WORST concerts (top five) you've seen

brianlux said:

I must be one lucky guy- I can't think of any concerts I've particularly disliked, just ones I've liked more than others.

I think I would have an easier time posting on a thread called, "WORST concert audiences (top five) you've seen".

Sorry Brian, but I can't resist here:

Eddie Vedder's first solo effort ever in Vancouver (2009) featured a few first rate knobs: always yelling during moments they shouldn't and likely feeling they were sharing the spotlight. I was kinda wanting to smack them... I'm sure Ed and some others were too. Very annoying.

Some people. Sheesh.

HesCalledDyer said:

Those damn thieves of silence!

Lol... No doubt. It's ROCK N ROLL people. You want people to sit and shut up, go see the orchestra (which is awesome btw)

My 'worst' concerts for me aren't the worst because the band is bad, but more so because of other contributing factors:

Kings of Leon, 2014- Caleb's voice is amazing, they've got some fantastic songs, I'm a big fan--but man there was no crowd interaction, they barely moved, all we got was a contrived 'Hello DC!' and "How ya feelin"...just felt they were going through the motions that show.

Matisyahu, 2010- He was fantastic, but the way the show was set up (it was at my school) was super weird, and made for weird connection as well. It was the organizations supporting the concert's production and guests up front, and all other students (the fans) in the seats, a good bit away from the stage. So that made for weird crown dynamic and took away from the show. Saw him last year, and it was like a 180.

Eric Hutchinson, 2013--Ok, this was because the band/artist was bad...I just didn't enjoy it. Another one put on at my school.

Avett Brothers, 2014- Band was on point but holy crap, the experience overall was a strange one. I'm used to a great Avett crowd that goes crazy for the music, but is also respectful. Instead got uninterested, rude, beliggerent folks at this one. I saw three separate fights--who fights at an Avett Brothers show? One nearby was over beer. It was in VA, and people were way more interested in hearing the opener sing Wagon Wheel than Avett, my friends and I were told by the old fogies behind us to sit down--and then they left before the encore, and an entire family took up the row in front of us, were on their phones the whole time, and also left at the encore. Just strange all around.

PJ_Soul said:

1ThoughtKnown said:

HesCalledDyer said:

Those damn thieves of silence!

Lol... No doubt. It's ROCK N ROLL people. You want people to sit and shut up, go see the orchestra (which is awesome btw)

I wouldn't call an EV solo show rock and roll. It's more an acoustic folk concert. One where the performer also basically converses with the audience. And that makes it inappropriate for drunk idiots to be yelling the whole time, IMO.

Thanks for this.

Some people just don't understand time and place; hence, you will always have some fool that thinks he's awesome yelling something at an inappropriate time trying to share the spotlight. At the Benaroya Hall, Ed unplugged, sang and played without any amplification at one point near the end of the show. This was not a moment for an idiot to try and make Ed and the audience think they were cool or funny- it was a time to shut the fuck up and applaud when the song was over.

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

brianlux said:

I must be one lucky guy- I can't think of any concerts I've particularly disliked, just ones I've liked more than others.

I think I would have an easier time posting on a thread called, "WORST concert audiences (top five) you've seen".

Sorry Brian, but I can't resist here:

Eddie Vedder's first solo effort ever in Vancouver (2009) featured a few first rate knobs: always yelling during moments they shouldn't and likely feeling they were sharing the spotlight. I was kinda wanting to smack them... I'm sure Ed and some others were too. Very annoying.

Some people. Sheesh.

No need to apologize, Thirty, I get it!

Worst audience I can remember was seeing Leo Kottke in Santa Rosa, CA, 1990. Kottke's up there blowing my mind playing two or three part on a guitar by himself and all these well to do yuppies around us do in response is applaud mildly like Leo was giving a talk on how to install conduit between wall studs. The worst of it was this couple behind us who were jabber jawing the whole time and breathing their vintage wine and garlic breath down our necks. I was like one of the only one's between songs going, YEAH! ALRIGHT! while everyone else politely clapped like they had gloves on. I felt terribly for poor Leo but he was a real trooper and did his thing regardless.

brianlux said:

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

brianlux said:

I must be one lucky guy- I can't think of any concerts I've particularly disliked, just ones I've liked more than others.

I think I would have an easier time posting on a thread called, "WORST concert audiences (top five) you've seen".

Sorry Brian, but I can't resist here:

Eddie Vedder's first solo effort ever in Vancouver (2009) featured a few first rate knobs: always yelling during moments they shouldn't and likely feeling they were sharing the spotlight. I was kinda wanting to smack them... I'm sure Ed and some others were too. Very annoying.

Some people. Sheesh.

The worst of it was this couple behind us who were jabber jawing the whole time and breathing their vintage wine and garlic breath down our necks.

Nothing sexier!

This reminded me of an awful moment I endured at an AIC concert: a drunkard behind me sneezed on the back of my neck. Frickin slob. His spittle burned me like I was a possessed person being splashed with holy water- I felt his DNA on my neck the rest of the evening.

I entertained the notion of slapping him a few times, but decided on staying in the venue given there was half a show still. To the post above yours... if sneezing on people was a guy's idea of fun... is that par for the course? Just because you pay for a ticket, that doesn't mean it gives you the right to trample on other people's rights. Whether yelling at inappropriate times like a brain damaged baboon, or farting all over people... rude behavior is rude behavior.

