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| Title: | The UK Music Conference |
| Notice: | Welcome (back) to UK_MUSIC on node MARVIN. |
| Moderator: | RDGENG::CROOK |
|
| Created: | Mon Mar 28 1988 |
| Last Modified: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 1381 |
| Total number of notes: | 39269 |
234.0. "Really BIG gigs, A rip off ?" by MARVIN::HEALEY (Brendan Healey, PSI-PSG/WACE) Mon Oct 10 1988 18:04
Thinking about all the BIG gigs I've been to (by BIG I mean wembley
stadium sized affairs) I have ask myself whether it's all worth
the agro. Some of the negative features of these concerts that spring
to mind are -
o High cost - Tickets >15 pounds sterling, travel expenses
o Lots of QUEUEING for everything, trains, tubes, toilets, getting
in and getting home again
o The vantage point compromise; if you get the front the view
and atmosphere can be fantastic, but forget creature comforts
like being able to eat, drink or going to the loo.
o They're nearly always outside. Fine in the summer (well, with
the last few british summers perhaps not), but it only takes
a downpour to dampen spirits.
I can distinctly recall seeing David Bowie at wembley last year,
I was standing near the back of the stadium watching one of the
huge TV screens on either side of the stage through a pair of
borrowed binoculars! The show was centred around intricate dance
routines, not what I call suitable for somewhere the size of wembley.
On the other hand I've seen Genesis and Floyd and really had a great
time. I think that these bands can pull off playing to a crowd of
more than 50k, they've been doing it a long time and have been able
to learn from their mistakes, but I can't imagine why anyone would
pay money to see Whitney Houston (sp?) play Wembley stadium (she
did, didn't she?).
To summarise, I think that except in a very few cases (charity
concerts included) the organisers of these concerts are just
taking the p*ss and making stacks of money. Any takers?
Chs,
Brendan.
| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 234.1 | well I like 'em .... | PUGH::JANE | I can't think of a good one | Tue Oct 11 1988 12:07 | 23 |
|
It costs a fortune to stage these type of gigs .... I don't know
the exact figures but it makes a house mortgage look like coffee
money :-)
I've seen 3 'gigs' at Wembley Stadium - Sprucie twice and Queen
once .... each time I've split my 'viewing' into some at the front
for the atmosphere and some halfway back for the 'full picture'.
Each time I've not been disappointed (even when it rained) and I think
bands like Queen and the East Street Band *can* pull off big events
because they stage the show for the size of the venue and make sure
the overall effect is *BIG*.
FWIW - I've also seen Queen at Wembley Arena and that was bad news
because I was limited to the seat I was in - no chance to change views
like the Stadium or even Brighton where there were no seats.
Personally I enjoy the atmosphere of a big gig, but I think it can
only be pulled off by a *big* show.
Woof bark meow
|
| 234.2 | | KERNEL::COHEN | Keep Music Live | Mon Oct 17 1988 11:41 | 16 |
|
They can be good - eg. Live Aid, Floyd etc - it very much depends on
what type of show. The Amnesty gig was not all togther great - one of
the problems was low sound levels.
Brendan .... you must remember that Wembley is a soccer stadium - the
catering etc. is very much geared towards this, which means beer and
burger - not what I'm really keen on.
I certainly grew tired of stadium rock this year, and might be more
cautious in future of rushing out to get tix.
Dylan (with Santana) was a memorable gig at Wembley.
David.
|
| 234.3 | Big gigs a ripoff? | WELMTS::GREENB | Three in a row, she's got to go | Mon Oct 17 1988 19:43 | 13 |
| in a word, yes......
I'd much rather go to a small place and get close to a band who
arent so famous theyve forgotten how to go for it - I never seem
to want to see anyone who's that big anyway, the possible exception
being Peter Gabriel (then again Brucie hasnt forgotten how to go
for it). Oh, and maybe U2....
I was unfortunate enough to 'see' Led Zep at Earls Court once, the
sound was apalling, I was sat right behind a pillar (my ticket had
'restricted view' written on it) and not only that, they were *awful*
No, give me a pub/club/college gig anyday, or at most Hammy Odeon....
Bob
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