Author Topic: Rock Concerts  (Read 463 times)

alembic76407

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Rock Concerts
« on: May 30, 2005, 05:45:04 PM »
Thing's we love or hate about going to a rock concert.
 
Hate first; the last concert I went to was Paul McCartney a year or so ago. The girl to my right knew every word to every song that Paul sang, and she sang and sang and sang at the top of her lungs, all night long. I felt like I paid $75.00 to here her sing, and she couldn't carry a note in a bucket, but did that stop her, NOOOOOOOO. to me, perfect pitch would have been ME chunkin her off the balcony!!!!!
 
now for things I love; ????????????????????????
oh well.
 
 
David T

trekster

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2005, 05:17:14 AM »
heh...when I went to see McCartney at he MCI Center in DC, we got visited by the MCI mighty mouse.
 
Went with a friend, who is about 6'0 and 400lbs.  We got to our seats (4 rows from the back wall) and realized there was no way he was gonna fit in those teeny tiny chairs.  After about 15 minutes of squirming, I said look..there is a guy with an MCI staff badge.. go down, show him your ticket, and see if there is anything they can do.  He did, and I got motioned down about 5 minutes later..we were moved 23 rows down and one section over, to an area with folding chairs that could be moved.  Nice.  Nicer still -- the 3 rows ahead of us before the drop-off were seats not to be sold and covered over.  Clear view!
 
Anyway..about half way through the concert, during Paul ukelele tribute to George, I noticed something move in my lower peripheral vision.  I look down, and there is a mouse, walking down the covered seats like he owned the place.  I elbow my friend, point, and he looks down just in time to see the mouse crawl into his jacket pocket (which he had thrown over the seats infront of us).  We look at each other in amazement, then look down again to see the mouse crawl out.
 
To this day I still have no idea what Paul played after the Uke tribute, I was laughing soooo hard.
 
--T

kmh364

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2005, 05:56:53 AM »
$75...that's all? The Eagles were double that, plus! Crue was $100 in Vegas (Hard Rock) for gen. admission! I'm going to see Skynyrd in a couple of weeks at a glorified bar for $68 plus fees, and it's general admission!!! You should count your lucky stars that you only paid $75 to be serenaded by your involuntary unwanted neighbour!
 
Seriously, these days, you really have to be a glutton for punishment to go out and see a show. I love to see live music, but I don't love the prices and the obnoxious concert goers. There have been many threads on this site RE: this topic (some of which I've started and/or contributed to), all with the same conclusion: Most of us (myself especially) are getting too friggin'' old for this s**t, LOL!

bracheen

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2005, 09:21:12 AM »
$68 for Lynyrd Skynard, wow.  They used to open for just about every act that came to Jacksonville in the early 70s plus play other venues with no cover.  I remember after they made it and came back for their triumphant return the tickets were $6 each.  Not realizing the scope of their popularity I thought that was outrageous and refused to pay it.  I wish now I had since the last time I got to see the original Skynyrd was around 1971 or 1972.  Enjoy the show.
 
Sam

davr35

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2005, 09:52:10 AM »
I'd have to say the price of shows is just insane these days. My first show was Fleetwood Mac in 1980 and I paid $10.50 I saw the Stones in 81 and paid $18.50 and that was a hell of a lot for a show back then

tom_z

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2005, 10:18:14 AM »
I agree that the prices of concert tickets has gotten pretty crazy. That is probably my least favorite thing about the concert scene. And I too, truly love LIVE music.  
 
When I was in high school, my friends and I took advantage of as much live music as we could wrap our ears around in the Chicago area. We all had some kind of jobs and I don't remember the ticket prices being a huge issue, even for the big popular shows of the time. I really don't see how younger concert-goers are able to afford to go to top-tier events these days.
 
Fortunately, there are some rather fine bands making amazing music, and still playing smaller venues for less $$. This past Saturday, for example, I saw Global Funk, who played in a small bar here in Vegas for a donation of $5. What a hot show! Check them out if they are playing in a town near you - they're on a run through CA in early June. Which leads me to one of my favorite things about live music - that is - being blown away unexpectedly by really talented, relatively low-profile musicians. What a treat!
 