^^^^^^
I had a garbage can fall on my head and flip over and dump garbage and stale beer over me on the rail at the NOFX concert April 4 in Tempe, AZ. I saw stars and wondered for a couple seconds as I shook it off if I had a concussion, only to have a crowd surfer kick me in head coming down to security over the rail, all during "Don't call me White". Punk rock at its finest and it was AWESOME. Was I mad? HELLLLLL NO.
The violence was in the pit... It was AWESOME. In recent memory the only pit which was even close to that was the PJ concert in Trieste. Certainly far more invigorating than standing 5 people back and trying to see my way around cell phones videotaping the concert. You want that? Stay in the back.
Most PJ are Ramones fans, Fugazi (Minor Threat) Bad Religion, etc etc. Punk is a part of PJ and one of the reasons they are awesome. I wish people would let loose more at the North American PJ concerts.
I'll tell you one thing, anytime PJ plays in Italy, I'm in!
In other words, if I based the worst concerts I have seen on the audience, PJ would be included.

1ThoughtKnown said:

I don't go to "acoustic folk concerts" so I am unaware of the "etiquette". Would me screaming Baba Booey be inappropriate? Everyone has their own version of what fun is, I've been told to be quiet at a hockey game because I was cheering for the road team.
Someone is boisterous, they are having a good time, they paid their ticket just like you.
My two cents... Like to see people enjoying themselves as long as it is not abusive towards anyone

The scenario at the hockey game is pretty different. That's a situation where being loud and boisterous is acceptable, but somebody was being a poor sport because they didn't like who you were cheering for. Surely you realize that there is different etiquette for different situations, and not everything that is entertainment calls for being loud and boisterous. Going to the movies is fun, but you can't act like an ass in the theater and expect the "I paid for my ticket the same as you" defense to work. A ticket is permission to enter the venue, not permission to do whatever you want inside. There's a time and place for everything. Some shows are about rocking out with your cock out, others are about a more laid back/intimate experience. If somebody is incapable of turning off "Rock Mode" then they should probably stick to the former and not the latter. That's what I do, as I'm not really the "acoustic folk concerts" type either. Armed with that knowledge I usually choose to skip such events, rather than barge in with a rock show mentality and expecting people to deal with it. As you said, they paid for their ticket too (to see/hear Eddie and not some obnoxious audience member), so being considerate is important.

SatansFuton said:

1ThoughtKnown said:

I don't go to "acoustic folk concerts" so I am unaware of the "etiquette". Would me screaming Baba Booey be inappropriate? Everyone has their own version of what fun is, I've been told to be quiet at a hockey game because I was cheering for the road team.
Someone is boisterous, they are having a good time, they paid their ticket just like you.
My two cents... Like to see people enjoying themselves as long as it is not abusive towards anyone

The scenario at the hockey game is pretty different. That's a situation where being loud and boisterous is acceptable, but somebody was being a poor sport because they didn't like who you were cheering for. Surely you realize that there is different etiquette for different situations, and not everything that is entertainment calls for being loud and boisterous. Going to the movies is fun, but you can't act like an ass in the theater and expect the "I paid for my ticket the same as you" defense to work. A ticket is permission to enter the venue, not permission to do whatever you want inside. There's a time and place for everything. Some shows are about rocking out with your cock out, others are about a more laid back/intimate experience. If somebody is incapable of turning off "Rock Mode" then they should probably stick to the former and not the latter. That's what I do, as I'm not really the "acoustic folk concerts" type either. Armed with that knowledge I usually choose to skip such events, rather than barge in with a rock show mentality and expecting people to deal with it. As you said, they paid for their ticket too (to see/hear Eddie and not some obnoxious audience member), so being considerate is important.

I stick to the former just like you. If Eddie is asking people to be quiet to do his hippy shit then so be it.
This is a Rock band's website... I'll respectfully say that I wish the GA pit at NA PJ shows wasn't so lame. I'm 40 btw so it isn't like I'm a college kid here. I like the sweaty pit, when getting to the rail meant you worked for it. In Trieste we were at least 15 back. Five songs in we were three back in front of Eddie. That's awesome

1ThoughtKnown said:

SatansFuton said:

1ThoughtKnown said:

I don't go to "acoustic folk concerts" so I am unaware of the "etiquette". Would me screaming Baba Booey be inappropriate? Everyone has their own version of what fun is, I've been told to be quiet at a hockey game because I was cheering for the road team.
Someone is boisterous, they are having a good time, they paid their ticket just like you.
My two cents... Like to see people enjoying themselves as long as it is not abusive towards anyone

The scenario at the hockey game is pretty different. That's a situation where being loud and boisterous is acceptable, but somebody was being a poor sport because they didn't like who you were cheering for. Surely you realize that there is different etiquette for different situations, and not everything that is entertainment calls for being loud and boisterous. Going to the movies is fun, but you can't act like an ass in the theater and expect the "I paid for my ticket the same as you" defense to work. A ticket is permission to enter the venue, not permission to do whatever you want inside. There's a time and place for everything. Some shows are about rocking out with your cock out, others are about a more laid back/intimate experience. If somebody is incapable of turning off "Rock Mode" then they should probably stick to the former and not the latter. That's what I do, as I'm not really the "acoustic folk concerts" type either. Armed with that knowledge I usually choose to skip such events, rather than barge in with a rock show mentality and expecting people to deal with it. As you said, they paid for their ticket too (to see/hear Eddie and not some obnoxious audience member), so being considerate is important.

I stick to the former just like you. If Eddie is asking people to be quiet to do his hippy shit then so be it.
This is a Rock band's website... I'll respectfully say that I wish the GA pit at NA PJ shows wasn't so lame. I'm 40 btw so it isn't like I'm a college kid here. I like the sweaty pit, when getting to the rail meant you worked for it. In Trieste we were at least 15 back. Five songs is we were three back in front of Eddie. That's awesome

I really like a rowdy pit too. That's the best way to enjoy a rock concert for sure.
But i also enjoy a good sit down acoustic show.
It's all good.