Concert pet peeves

Night Prowler

Night Prowler

Customer Deathcycle Manager
Staff member
What stuff done at concerts (both by performers and audience) annoys you the most?

Inspired to make this thread by this concert:

Awesome performance but it annoys me how often the singer calls the audience "motherfuckers". Multiple times during each song and in between songs :facepalm:
 
Zero words to the crowd in between songs. I had that once seeing Halford. Gave a strange somewhat arrogant impression. The performance was stellar but in between songs there was no introduction, not even a thank you. So that changed a brilliant concert into a decent concert.
 
Forostar said:
Zero words to the crowd in between songs. I had that once seeing Halford. Gave a strange somewhat arrogant impression. The performance was stellar but in between songs there was no introduction, not even a thank you. So that changed a brilliant concert into a decent concert.
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Yeah, I think it's hard to find that balance. I like having a couple songs (especially at the beginning of the set) without any talking at all, but from there on out you must say something. I actually might prefer this to the opposite (i.e. Opeth) where there is so much talking and down time that the band could have played at least one or two more tunes.
 
People who force their way to the front are the worst. I don't care about the justification; if the people in front of you showed up 3 hours early, waited through 2-3 opening bands without drinking or using the bathroom just to see the headliner, they deserve that spot more than you.
 
Forostar said:
Zero words to the crowd in between songs. I had that once seeing Halford. Gave a strange somewhat arrogant impression. The performance was stellar but in between songs there was no introduction, not even a thank you. So that changed a brilliant concert into a decent concert.
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I saw a show that had Gojira, Mastodon and Slayer play one after the other in one night. They played about 3,5 hours combined, and spoke about 5 sentences... also combined :P
 
MrKnickerbocker said:
People who force their way to the front are the worst. I don't care about the justification; if the people in front of you showed up 3 hours early, waited through 2-3 opening bands without drinking or using the bathroom just to see the headliner, they deserve that spot more than you.
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The disinterested tall man rarely pushes his way to the front, he just selects a group of smallish people and pushes them out of the way. Going to the front would mean people touching him.
 
MrKnickerbocker said:
People who force their way to the front are the worst. I don't care about the justification; if the people in front of you showed up 3 hours early, waited through 2-3 opening bands without drinking or using the bathroom just to see the headliner, they deserve that spot more than you.
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I may have battled my way to the front in London with @Perun and @Ariana.
 
I've got lots of these.

As far as fans go, I don't really care about cell phones as long as they don't get in my way and they usually don't. They spent the money, if they want to watch it through a phone that's their prerogative. What bothers me is when people light up at a concert. The smell of weed at the Colorado Maiden show was awful and, since it was an indoor venue, it lingered in the already stuffy room.

Performers: I'm totally with Knickerbocker on solos. I had two mind boggling solo moments this year alone: The first was Gojira and Opeth, where Gojira had a drum solo. It's a coheadline set with a limited time, why waste it on a drum solo? They could've fit in another song. Even worse was a few weeks later at this Hair Metal festival by my school. Lita Ford was playing and there was some delay that forced her to shorten her set down to like 3 songs. But somehow there was still time for a drum solo? WTF.

In a similar vein, I'm not a fan of audience participation. That stuff is usually criticized on live albums, but the response is often something along the lines of "it's cool if you're there". I get so bored during audience participation. The concert might as well be over at that point. It doesn't help that it often occurs during a mediocre song (Maiden and Priest are most guilty of this). Part of the problem is also that it's so obviously scripted. You know the singer gave the exact same rap in the last city. I didn't come to the concert to hear which side of the arena is louder. The one exception to this is when the audience participation is something unique or a contribution to the music. Frank Zappa did this sort of thing a lot and that's always fun to listen to. But even that is something I have a low threshold of tolerance for.
 
