Was at One Direction concert in Dublin last night and can't help feeling that...

[NeverTalksToStrangers]

... they are short-changing everyone a bit?

I enjoyed it but it just wasn't that spectacular.
They are good looking lads,they have some good songs and they can sing but it was all a bit 'meh' for me. It didn't help that it was cold and rained a bit, but still.

I wouldn't say I was a westlife fan but i've been to a good few of their concerts and really enjoyed them (I used to accompany my little cousin so her mum didn't have to go). Any other pop band would have dancers etc. Little mix for example - would LOVE to see them live. They had nothing, and only 'changed their outfits' by putting on more layers because it was fecking baltic in croke park. I get that the dancing and different/unusual costumes thing isn't their M-O but why the feck not? It's not like their fan base is incredibly mature and too old for a bit of cheese? Plus, so many album tracks. Ok for the die hard twitter teens, but not so good for all the mummies (or aunties in my case (I have 2 DSs (5 and 2) so not with me) and younger fans (of which their were thousands. Not one cover either. I love an alternative, unexpected cover, but no.

Even the staging and special effects were just ok. No massive surprises. There a bit in the middle which was a bit unexpected but the rest was just par for the course. The techies behind the bits that appeared on the big screens behind them put in much more effort than all the boys combined.

They did all seem to be genuinely chuffed for Niall, who did seem to be v emotional at playing in Croke park (v much considered sacred ground in ireland) and they mentioned a few times that it was the biggest crowd they had ever played to.

Maybe I have the wrong idea about it all. I'm sure plenty of you are going in the coming weeks. You might love it.

I wouldn't rely on those timings to be the same everywhere. There is a bit of an ongoing standoff between croke park and the nearby residents re: concerts and there was probably an agreement as to what time it had to be over etc.

Having said that, it couldn't be much later as so many young kids etc.

Was Harry wearing a ladies blouse again captain? On Friday he was sporting a rather fetching black number with big white spots. Then the next day I seen another mum at the cinema wearing something v v similar.

I'm guessing their lack of specific costumes means they may vary their clothes each night?

Harry's outfit!! That's exactly what my friend texted me from croke park "Harry's wearing your top"!!

turd Did you say he could wear it? [Shock]
What night was this? He wore it on Friday.

Friday. If he'd only asked I could have looked out a matching clip to keep his hair out of his eyes!!

Oh no, turd. He was all sorted for dodgy headgear.

We were there on Friday night too.

I don't think the security was great though, we were standing and a group of pissed up women were in front of us.

One kept smoking & dropping her ash on my shoes, her friend kept raising a large tricolour over head which blocked my view (4ft 10") and flicking her hair into teen dd's face. When I asked her to put the flag down she said it wasn't her fault I was so short & if I was that bothered about seeing I should have got seated tickets.

Meh. Dd & my nieces (teens) all enjoyed it. I felt fucked off at the drunk ones in front.

Thanks for the replies about the timings, just got back to the thread :)

I feel sorry for them too, I know they're multi millionaires and they are probably told they need to make hay while the son shines, but they do work blooming hard and don't seem to get much rest.

eva was there a lot of pushing etc? We were baltic. Had lots of sympathy for those standing.

Yes, there was a man in front of us with his dd but he was really lovely.

He kept standing back & holding up my phone to record what I couldn't see.

The group of girls had very obviously smuggled vodka in as they had a 1/4 bottle plus it definitely wasn't only finches orange in those bottles.

After 1D came on there were people pushing further up as we're standing just in front of the jutted out stage bit.

Back in July for Garth Brooks but thankfully we've seated tickets for that!!!

I do have sympathy for the residents nearby, all that noise going on til late.

Our taxi failed to show for the lift back to hotel afterwards but that didn't dampen the girls' spirits!

Well, saw Little Mix last night at the O2 and although their singing was amazing, it wasn't much of a show iyswim?

Really? Re little mix? Surprised as they normally have great dance routines etc.

It would be very hard to keep a handle on people smuggling drink in with such massive crowds.

Also have garth brooks tickets. Really don't want to go as I'm just not enough of a culchie (lol, hubby is though) but also we could only get standing tickets (same fecking price as seated I think (I had selected best available)).

Read this!

It's about the rise and fall of a boy band.

No girls blouse for Harry last night. He wore a long sleeve grey/black fleck top thing. He had a dodgy scarf in his minging hair. We were seated so I can't comment on pushing but security wasn't what we thought it would be. We had emails in the week about no booze etc but the couple behind us were very drunk and the sloppy noises as they snogged to the slow songs made me want to hurl! I wasn't jealous......promise!

Just see Prince instead!

Captain what age were they? Boke.

I'd say early 20's. They were nearly eating each other. She had a bottle of wine (screw top) in her hand bag. The were drinking it through out but by the smell of them had had a skinful first

Shite boyband are a bit shite shocker. They are basically screaming fodder for pre-teenage girls, the quality of the music is almost totally incidental to this.

Fuck's sake what were you expecting from them James Brown at the Apollo? Jonny Cash at San Quentin?

This isnt about the quality of the music Composhat.
The music is sing a long pop that should give a party atmosphere. The band need the energy to lead the party. If they come on stage tired and cant be bothered then its not value for money and their management should give them a rest.

This isnt about the quality of the music Composhat.
The music is sing a long pop that should give a party atmosphere. The band need the energy to lead the party. If they come on stage tired and cant be bothered then its not value for money and their management should give them a rest.

Slightly baffled that a gig can be about anything other than the quality of the music.

But to address the notion that the performance levels were sub-par: they are singing puppets, the stage show will have been designed to the Nth degree, they can't innovate or change because they have no real engagement with the songs they sing as they were written for them and specifically designed to sell to 8-12 year old girls. They are the musical equivalent of MacDonalds workers, churning out the same script, night after night.

No wonder it looked stale.

You need to be a pre-teen/teen girl to understand CH.

My memories of that age revolved around all the bands I went to see. The performance is made up of many parts, one of which is the music.

Just because the fan base is that age doesn't mean an effort can't be made to produce a decent performance, especially for the prices tickets are.

Music taste is subjective and our tastes change over the years anyway. Just because it is crap music to you doesnt mean it is to their fans. The 9 inch nails mentioned above proves a point.
However i have been to screaming fan gigs with my dd. I took her to the Jonas bros when she was 11 which i was dreading and we had a brilliant time. They were full of energy, no huge special effects but in the round which helped and it was a good fun night. Also went to the pre Mcbusted at the RAH last year without the spaceship and it was also brilliant and they still have their fans after 10 odd years because they do know how to provide a good party. They were having fun so it was infectious.

As it was my DD16 was at slam dunk at the weekend . The bassist from We the Kings has a brain tumour and had an epileptic fit that morning and still managed to go on stage and perform well although dd said he did look ill.

Take That - The Circus show was incredible. I have always though 1D put on a bit of a shite show. Never seen them live but have seen concert on DVD.

I went to see McBusted on 23rd and they were good, quite entertaining!

I hate to be a roaring music snob (no fuck it I don't, I completely love being a roaring music snob) and you are entitled to your views (even if they are wrong) but are all the people going to see Busted, Little Mix and whatnot going as an unwilling chaperone for a child? If not, why are you paying through the nose to watch music intended for pre-pubescent girls? It puzzles me, much like adults who are into Disney.

So what do you suggest CH you bung the pre-pubescent girls into the LG Arena/wherever alone?

But you aren't wrong about adults who like Disney. Disney is easier to avoid though.