why the feck can't some people shut up.

[upahill]

I've noticed a trend over the last couple of years..... see if you think if I'm turning into a grumpy old woman (OK grumpier!)
Background.
I go to a lot of gigs, probably on average 6 a month. Anything from paying a fiver on the door to Arena size and watching everything from up and coming new bands to old rockers still doing the rounds.I've been going to gigs since Iwas 13 and now I'm 44.

Get this

I've noticed people talking more and more while an artist is performing. Not stuff like 'Oh I love this one' but conversations about the match on Saturday, people they've met up with, work stuff.
Example 1 Earlier this year I went to see Metallica. The ticket price started at £40. Me and DH paid £60 quid each. Fantastic view, amazing show but two lads behind us chatted about Ibiza that went on for nearly 2 hours.It was like whitenoise in my ears I made a bit of a joke about it but got told to fuck off. Fair enough.

2 Last night went to see Gary Numan. Same again. At stand up gigs me and DH separate. He stays near the back because he is so tall and I mingle. The conversations that were going!People were chatting about the price of a can and then asking for some one to text mate to download a film.
When we met the first thing he said was 'You would have thought we had gone to the pub and a band was on for all the shite that people talk about'
People are now texting and even making phone calls.
I think it's a bit.. 'can't think of a word'.. well disrespectful to the artist. and pointless paying money to go to a gig when you may as well met up in a pub for a chat.
I'm not expecting silence ..that would be crap.. but for people to be huddled in groups with their back to band that I'm guessing they've or at least some of the group have paid to see is a bit rubbish really. Thoughts please!

(in essence, yes, it is because you are getting old )

Nah Adair, I certainly do not want an elite expierence. That would be shit. And without sounding arsey 120 for the 2 tickets wasn't a paticulaly massive amount for who we were seeing. I was so excited at seeing Metallica I would have happily paid double for that show. I also said I go to gigs were it is a fiver on the door and the same thing is happening. The point is not understanding why people would want to fork out money or spend a couple of hours at a gig and in essence miss it because they are engrossed in conversation. It just seems pointless.

i would chat through a gary numan gig - how else would i stay awake?

Would you......You're joking. Numan does Heavy Industrial Rock. How could you sleep???

6 gigs a month???!!

[impressed]

I am clearly in a minority (of one it appears), I think YABU a bit. You aren't actband, if the turn is upset they would surely soon say so.

I must admit I haven't been to many gigs, but do get annoyed with people who talk - or worse, lets their DCs run around all over the place - while the film is on.
I spent the whole of one film (can't remember which one) with a 3 year old behind me(his head was between my seat and DS2s) saying "oh I don't like it mummy" or "lady ,lady (me) I want some (juice- mine) give me some now,mummy... lady won't give me juice, i waaannnttt juice" or " hey boy(ds2) you smell hahaha"
The childs older sister was running up and down teh aisles, and when someone complained the mother said "well they are entitled to come to see the film too". The person who challenged them said "yes but they aren't watching the film are they, they are making a noise and disturbing it for other people"

Now see, I guess it sounds more like a concert, ie sit down, pay a huge amount of cash and watch the tiny stick figures from miles away in a massive, impersonal arena. And I suppose I can understand why you were pissed off cos you probably could barely hear them (am guessing you weren't very close) for your £120. Big Money-Making exercise. Doubt Metallica gave a shit, as long as they got paid.

so on reflection, I guess YANBU to want to hear the band but They are BVU expecting you to pay £60 a ticket for a 'gig'. And yes The people behind are V stupid for paying £60 and then chatting the whole way through. But maybe they got freebies and didn't care.

(still stunned at paying £60 a ticket for a gig. Wouldn't pay that for anybody. Think I paid £25 to see Radiohead in a big tent once, as I thought wow, Radiohead!. But was dreadful - like watching it on telly. Give me Frank Black performing at the Underworld for a tenner any day)

No Adair I was on row 13 and had central seats. Although it was supposed to be seated everyone stood up once Machine Head had finished (the support). BUT like I said I've go to everythong from smallish venues such as the Academy (where I go most of the time) to the Apollo. I've only been to an Arena twice this year.

