Just saw this clip of Blur at Wembley. I will take into account, it's via a mobile phone. But way up there in the skies, it looks like zero atmosphere. Unless you are near the stage, arena gigs seem like total sh*t these days. My arena gig days are well over in any case.
My last ones were Radiohead and QOTSA, both awful. Awful sound. Lack of ambience/atmosphere. Crowd more interested in chatting and going for beers constantly than watching the gig. Just a drone of noise for the whole gig. G`nR outdoors was rubbish as well a few years ago. Stood the bones of half a mile or more from the stage. Never again.
Comments
My son's friend is an injured serviceman (he got punched in the head at a club in Peterborough where apparently there are locals who don't like the local RAF, sort of a down at heel Top Gun, unscathed from the actual service business) and went as the carer for him as Blur had given a bunch of tickets to Help for Heroes.
The trouble is the artist has to care about the sound and also be in a position to specify what's required to give everyone a nice experience equipment wise. These days a lot of big tours like The Stones, U2, GnR etc are sold as a package to massive companies like Clear Channel, who pretty much run the big concert racket now worldwide.
There's still something special about a 500 / 600 cap venue where no matter where you are you are right in the thick of it and see the actual performers rather than a screen. I still love that.
It's a shame Rambling Man festival in Kent isn't a thing anymore. I went twice and all the stages had great sound and views.
But so often the sound is atrocious.
I'm biased as I just went to a couple on holiday, but my favourite venues are theatres and mid-sized amphitheatres. We saw The National and Death Cab for Cutie in 5000-ish-cap outdoor amphitheatres in the US and both were just phenomenal. Small enough to feel relatively intimate, but big enough that getting tickets is actually feasible.
For a stadium to work you need Freddie.
https://www.facebook.com/rendallsrestorations?fref=ts
I probably wouldn't bother if I knew the seats were going to be crap - you just end up watching the show on the big screens, might as well just watch other people's videos on Youtube after the fact!
https://www.facebook.com/rendallsrestorations?fref=ts
Why pay the ever increasing costs and hassle, instead support local bands more. I've recently searched up local music venues to my social media to follow.
This was my view of Motley Crud and Def Leppard. Sounded ok but no real atmosphere and this wasn't even the cheapest tickets!
flanging_fed “
too expensive
sound not great
too far away
Getting there plus getting out after a pain
I wouldn't go to any big gigs now, in fact I turned down a free ticket for both the Rolling Stones and Bon Jovi. The gigs I love are £20-£30 and I often get to stand right in front of the guitarist.