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Wembley Arena - the Venue

London_JamLondon_Jam Posts: 173
edited May 2007 in Given To Fly (live)
OK....

Take a look at the pic:
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q.../DSC000381.jpg

I went to see the Killers play there earlier this year. Had seats in N9 and to be honest seated tickets suited me cos I was able to get to and from the bar really easily!

Performance was fantastic (they are an EXCELLENT live band) but the crowd was piss poor. Killers fans suck. Teenie boppers and 'cool' try harders. Not a rocking bone in their bodies.

However, I really dont think the sound helped much either. It was loud enough - but it echoes in there. Difficult to pick up any of the subtelties of the performance... and thats WITHOUT a loud crowd noise! Other than this gig I have never been.

Is this venue ever any good? Is the sound better down on the floor where I will be? Anybody seen PJ here before and, if you have, what was the atmosphere/sound like?

This is one ugly aircraft hanger of a building and the last thing we need is a shitty venue hampering what could be one of PJ's all time great perfomrances to 3,000 Ten Club memebers and the rest of the crowd made up of those fans who couldnt GET floor tickets!
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Comments

  • jrdjrd Posts: 3,060
    you're just going to have to face it... Wembley Arena is a shit venue, and the sound's always been poor, but it is better down on the floor near the front. ;)

    shows i've seen there it usually seems to take the first 3-4 songs before they get the sound sorted out.

    it was discussed before somewhere, but they spent several million quid doing the place up, moving the stage from one end to the other etc but only spent about 1% of the budget on 'improving' the acoustics... :mad:
    Oh yeah? Well, I've had about enough of morons and halfwits, dolts, dunces, dullards and dumbbells - and you chowderhead yokel, you blithering hayseed, you - you've had enough of me?
  • danleridanleri Posts: 497
    jrd wrote:
    you're just going to have to face it... Wembley Arena is a shit venue, and the sound's always been poor, but it is better down on the floor near the front. ;)

    ...and we'll all be there :D
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  • Housing JimHousing Jim Posts: 644
    Is the standing section really only 3,000?!! That's quite small :)

    The sound is generally at its best on the floor of venues, usually nearer the front......hell, at the Glasgow Academy, the closer you are makes such a difference you can actually audibly tell as you walk forward a few feet that the sound is getting better.

    On a side note, I saw The Killers in March too, not at Wembley. They were okay, started well but got really, really dull towards the end of the set
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  • ||Release_Me||||Release_Me|| Posts: 1,871
    I've never been, but some people have told me that since they've renovated it the sound has improved so i'm not too worried about it. I think everyone on the floor will be able to hear fine.

    And any subtleties that we miss should be more than audible on the official bootleg!
    "This town deserves a better class of criminal... and I'm gonna give it to them."

  • PegasusPegasus Posts: 3,754
    my friends were at that show and they said the sound was excellent for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (opening band), then crap for The Killers.
    so it's got nothing to do with the venue.

    I'll trust PJ sound engineer to get it right..if it takes them a longer soundcheck to get it perfect the better ;)
  • London_JamLondon_Jam Posts: 173
    Pegasus wrote:
    my friends were at that show and they said the sound was excellent for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (opening band), then crap for The Killers.
    so it's got nothing to do with the venue.

    I'll trust PJ sound engineer to get it right..if it takes them a longer soundcheck to get it perfect the better ;)

    lol - i actually thought it was the other way around. Black rebel was really bad and they got it right for the Killers. Anyways...
  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    A friend of mine is an exterior and interior designer - or whatever the fuck he calls himself at work - and designed the new walkway from the tube station to the Arena and stadium. He told me recently that Wembley arena used to be a swimming pool in a previous incarnation, and that as a swimming pool it was registered as a listed building so that the structure of the place couldn't legally be altered. Hence the shit sound at Wembley. There's still a fucking swimming pool some distance under the floor which swallows up the sound being generated from the stage.
  • Brisk.Brisk. Posts: 11,561
    saw the manic street preachers in 29T and razorhiste supporting - back in 2004.