Mosh said:
In a similar vein, I'm not a fan of audience participation. That stuff is usually criticized on live albums, but the response is often something along the lines of "it's cool if you're there". I get so bored during audience participation. The concert might as well be over at that point. It doesn't help that it often occurs during a mediocre song (Maiden and Priest are most guilty of this). Part of the problem is also that it's so obviously scripted. You know the singer gave the exact same rap in the last city. I didn't come to the concert to hear which side of the arena is louder.
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You have not seen enough bands that are spontaneous, I am afraid.
 
MrKnickerbocker said:
Honestly, I'm not into solos. I don't mean solos within songs, I mean 4-5 minute drum/bass/guitar/piano solos. I'd rather hear a song, even an instrumental song.
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I'm with you on this. Dream Theater did an extended jam one time I saw them as it was so boring. Mainly just Jordan Rudess messing around. ::) Metallica have that awful bass/guitar solos on their 'Live Shit' live album. One of the worst things that's ever been released.

Forostar said:
Zero words to the crowd in between songs.
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It is nice for the singer to speak to the crowd. Dave Mustaine rarely says anything, says he just wants to play as much music as he can in the show. He even said at Bloodstock festival "I hope we're not boring you by only playing songs" (or something like that). Perhaps he's too likely to go on a political rant. At the weekend the singer in Muse, Matt Bellamy, barely said anything between songs either which was a surprise to me. Some of the chat between songs is scripted, such as Bruce Dickinson's rants and the way he introduces 'Children of the Damned', but there can be spontaneity too, like when Bruce spotted a vicar at the front in Birmingham this year. I guess speaking to the crowd gives some sort of acknowledgement and appreciation of them being there.

Mosh said:
As far as fans go, I don't really care about cell phones as long as they don't get in my way and they usually don't.
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Phones tend to get in my way, particularly if everyone is taller than me. Last year I had to watch the first two songs of a Testament show through someone's phone.
 
1. Mosh pits.
2. Tall people in front of me.

MrKnickerbocker said:
People who force their way to the front are the worst. I don't care about the justification; if the people in front of you showed up 3 hours early, waited through 2-3 opening bands without drinking or using the bathroom just to see the headliner, they deserve that spot more than you.
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That would be me.
bowuu.gif
There are several reasons why: first of all, I'm short and if I stay behind, I would see nothing. This is exactly what happened when I saw Sabaton last time. Or should I say heard Sabaton, since I could only see the top of the backdrop the whole time. Second, I never go to concerts alone, and because of that I have to wait for other people who are never in a rush to go in and would much rather wait in a merch line for one hour. (Yes, I'm looking at you @LooseCannon! :p) If it was up to me, I'd always be there before the gates open. So I either have to leave everyone behind and go in the venue early, or wait for my buddies and stand at the back, which brings me to my previous point. And last, but not least, I can't stand being behind anyone in general and have been known to jump queues on various occasions, when I lose my patience.
 
Ariana said:
1. Mosh pits.
2. Tall people in front of me.

people who would much rather wait in a merch line for one hour. (Yes, I'm looking at you @LooseCannon! :p) If it was up to me, I'd always be there before the gates open.
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Mosh pits are fun, but tall people are annoying. I was also in the merch queue for a long time, for absolutely no reason it turned out. ::) Fortunately @Brigantium saved me.
 
1. Phones do my tits in. Not sure why. Maybe Im old fashioned. If it was just a pair of hands blocking my view I wouldnt care but the phone just annoys me. I just dont see the value in a sub standard video when compared to the wonderous experience of watchin it in the flesh. Each to their own but shove yer phone up yer hole.

2. Tall people. Im 6ft and would happily decapitate anyone 5'10 and above.

3. My lack of a colostony bag. I hate holding in a piss but also hate not drinkin before the show.

4. People near the front who are disgusted when they end up with a sweaty arm pit in the face. If you dont want to get intimate then take yer personal space a bit further back, please. And when you shrug me off or look over your shoulder at me, do you really think I am the sole cause of your displeasure in this crowd of 20,000 people? Fuck off before I elbow drop you.

5. Hearing a great tune while in the queue for the bar. I missed Rock of Ages at Def Leppard. Totally my fault for going to the bar but still.
 
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