So... concerts

[Yopaz]

What if you really don't like the band and you're just going as a favor to someone?

I can't see this as an argument against going to concerts to be honest. You could see the same about movies, food, games, travels, bars or parties. Is it worth it to do something you don't like as a favour to a friend? Well, that's an entirely different discussion than why people go to concerts.

OT: I haven't been to a lot of concerts, but I am going to see Rise Against for the third time this autumn (ordered the tickets right before I started writing this post) and I can't wait.

Why do I want to pay almost twice what I pay for their record to hear them live? Well, for one the music they play live isn't the same as the one they play in the studio. Savior, one of their songs that I don't really like was played in such a masterful way live. They extended it by 3 minutes just putting out some really amazing peace of instrumental beauty. I don't get that when I sit home. You also get to hear how they sound when things aren't being fixed after recording and you get to hear their real voices. What I like with Tim McIlrath's voice is how gruff and hoarse it sounds and after screaming for half an hour he just gets hoarser and I start liking it more.

Also about a month ago I was at a concert where I saw NOFX live. I had several great laughs at the stuff they said between songs, that is something I would not have experienced at home. I also talked to a lot of different people which was great fun. Someone even bought me a beer. How the band deals with the audience, how the audience acts are also important aspects of a concert. Bands that simply play their music are terrible live bands.

Then there is of course August 12th 2009. That was the first time I saw a concert by my own choice and the first time I saw Rise Against live. I was awestruck at that show. The rain, the atmosphere, the performance. After the show I even got a high five from the lead singer and exchanged a few words with him. That was probably the best moment of my life. I had a lot of travel expences to get there, it took a long time and I ended up with some terrible neck pains from sleeping on the train, but damn it was worth it. I listen to their music a lot, but their CDs will never be as memorable as that one rainy night almost 5 years ago.

I could mention other quite concrete examples of how a concert may differ, but I think I've made my point.

 

[FPLOON]

Wait... There are people who might HATE/DISLIKE the thought of hearing music being played LIVE?! Especially when the artist/musician/producer in question could, in fact, "improve" their way through any of their set song list, thus making something you "probably" won't hear the same way again even if it were to replayed it back in audio/video form on your Ipod???

WHAT KIND OF MADNESS IS THIS?! Unless you hate the thought of actual human contact in a concert (or you have, dare I say, "ochlophobia"), there is no reason why you shouldn't go to a concert, at least, once in your life...

 

[Sanies]

Because the atomosphere at concerts is amazing!
Went to see Iron Maiden at Twickhenham stadium back in 2008, just as the sun was setting they started playing Fear Of The Dark and all of the 60 000 of us there started chanting along. That was epic as hell, i get chills just thinking about that..

Theres no way you can get that experience by listening to a recording, so like someone said - it's not just the music it's the experience that goes with it that matters.

 

[Sleepy Sol]

Plenty of reasons, really.

Hearing it from a cp rip or whatever is one thing, but it's another to hear it played live and see the technicality that goes into the artist playing their music. Others have also mentioned that sometimes bands will alter elements of songs or extend them in such a way that they might be a lot more effective or awe-inspiring.

The whole crowd interaction thing is pretty cool as well.

The only concert I've been to myself was a Kansas concert, and I've moved on from a lot of their music, but that show was really awesome. Even if I was probably the youngest person there willingly.

 

[Amaror]

Simply the experience with other people.
Also to what kind of fucked up concerts do you go for 500 dollars.
For 160 Euro max you can go to the biggest festivals with 30 or more artists performing 3 days in a row.
Also bands make a show. There are bands that are ok to hear on a cd but incredible to watch live, just because they make such an amazing show.
For example Rammstein always has a hell of a fireshow during their concerts. I am talking constant fire from the ground and the singer playing around with a frikkin flamethrower.
Green Day also makes a really good show. When i saw them once they invited two people from the crowd up to sing with them. It was pretty amazing.

Then again that doesn't count for everyone and some bands just suck live. As much as i like their music Blink 182 is one such band. They do absolutly nothing on stage. They just stand there, barely moving, and sing their songs. Maybe they always turn around and become awesome after the first half of their concert, but i left after that, it was just too boring and i was tired.
(it was a festival, so it was not like i had come there just for blink 182)

 

[Pink Gregory]

Because imagine that but in a communal space. You can't even.

Also because some shows are like this -

 

[Mr Fixit]

Nothing beats the experience of going deaf in the pouring rain with thousands of other people. Oh & the crowd surfing...

See I love those big multi-day music festivals, seeing so many different bands & people is a once in a life time thing.