Tom

kmh364

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« Reply #6 on: May 31, 2005, 10:21:14 AM »
Two years ago, when Gary Rossington had his heart problems, tix (real seats, not GA) at a minor league hockey arena (Sovereign Bank, Trenton NJ) were about $40-$50each. Now they're at a big bar and it's over $70 bucks/ticket for GA! The Outlaws were just there last week (I was at the Velvet Revolver show at the PNC bank Arts Center..$70/Ticket, unfortunately)on their 30th anniversary tour for $25 (Marshall Tucker was $15)!!! I've never payed more than $35 at the same venue, and I've seen Tesla, Yngwie, Gov't Mule, etc. Skynyrd is really trying to cash-in, it seems. They had better be worth their weight in gold this time around for that kinda money or they can kiss my Yankee *ss for one more thin dime to see 'em, LOL!

richbass939

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #7 on: May 31, 2005, 11:13:04 AM »
I know I sound like an old man, talking about the old days but I especially remember 2 shows in 1974 or 1975, probably.  U. of Houston Jeppeson Stadium, Allman Bros, Eagles, Commander Cody.  Around the same time, Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Stones, Eagles, Montrose, and a local band warming up for them.  I don't remember the ticket price but I would bet it wasn't more than $15 or $17.  I'm glad I got to see some great acts when prices were low and I would actually go see them.
Rich

wideload

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2005, 11:28:52 AM »
I wonder if the need for higher ticket prices (expenses are up, entourages are up, liability is up, expectations of a spectacular show are up) leads to audiences who feel entitled to act however they please, since they paid such a high tariff? Doesn't make it right, just a thought. When pop acts put so much emphasis on the staging, dancing and costumes, then play a recording of the vocals, AND OUR KIDS PUT UP WITH IT, its truly a world gone mad!
 
Larry

kmh364

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2005, 01:54:37 PM »
Nah, concertgoers have always been obnoxious: the price increase hasn't changed that. The fact that a bunch of us are now old farts and have lost the patience to deal with the morons is the difference, LOL! You'd have thought high tix prices would separate the wheat from the chaff, but it just ain't so. Obviously, morons have money too, LOL!

alembic76407

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2005, 02:38:12 PM »
Am I the only one thats get's bugged about the girl that's singing at the top of her lungs? I did not pay to hear her sing, or maybe I did !!!
 
I saw Bruce Springsteen in 1975 {when he still rocked} for $8.00, and they said if you didn't like the show you could get your money back.    
I almost quit playing after seeing the E Street band, one of the best live shows I ever seen!!!
 
David T

lbpesq

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #11 on: May 31, 2005, 02:49:06 PM »
I'm sitting in my office looking at my framed poster from Bill Graham's first New Years Eve Show.  Actually two nights, Friday, December 30th and Saturday, December 31st, 1966.  The first night:  Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane & Quicksilver Messenger Service - 9:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m. - $2.50.  New Years Eve:  same 3 bands 9:00 p.m. - 9:00 a.m. with breakfast - $5.00!  I also remember seeing the Dead at the Sound Check (official unveiling of the Wall of Sound) at the Cow Palace in San Francisco in March, 1974.  $4.00 and they gave away a free mini 33 1/3 rpm record (4 songs) on the way out!  Those were indeed the days.  This Friday I'm going to Hot Tuna at the Fillmore, tickets paid for with American Express points.  Times have changed.
 
Bill, tgo

David Houck

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #12 on: May 31, 2005, 05:02:40 PM »
A few weeks ago I went to see Jeff Coffin.  Jeff's the sax player for Bela Fleck & the Flecktones.  His touring band at that point included a guitar player and bass player that I was unfamiliar with.  On some nights the drummer was Futureman from the Flecktones, but on this particular night Futureman played percussion and the drummer was Chester Thompson.  The gig was part of an outdoor sports festival.  The admission was free.  I was sitting in the grass right in front of the stage and when people started dancing, I got up and stood beside the stage and watched Chester Thompson; for free.  This was a group of very good musicians playing very good music in a venue where you could get up close and watch the interaction between the musicians; for free.  You could tell the bass player was having a great time playing with Chester!

jacko

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #13 on: June 01, 2005, 01:32:24 AM »
My first concert was Deep Purple in 1972 at Newcastle city hall. My oldest brother took me and I'm pretty sure the tickets were 90pence for second row seats (that's about $1.50 us). Also on the bill were Chicken Shack and a local band, the Junko partners. For 90pence!!!!! Crosby stills and nash are playing edinburgh this year - tickets are something like ?45. I've decided to pass on this.  
As for Rowdy fans, Everytime I've seen Yes in scotland - 6 times since 1998, - somebody has shouted drunken encouragement during the intro to 'And you and I'. That really P@sses me off.
 
graeme

88persuader

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Rock Concerts
« Reply #14 on: June 01, 2005, 02:00:11 AM »
My 1st concert was Led Zeppelin at the Boston Gardens in the 70's. (I was 14 YO) My pal and I lucked into tickets outside the concert an hour before the show. Get this ... they were middle row floor level tickets for $7.50 each! Yep ... seven dollars and fifty cents to see Zep for their Stairway to Heaven tour. Some guys son had the tickets, couldn't go and the guy just wanted the ticket price for them. And they were the highest price tickets! $7.50, $5.50 and $4.50 for the nose bleed section. Since then I've been lucky because most shows I go to now are more progressive rock shows and it's hard to sing along to King Crimson! :-) Although i DID see girls dancing to Gentle Giant and if you've heard G.G. you'd know how hard that must have been! :-)