in seating...but if it's a choice between stadiums or not seeing a band, go to the stadiums! I've got tickets for Green Day at the Olympic Stadium next year, they really do know how to play the huge venues!

I prefer festivals to stadium gigs.

I've seen The Killers in a field many times but I'm not paying near on £100 to not be able to see them as they are so far away in a stadium.

I love watching bands in some of the smaller o2 venues or Ally Pally though.

@FuckoffAlexa.. i love your name btw. Exactly why i haven't given in to Alexa..i would spend most of the day telling her to fuck off

I agree re. Smaller venues better suited to rock /alternative bands re . But what about the stage show that Maiden put on with Eddie? I think that's the main reason i want to go! Also AC/ DC put on a great show with the inflatable Rosie for Whole Lotta Rosie.

@ImaginaryCat.. i went to Wembley when it was awful before they re-vamped it. It was in the 90s and there were no big screens, the artist was a half a matchstick in the distance, i could see fuck all as i was just standing in a big crowd and my programme got stamped on and ruined! We'd saved for ages to go to this concert. I think that's what put me off. On the other hand the Charlatans at Bristol Colston Hall were fantastic.

@Pedallleur.. Thank you, you have made my day! Maybe i'm just too old and miserable but you've pretty summed up everything about why i don't bother any more!

@beguilingeyes.. Now just stop it!! Brian Johnson first ever UK gig must have been amazing?! Where was this? Also am v.jealous you saw Maiden in the 80s. Maiden and AC/DC came to play a theatre in my town in the late 70s..i would have been about 8 then so had no idea who they were. Also The Cure. I can only dream of how great that must have been ..and to be able to say you saw them back then before they got stupidly big!

AC/DC will never tour again as i would have liked to see them as Malcolm is no longer with us and Brian has gone deaf. Angus keeps going though. Didn't Axel Rose do vocals with them last?

Sorry meant to say.. I agree re. Smaller venues better suited to rock /alternative bands re. acoustics

The atmosphere is often better than the music tbh. But I would still go to one where your fave band is playing. My OH is a huge Maiden fan and their tickets are never overly expensive.

Have been to Hyde Park (great out in the open) O2, Wembley and Roya Albert Hall. Last one has the best acoustics.

AC/DC will tour again, they grossed $500 million on the last outing and Johnson has some ear tech. Stadiums are about the max amount of people paying the most money so the artist can play less or more gigs to generate money. Ed Sheeran did $400 million on his last tour - a man and a guitar, no dancers/acrobats/moving stages. Smaller venues will always be better. I saw them all AC/DC, Springsteen, Iron Maiden, Kate Bush etc in Mcr in the Apollo or Free Trade Hall. Arenas are as big as I would go and only if I got a good seat. Now it's £200+ for two of you to stand in a stadium. I can get a Michelin starred dinner for less

If it's Rammstein definitely!

i dont go to the big stadium gigs because like you i cant justify the cost but we go to manchester arena and not had a bad night yet, big enough for atmosphere but small enough to enjoy the band and iron maiden were fantastic , but even then i have a limit on what i will spend on average if tickets are around £75 each i consider that reasonable, ut looking at some of the bands tickets are in the £120 to £250 each bracket so i wount go to those as nearly £300 for a night out is ridiculous, so far at Mnahcester we have seen Alice cooper, lynnard skynnard iron maiden, status qou and all of them were good nights out

I saw Status Quo at The Free Trade Hall many many times.

Now that was a great venue.

Thanks for the posts. I'm still in two minds.
@Pedallleur @LetsJustGoWithTheFlow ..yeah it's the cost mainly..i can't justify that on a part time min wage salary. I just live in my head..as in i'm a dreamer..nothing but a. ..yeah yeah, we know the rest! .

@BooseysMom The AC/DC concert was in October 1980 at Bristol Colston Hall. They're always fantastic. I wish I'd seen them with Bon..

@Candlebarbara of the floor didn't slope you wouldn't be able to see anything . Shepherd's Bush Empire is like that. Why don't you try a seated venue like Hammersmith or the Albert Hall? Not quite such a chaotic atmosphere.

@beguilingeyes.. that must have been fantastic! I saw the Charlatans at Colston Hall. Wish AC/DC would play somewhere like that now..as if!! Imagine how fast the tickets would sell for that gig. It would have to be a select invite list. I think i'm gonna have to make do with the sofa!!

Just bought tickets for Crowded House at the Roundhouse in July. Tried to get Aerosmith tickets but failed. Aerosmith are a.lot more expensive.

Aerosmith are shocking prices. On their FB page I read that Poland are something like 40 euro a ticket, Budapest and Austria not much more. Tickets I looked at were £260 each for Manchester, not a chance!

Crowded House were £55, which seems like a bargain now.

Seeing Muse at the Emirates Stadium in London was one of the best nights imaginable - the lights, effects and noise was incredible.

Then we saw Coldplay at Wembley. Whatever you think of their music, they are kings of live performance. It was spine tingling good, so much I was a bit overwhelmed at one point when everyone sang.

I love stadiums although they are a complete PITA to get to and get out of afterwards!!

Would avoid the Etihad stadium in Manchester however - some of the worst stewarding and safety issues I've ever experienced. Never again.

My bf has Aerosmith tickets, he's going to Manchester from Aberdeen though, no way I can afford that.
I got Crowded House for £51 instead!

When you look at Aerosmith arena prices it shows you what good value festivals are. You'd get a full weekend at DL for less than the price of a single ticket plus change left over for a pair of wellies.
Rambling Man festival in Kent has a good line-up this year, not anything like as heavy as DL so I appreciate not everyone's cup of tea. Clutch are playing over the three days plus there's Phil Campbell (Motörhead) so even without the headliners being announced yet I'm getting a ticket.

I don't do outdoors or festivals, I have disabilities and the whole thing would be a PITA.
I also have shit taste in music and the people I like don't really play at festivals, except for TRSMT and I'm not going there with a bunch of pissed up teenagers!

Tickets I looked at were £260 each for Manchester, not a chance!

That's beyond crazy. You probably wouldn't even be able to get near enough to appreciate them.

I'm getting tickets to Ash at the O2 Bristol. Only £26. Much more my kind of price! I missed them while at Reading in the 90s

Some of them it's a no, because the price is insulting to the fans. However, I have seen all of the heavy bands mentioned here in stadia and at festivals and there was only one not worth it, once (and I'd seen them before anyway). Also if it's Rammstein, spend all the monies, because they fucking wail!