I'll never forget that one stoned girl that wanted to play in the mud, ah good times....

 

[EvilRoy]

Yeah, people are talking about how great the atmosphere and all the people is and the energy and all that, but it's basically bullshit.

Real reason to go? Drunken sex in a filthy bathroom stall. You probably won't even get the gender of partner you were shooting for, but whatever right? The only thing you'll remember the next day is faint feel of satisfaction, and the sort of burning itch anyway.

For some reason my buddy doesn't invite me to see his brass band anymore though.

 

[happyninja42]

I go for the crowd. There is something unique that happens when the entire crowd is hyped up off each others' enthusiasm, and the band is picking up on that energy and feeding off it to give an even more awesome performance, which in turn feeds the crowd more excitement.

Not every concert is that way, some are laid back events, others are angry tsunami's of aggression and violence, others are these perfect little moments of time. When you hear several thousand people all singing in unison, dancing and having a good time, and enjoying something in common, their love of the music.

 

[Objectable]

One of the best experiences of my life was an Aquabats! concert I attended. I was deaf by the end of the night, but it was SO much fun.

 

[Pink Gregory]

You probably won't even get the species of partner you were shooting for

Amended for accuracy.

 

[El Luck]

Ok first off. Listening to a bands CD or whatever is not in anyway shape or form the same as seeing them live, even if it is a live recording of said band.

Anyway, the main reason you go is for the experience, there is nothing better than seeing a band or a singer you like live. I can list off all of the bands and such I have seen live so far in my life and each and every single one was worth the price of admission.

Yeah, people are talking about how great the atmosphere and all the people is and the energy and all that, but it's basically bullshit.

Real reason to go? Drunken sex in a filthy bathroom stall. You probably won't even get the gender of partner you were shooting for, but whatever right? The only thing you'll remember the next day is faint feel of satisfaction, and the sort of burning itch anyway.

For some reason my buddy doesn't invite me to see his brass band anymore though.

And that made me spill my beer from laughter, cheers!

Because the atomosphere at concerts is amazing!
Went to see Iron Maiden at Twickhenham stadium back in 2008, just as the sun was setting they started playing Fear Of The Dark and all of the 60 000 of us there started chanting along. That was epic as hell, i get chills just thinking about that..

I've seen Maiden twice, once at Download 2007 and again at Sonisphere 2010, and holy shit both times were just...god damn there aren't any words.

For example Rammstein always has a hell of a fireshow during their concerts. I am talking constant fire from the ground and the singer playing around with a frikkin flamethrower.

Not to mention the penis foam cannon, and the keyboard dude going crowd surfing in a rubber dinghy. That's one I wont be forgetting any time soon.

 

[RaikuFA]

Green Day also makes a really good show. When i saw them once they invited two people from the crowd up to sing with them. It was pretty amazing.

Then again that doesn't count for everyone and some bands just suck live. As much as i like their music Blink 182 is one such band. They do absolutly nothing on stage. They just stand there, barely moving, and sing their songs. Maybe they always turn around and become awesome after the first half of their concert, but i left after that, it was just too boring and i was tired.
(it was a festival, so it was not like i had come there just for blink 182)

I had the Blink 182 experience with Green Day. They just stood there peforming. Now I gotta go for a country singer my girlfriend likes.

Meanwhile bands I wanted to see have their tickets sold out the same day they're available and the only way to get them is through scalpers who charge out the ass for just the worst seats. And I can't try any radio contests because there's no rock or metal radio stations. All it is is top 40's or rap. The closest thing is a station that plays nothing but indie hipster bullcrap that trys emulating Radiohead.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Seeing a band live is entirely different. Also, I can't get in a circle pit at home. I was at Sonisphere last weekend and it was entirely fucking awesome. There's nothing like singing along to something like Metallica's Nothing Else Matters with tens of thousands of other people. Good live bands are all about fantastic showmanship as well as being incredibly tight musically. Frontmen like Bruce Dickinson or James Hetfield can rally an audience into a unified force and get everyone involved, it's a thousand times better than sitting at home listening to the music.

Still, I'd have to say I prefer tiny sweaty gigs to big events. I saw Gallows on their final tour with Frank Carter in a tiny little venue, and it was total chaos. He was hanging from the ceiling, we were climbing up the pillars and there was a circle pit that filled the club. Recorded music can never match that kind of experience.

Because the atomosphere at concerts is amazing!
Went to see Iron Maiden at Twickhenham stadium back in 2008, just as the sun was setting they started playing Fear Of The Dark and all of the 60 000 of us there started chanting along. That was epic as hell, i get chills just thinking about that..

