What do you enjoy about shows?

[DoomJazz]

On any level, what makes a good show for you, both as a musician, and as an audience member? What are things that you hate on both sides of the fence as well?

I'm researching to maybe do some local promotion, seeing as the scene here(Chicago and the greater area) is fairly broken.

 

[Tyler]

When its more about having fun and supporting each other(both musician perspective and listener), rather than who can hurt the most people

 

[Nykur_Myrkvi]

I enjoy playing and getting feedback. I love the networking, when people come up to you after a show and ask you if you'd play a show with their band or at the bar where they work. Overall being on stage, sharing it with other musicians.

What I dislike though:

People who are chronically late for soundchecks, especially when they're bringing something. Don't say you'll bring the bass amp if you're going to arrive 15 minutes before the show starts.

The Icelandic culture around concerts: All the concerts start really late because they're all in bars and they want to sell alcohol. In turn people are drunk as hell and the shows are rarely over until really late.

 

[JosephAOI]

I just like being right up front and jamming to the music, taking in the show.

One thing though, is that I love when you can tell that the band is really enjoying themselves.

 

[Basti]

As a listener it's the sense of unity you get from being amongst music and people that reflect something of what you are, and that you wouldn't find out on a normal day. However you create that, I find it's always the key.
As a musician unfortunately I can't say.

 

[Kiwimetal101]

From an audience members point of view:

Id rather the band spends as little time talking and more time playing, id rather have the band interact with me through the music and their performance.

When you are talking to the crowd keep it short and be humble, "whats up you mother fuckers" gets old.

I don't care who you are and how many albums you've sold, show up on time, everytime (bar transport issues/act of god). Its just simple respect to the paying fans.

 

[phugoid]

As an audience member, good sound is at the top of the list. Good PA gear in the hands of a good sound man who cares.

And unless the band gets booed off stage, they'd better be ready to do at least one encore. With the price of tickets these days, I feel completely ripped off if they show up, play their set and leave. Yes, you can trick me by playing a shorter set and doing an encore afterwards.

Finally: less talking, more playing.

 

[Amonihil]

^^this
I pay to hear you play, not talk.

 

[robare99]

I love my PA/light rig. I love that all the band members genuinely like each other. I love that we have a lot of fun on stage. I love seeing a full dance floor and people singing along.

 

[SP1N3SPL1TT3R]

The intensity, energy, and atmosphere of a death metal show, at club venue. The band and audience are face to face. It feels really personal. The band and audience are on the same level.
I can only describe it as, a combination of the spiritual feeling a cult sermon has and the intensity of swimming in a shark feeding frenzy.

 

[Orsinium]

As an audience member: please no hardcore dancing your ruining it for everyone else.
As a musician: please no hardcore dancing your ruining it for everyone else.

For me moshing is a group effort you can't do it by yourself and if no one is moshing just enjoy the music please don't start swinging your fists and feet like a helicopter at people trying to listen to the music.

 

[robare99]

lol @ hardcore dancing

 

[ZXIIIT]

Everything. Grateful I am able to experience all good/bad. aspects of it.

 

[Quitty]

It's a little sad to admit, but i'm kinda tired of shows. It's hardly ever the ideal condition to convey your music - plus the attitude problems of everything from soundguys to other band's members can be overbearing.

That said, there's a different energy to the band when you're being observed and i dig that.

Nowadays I just invite people out to rehearsals.
We rehearse in a (very) large, pleasant public room with our own gear and the PA we've known for years. We spent the time and money to get gear that can make us sound good in that room (not an easy task. I crank a 100W tube amp to '10') to have fun while writing and practicing - why not have others share that fun?
Isn't that the point?

So every once in a while we stop writing and practicing, invite people over and play for kicks.

 

[Watty]

What's not to enjoy at metal shows?

Minimal seating? Check.
Generally Poor Sound for Openers? Check.
Moshers/HCX Dancers? Check.

/sarcasm

In all seriousness, I think seeing and hearing a band in the way they intended (which is, generally, live) is awesome. What's not is the fact that all metal venues seem to, well, suck for really allowing everyone to do so. Not everyone likes to sit in a pit constantly trying to dodge stray elbows and listening to people screaming obscenities. Heck, I actually left the last concert I went to early because I couldn't take standing on that hard concrete floor any longer.

In reply to the spirit of this thread, try and make the venues you book for folks accessible to more than just the people who want to flail their appendages and you should be good.

 

[robare99]

It's a little sad to admit, but i'm kinda tired of shows. It's hardly ever the ideal condition to convey your music - plus the attitude problems of everything from soundguys to other band's members can be overbearing.

That said, there's a different energy to the band when you're being observed and i dig that.

Nowadays I just invite people out to rehearsals.
We rehearse in a (very) large, pleasant public room with our own gear and the PA we've known for years. We spent the time and money to get gear that can make us sound good in that room (not an easy task. I crank a 100W tube amp to '10') to have fun while writing and practicing - why not have others share that fun?
Isn't that the point?

So every once in a while we stop writing and practicing, invite people over and play for kicks.

100W Amp at 10? I can see how you might get attitude from sound guys.

 

[spaghettipomodoro]

We rehearse in a (very) large, pleasant public room with our own gear and the PA we've known for years. We spent the time and money to get gear that can make us sound good in that room (not an easy task. I crank a 100W tube amp to '10') to have fun while writing and practicing - why not have others share that fun?
Isn't that the point?

 

[Quitty]

100W Amp at 10? I can see how you might get attitude from sound guys.

I'm sorry, but that's just stupid. No one suggested i crank it at shows, or that the point of the extreme volume is tone-related.
But that's besides the point, isn't it?
The point was that a venue you've just encountered is never ideal, there are too many unknown parameters and you'll probably end up offering a better show playing a venue you're deeply familiar with.

(As far as the volume is concerned, it's mainly a dispersion thing (elevated drumset, wooden construction, very large room etc.) and could be solved by an extra cab, or a second guitarist. None of which is available.)

 

[petereanima]

You guys are crazy, I enjoy the hell out of a moshing audience when we are playing.

 

[bannyd]

I, for one, love to play live shows - it enables me to run around on stage for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes straight and just get every ounce of energy out of me -- When i see the crowd singing our lyrics and really getting into the music - thats probably one of the best feelings. Also, when you're playing and you make eye contact w/ someone in the crowd, and you just see the look on their face -- thats awesome
Also after we play shows for bigger bands, its nice to walk through the crowd of people and interact with them on a personal level - hold small conversations - gain new fans



as for going to live shows -- i love the interaction between fans
whether it be in a mosh pit where if someone gets knocked down, someone else will pick that person up
or just meeting new people and networking your own band


i live for this