It isn't the issue whether I am being U to pay £60 for the ticket. We actually paid 20 quid per ticket over the value as a friend of DH's customer was selling his as he couldn't make it. To me it was worth every single penny and all these months later I'm still on high about seeing them. Other people may say 'more fool you' but for the enjoyment I got it was better value than £15.00 I paid to see the Cult a couple of years ago who were a massive let down or even seeing Echo and the Bunnymen for free. They put on a terrible show and I had been looking forward to that too.

Get yourself in the moshpit with the freaky obsessed hardcore fans, they're too busy hyperventilating to chat about the weather! Nothing quite completes a gig experience like being picked up off your feet and squashed by the crowd, or feeling warm beer (or worse) being thrown on you.

Seriously though, I detest arena gigs for this reason. I love bands like REM, but I'd rather go and see some unknowns play because the crowd are far more passionate at the small gigs. Although I've even noticed this kind of weird behaviour at Shepherd's Bush, which worries me.

Skiptomylou... I know what you mean. Once in the mosh pit someone tried to pick me up.They must of wondered what the feck was up with me when I started to protest until they saw the size of my belly. I was about 7 months pregnant with DS2. About 6 weeks after that, literally a week or so before my due date, we went to see Terrorvision and I promised that I would stay near the back but once it started I .. well I didn't excatly go into the centre but it was all I could to stop bouncing round and I did get some funny looks but Terrorvision were great.

Flippin Heck I've got load of pregnacy/gig related stories but that's another thread I think!!!

Lol I was going to say get yeh arse in the moshpit, the only thing you hear then is the buzzing in your ears.
My bugbear at gigs though is the people that stand stock still at the front filming the entire thing on their mobile phone. Im small and can never see the actually band because of people waving their phones about, at least with lighters you could either blow them out or splash your drink on them!!

I think the answer has already been posted - get closer to the front ;)

It is worse at bigger gigs in bigger venues - you get a larger number of people just there for an event rather than because they are there for the band. I got tickets for Graham Coxon at that itunes thing at the Roundhouse - unsurprisingly a bunch of people who got free tickets weren't the most focued of audiences. Also at Radiohead last year lots of pissed people chatting.

Though I have to admit I've done this myself when a little over refreshed before the gig.

Oh god the phones are annoying. Especially as any pictures I take always come out shit.

And friggin women in a day spa quiet zone room! It's QUIET ROOM save your gassing FFS.

This was a day sap I had a few months after DS2 was born, I was really lloking forward to some pampering and peace.

I told them to be quiet politely and pointed out it was a quiet room, the looked shocked. DICKHEADS.

Adair,
Just laughed when flicking through the replies. Yes I am getting older BUT not as old as some of the bands I've been to see lately>

On Friday DH and myself had a bit of a stressful time and got to Manchester late and struggled with parking and the usual stuff only to find Slayer has cancelled.
I thought my DH was really angry and shouting but it was mock shouting. In the middle of Oxford Road he's yelling at me 'For Christ sake will you stop dragging up these dodgy old rock bands who quite clearly have age issues!!' I was rolling on the floor laughing. The next night (Sat just gone) it was the Numan gig so all I got in the car going over 'is going to make it' 'Do you think he's well enough?!!'

I haven't mentioned that when we see Dio next Friday he is 67 or next Saturday when we go to see New Model Army Justine Sullivan is 53. Let's hope Beth Ditto is ok a week tonight when we go to see Gossip. At least she's young!!!

Everything seems to have been reduced to a commodity these days, and therefore valueless. It's very sad. I think a lot of it is due to the ease with which we 'obtain' music now; if you can download anything with minimum effort and cost then it's not really worth anything. And then there's the plethora of complete crap around which also de-values it.

With luck, it'll only last a generation or so, and then people will start seeing value in music again.[hopeful smile]

Stayfrosty Thought we'd better go while we still had chance that said it's a long time between now and Friday!!!!!

I've been thinking that about Motorhead ever since I saw them at 14!! Last time I saw them was last November but gave it a miss this time.

I thought that about the Cramps. I had tickets to see them once and on my way home from work I got knocked offf my bike. Any way I missed the gig because I was unconcious but thought I'd get to see them one day. Sadly Lux Interior died this Feb so that's that then!