Theres no way you can get that experience by listening to a recording, so like someone said - it's not just the music it's the experience that goes with it that matters.

I don't mean to brag (I'm kinda lying, it was fucking incredible), but when I saw Maiden last year they had a Spitfire fly over before opening and last weekend they had a motherfucking WW1 dogfight that Bruce was actually flying in. They're just awesome.

 

[Pink Gregory]

Still, I'd have to say I prefer tiny sweaty gigs to big events. I saw Gallows on their final tour with Frank Carter in a tiny little venue, and it was total chaos. He was hanging from the ceiling, we were climbing up the pillars and there was a circle pit that filled the club. Recorded music can never match that kind of experience.

None of the larger shows I've been to (bar festivals) have matched up to the 20-60 people shows that I'm used to.

But that's not so easy when you're not into particularly niche music, but then again, support live music to make shows like these happen. You'll probably enjoy them.

 

[Silvanus]

There are a few reasons, the main one being the atmosphere, as others have said. Some bands/artists also tend to change little details of their songs, meaning that hearing them live can be unique. A couple of the gigs I've been to have been free, too (though I cannot actually remember The Hoosiers gig I went to).

I had another reason for wanting to see Paul Simon live; he's like a hero of mine, I felt like I had to see him at least once. It was worth it. They turned all the lights off for him to sing "Sound of Silence", and it was incredible.

 

[happyninja42]

There are a few reasons, the main one being the atmosphere, as others have said. Some bands/artists also tend to change little details of their songs, meaning that hearing them live can be unique. A couple of the gigs I've been to have been free, too (though I cannot actually remember The Hoosiers gig I went to).

I had another reason for wanting to see Paul Simon live; he's like a hero of mine, I felt like I had to see him at least once. It was worth it. They turned all the lights off for him to sing "Sound of Silence", and it was incredible.

Paul Simon was my first concert actually xD. On his Rhythm of the Saints tour back in the 90s. I was....14? Somewhere around that age. Pretty sure I wasn't able to drive yet. Went with my parents, and really enjoyed the opening. The African steel drum players came out in a conga line, about 10 of them, on either side of the stage. The drums kicked in and the bass along with them, and it was awesome. I admit I'm not a huge Paul Simon fan, and don't remember much of that concert, but damn if that drum performance wasn't awesome. After that I was hooked xD Spent my late teens and early 20's driving all over to follow some bands and hit up raves (my personal favorite setting). Good times.

 

[Silvanus]

Paul Simon was my first concert actually xD. On his Rhythm of the Saints tour back in the 90s. I was....14? Somewhere around that age. Pretty sure I wasn't able to drive yet. Went with my parents, and really enjoyed the opening. The African steel drum players came out in a conga line, about 10 of them, on either side of the stage. The drums kicked in and the bass along with them, and it was awesome. I admit I'm not a huge Paul Simon fan, and don't remember much of that concert, but damn if that drum performance wasn't awesome. After that I was hooked xD Spent my late teens and early 20's driving all over to follow some bands and hit up raves (my personal favorite setting). Good times.

I would absolutely love to see a Rhythm of the Saints concert-- it's a solid album. Mine was the Graceland 25th Anniversary, so he had Ladysmith Black Mambazo with him, who were also brilliant. Anyway, a Paul Simon High-Five to you, Ninja.

Recently, I missed a chance to see Arcade Fire in concert, due to money considerations. When my paycheck comes in, I may stop regretting my decision. I hope so.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Still, I'd have to say I prefer tiny sweaty gigs to big events. I saw Gallows on their final tour with Frank Carter in a tiny little venue, and it was total chaos. He was hanging from the ceiling, we were climbing up the pillars and there was a circle pit that filled the club. Recorded music can never match that kind of experience.

None of the larger shows I've been to (bar festivals) have matched up to the 20-60 people shows that I'm used to.

Really? Where do you live? I live in Bristol, UK, and even the smallest gig of an internatonal band (Cancer Bats touring Hail Destroyer) must have had at least 40-50 people there, definitely the smallest at the O2 2. The Bristol O2, not even a relatively large UK venue gets at least 1500 for any metal band (Like Mastodon who are due to hit it again in the Autumnm). The Fleece, which is far and away the best Bristol venue, gets 600-800 and it's the go-to venue in Bristol- smaller Venues like the Exchange get less, but they're indie venues. Any heavy band (the smallest I can think of is Trash Talk) I've ever heard of can take the Fleece.