    the sound seemed good for manics but for razorshite im not sure if it was the venue or them but you couldn't hear their notes clearly.
  • PegasusPegasus Posts: 3,754
    Byrnzie wrote:
    A friend of mine is an exterior and interior designer - or whatever the fuck he calls himself at work - and designed the new walkway from the tube station to the Arena and stadium. He told me recently that Wembley arena used to be a swimming pool in a previous incarnation, and that as a swimming pool it was registered as a listed building so that the structure of the place couldn't legally be altered. Hence the shit sound at Wembley. There's still a fucking swimming pool some distance under the floor which swallows up the sound being generated from the stage.
    yep, a friend who used to work there told me it was listed..which is why you could (still can?) visit it when there's no gig apparently.

    anyway, sound can't be worse than Prague last year...or Lisbon, both being very good gigs so...
  • Fender_ManFender_Man Posts: 408
    Saw Rush, Rainbow, Queen, Alice Cooper and Frank Zappa at the arena back in the 80's , never remember the sound being too bad at any show. The PJ 2000 show, for me, was ruined by illness, the boot sounds good though!
    The only GA show I've seen from the floor was Page & Plant (1998?) and that sounded superb from about 50ft back. Never been my favourite venue, but if the sound guys are prepared to put the work in, there shouldn't be a problem.
    Any one looking for a pre-show beer should take a 15 minute walk up to Wembley high street. Plenty of decent pubs and bars, where you can get a decent drink (half the price of the arena). Can't wait!
  • ||Release_Me||||Release_Me|| Posts: 1,871
    Pegasus wrote:
    yep, a friend who used to work there told me it was listed..which is why you could (still can?) visit it when there's no gig apparently.

    anyway, sound can't be worse than Prague last year...or Lisbon, both being very good gigs so...

    Now i'm definitely not worried because i thought the sound in Lisbon was good! I must be the only one lol
    "This town deserves a better class of criminal... and I'm gonna give it to them."

  • PegasusPegasus Posts: 3,754
    ||Release_Me|| wrote:
    Now i'm definitely not worried because i thought the sound in Lisbon was good! I must be the only one lol
    it was good at the front, but apparently only there.
  • motorcademotorcade Posts: 108
    Byrnzie wrote:
    A friend of mine is an exterior and interior designer - or whatever the fuck he calls himself at work - and designed the new walkway from the tube station to the Arena and stadium. He told me recently that Wembley arena used to be a swimming pool in a previous incarnation, and that as a swimming pool it was registered as a listed building so that the structure of the place couldn't legally be altered. Hence the shit sound at Wembley. There's still a fucking swimming pool some distance under the floor which swallows up the sound being generated from the stage.

    Years ago, the place used to be called the Empire Pool. I remember being taken there as a little kid to watch Walt Disney On Ice!

    Last shows I attended there were two by The Cure, on the Prayer Tour in '89. Sounded fantastic from down on the floor.
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  • ||Release_Me||||Release_Me|| Posts: 1,871
    Pegasus wrote:
    it was good at the front, but apparently only there.

    We were only at the front for the first night, second night we were about halfway back on the floor and i have no complaints. I guess others have more experience with good/bad sound though!
    "This town deserves a better class of criminal... and I'm gonna give it to them."

