Going to a show is expensive. Ticket prices are so jacked up I think I should get a free drink or something out of the deal. Instead I hand over my purse so some ticket taker can rifle through my things. No, I'm not hiding anything in that tampon but please feel free to check.
Trying to figure out what time you should even show up is a problem. Doors open at 7 but who the hell knows what time the show actually starts? I did some research and found out that there were two opening bands so we showed up around 8:30. Apparently we should have shown up at 10 because that's about the time the band we came to see actually got on stage. The band before them was so boring I had to keep myself entertained with an $8.00 Bud Light three times!
People are annoying at concerts. Everyone is taking a selfie, recording something, talking to their friend loudly, spilling drinks (ok well Derek was the only one spilling drinks on me this time even though he claimed it was "condensation"), making out with their significant other, and the most obnoxious people at a concert will undoubtedly stand in front of me. I'm an annoying person beacon, or maybe I'm just easily annoyed. Well go with option one.
I'm sick of encores. Just play the songs you're going to play and be done with it. When did it become normal for a band to walk off the stage and stand around for a minute or two while everyone chants and screams and claps and then come back out like you totally were done but because of the crowds drunken enthusiasm you will play those two popular songs that everyone has been waiting for. Let's end the charade. I rarely stick around for the encore because I want to beat the mad rush to the T and also because of my encore principles as stated above.
I should mention the band we saw which was AWOLNATION. I thought the show was good despite the overpriced ticket, beers and the annoying people. Not as good as the first time we saw them. Derek thought it was pretty bad. I should write reviews for Rolling Stone.
We're going to another concert this summer but at least we'll have seats at this one. This cranky lady needs to sit while drinking her over prices drinks.
The price of concerts these days are insane! I remember when I could see Nsync for $25! I'm not sure I could see anyone for $25 these days!
ReplyDeleteYea $25 doesn't get you much these days. Maybe a local band that's not well known.
DeleteI've never been much of a concert-goer, mostly because I don't enjoy any loud and crowded event. However, it is fun to note that my aunt took me to see Boy George and Culture Club when I was 12 (1985).
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome. I hope it was a good concert. At least there were no cell phones back then.
DeleteAfter accompanying friends to a bunch of concerts in college, I eventually had to admit that I just don't enjoy most concerts. At least ones in small venues where you have to stand. You have to wait through a couple of crappy opening bands, your hearing's shot at the end, most of the time you end up thinking the band sounds better recorded.
ReplyDeletePretty much spot on! I feel like a lot of bands improvise and I just want it to be sung how it was recorded.
DeleteI went to see Justin Timberlake last summer at the 02 in London. He was great but the sound was crap,and as you said everyone had phones up and ipads recording the whole thing so all we could see was a collection of devices recording a tiny dot that turned out to be Justin. I know I'm getting old because I just can't hear the band as well as I used to, it all sounds like one big noise. Or maybe it was but no one else wants to admit it!
ReplyDeleteI feel like the bigger the venue the worse the sounds. We saw Muse at the Boston Garden and the sound just wasn't good.
DeleteThis obsession with taking (what I would call) meaningless photos of oneself is (what I would call) a sickness. God forgive me, but I heard an interview with Kim Kardashian in which she said she has taken more photos of herself than other people have taken of her. Now, THAT’S quite a statement coming from a celebrity. I think, heaven forbid that anyone should ever love such a complete narcissist.
ReplyDeleteThe crowd would have annoyed me too. In fact, I go out of my way to avoid crowds because I’m darned near phobic of them.
P.S. Those women look like what politically-incorrect people like myself would call. morons--right down to their open mouths. Did they drool?
Some people take it too far. It's fine if you do it once in a while (I'm guilty of selfie here and there) but when I'm at a concert, I'm there for the show. Kim K published a whole book with just her selfies. How does anyone have time to take that many pictures?
DeleteGosh, (how's that for something old people say?) I think my last concert was over 20 years ago - Don Henley. I'm glad it was before cell phones. I've never even heard of AWOLNATION. Thanks for the "review".
ReplyDeleteI would actually like to see the Eagles live or even just Don Henley. I think small local shows might be the way to go. Support local music and don't feel like I got ripped off if I leave early.
DeleteI agree with you 100% Ginny. The only concerts I usually go to now are classical or jazz, where you have seats, the sound is a reasonable volume, and people aren't taking video of the whole show on their phones. (I seriously want to know how many of those people actually go back and watch their crappy videos later. I bet close to zero.)
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ReplyDeleteThis place doesn’t have any 'i'm too cool and busy for you' wait staff. As per me, everyone at Chicago venues is nice, friendly, and helpful and they really seem to like their jobs there and that is important to me. We had an awesome experience here.
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