  • Scratchin a LetterScratchin a Letter Posts: 2,303
    I saw Bob Dylan there last month and from the floor it sounded amazing. Besides, PJ have a good crew to sort out any misdemeanours...
  • robbutlandrobbutland Posts: 59
    i guarantee that the sound cant be as bad as earls court.
    If music be the food of love, play on.
  • bairdybairdy Posts: 45
    Eh The mighty Pink Floyd played what 17 nights at Earls Court with probably the most amazing sound i ever heard. Check out the Dvd still sounds great now.
  • Scratchin a LetterScratchin a Letter Posts: 2,303
    robbutland wrote:
    i guarantee that the sound cant be as bad as earls court.
    Earls Court has the worst acoustics in the world. It's an exhibition centre, not designed for concerts. I hate seeing concerts there.
  • PegasusPegasus Posts: 3,754
    Scratchin a Letter wrote:
    Earls Court has the worst acoustics in the world. It's an exhibition centre, not designed for concerts. I hate seeing concerts there.
    Words.. which is a shame 'cos I could actually walk to Earl's Court, I certainly cycle it in barely 10-15mn.
  • vedder_soupvedder_soup Posts: 5,861
    i saw iron maiden at earls court last year and the sound was alright.
    Bloody loud, and i was fairly close to the stage and in the lower tiered seating.
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  • wash_wash_ Posts: 1,073
    Im not expecting the sound to be great at wembley. And the lisbon sound was bad...couldn't hear a word Ed said when he spoke...
    mind you, it's difficult to understand him at the best of times :)
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  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    motorcade wrote:
    Years ago, the place used to be called the Empire Pool. I remember being taken there as a little kid to watch Walt Disney On Ice!

    Last shows I attended there were two by The Cure, on the Prayer Tour in '89. Sounded fantastic from down on the floor.

    I saw the cure there in 1987 during the Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me tour. I was bored senseless by them. I did think the Cult were great there though in both 1988? and 1990?
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    seems like everyone has seen some big famous band there at one point... i've never been.
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • PegasusPegasus Posts: 3,754
    dunkman wrote:
    seems like everyone has seen some big famous band there at one point... i've never been.
    me neither..
  • jrdjrd Posts: 3,060
    dunkman wrote:
    seems like everyone has seen some big famous band there at one point... i've never been.

    Springsteen, Pearl Jam... :D
    Rush... :o
    Jethro Tull... :o :eek:

    Thomas The Tank Engine ;)
    Oh yeah? Well, I've had about enough of morons and halfwits, dolts, dunces, dullards and dumbbells - and you chowderhead yokel, you blithering hayseed, you - you've had enough of me?
  • Housing JimHousing Jim Posts: 644
    London_Jam wrote:
    lol - i actually thought it was the other way around. Black rebel was really bad and they got it right for the Killers. Anyways...

    to be honest, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club could have the best sound in the world and they'd still sound like they're playing the same dull song for 45 minutes!
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  • Scratchin a LetterScratchin a Letter Posts: 2,303
    Here's an inside view

    http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q201/Scratch_86/DSC000381.jpg
  • Fender_ManFender_Man Posts: 408
    Fender_Man wrote:
    Saw Rush, Rainbow, Queen, Alice Cooper and Frank Zappa at the arena back in the 80's , never remember the sound being too bad at any show. The PJ 2000 show, for me, was ruined by illness, the boot sounds good though!
    The only GA show I've seen from the floor was Page & Plant (1998?) and that sounded superb from about 50ft back. Never been my favourite venue, but if the sound guys are prepared to put the work in, there shouldn't be a problem.
    Any one looking for a pre-show beer should take a 15 minute walk up to Wembley high street. Plenty of decent pubs and bars, where you can get a decent drink (half the price of the arena). Can't wait!


    Forgot to mention Steps and Tweenies on ice!
  • London_JamLondon_Jam Posts: 173
    Housing Jim wrote:
    to be honest, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club could have the best sound in the world and they'd still sound like they're playing the same dull song for 45 minutes!

    Agreed - Im normally one for giving the support act a fair crack of the whipe. Remeber these guys get no light show to speak of and the volume is turned right down.

    However, these guys were fucking dull :-)
  • PegasusPegasus Posts: 3,754
    London_Jam wrote:
    Agreed - Im normally one for giving the support act a fair crack of the whipe. Remeber these guys get no light show to speak of and the volume is turned right down.

    However, these guys were fucking dull :-)
    not agreeing, I saw them for the first time at the Astoria last month, and booked to see them again at Sommerset House in July the very next day.
    it was slow starting though, so maybe that's why: they didn't get a full set to get things really going (and it was great once it got going).
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