# What do you enjoy about shows?



## DoomJazz (Feb 7, 2013)

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.


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## Tyler (Feb 7, 2013)

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


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## Nykur_Myrkvi (Feb 9, 2013)

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.


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## JosephAOI (Feb 9, 2013)

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.


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## Basti (Feb 9, 2013)

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.


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## Kiwimetal101 (Feb 11, 2013)

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.


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## phugoid (Feb 11, 2013)

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.


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## Amonihil (Feb 11, 2013)

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


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## robare99 (Feb 11, 2013)

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.


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## SP1N3SPL1TT3R (Feb 11, 2013)

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.


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## Orsinium (Feb 11, 2013)

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.


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## robare99 (Feb 12, 2013)

lol @ hardcore dancing


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## ZXIIIT (Feb 12, 2013)

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


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## Quitty (Feb 12, 2013)

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.


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## Watty (Feb 12, 2013)

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.


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## robare99 (Feb 12, 2013)

Quitty said:


> 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.
> 
> ...



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


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## Erazoender (Feb 14, 2013)

Quitty said:


> 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?


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## Quitty (Feb 14, 2013)

robare99 said:


> 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.)


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## petereanima (Feb 14, 2013)

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


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## bannyd (Feb 14, 2013)

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


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## AngstRiddenDreams (Feb 14, 2013)

petereanima said:


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


 For real man, makes you feel powerful.


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## noob_pwn (Feb 15, 2013)

I love playing wild shows at intimate, packed out venues when the people are there because they genuinely love the music and want to make the most of the night. People getting in my face, swimming over the top of each other. That shit rules. I hate playing venues over 2000 cap and I hate watching bands at venues over 2000 cap. I like intimate rooms, energy and tight acoustics.


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## MrPepperoniNipples (Feb 15, 2013)

For audience:

I'm skinny enough that I'm able to sneak to the very front at almost every show without pushing anyone around, and that's where I most enjoy the shows

In the heavier shows it's so much fun in the front headbanging, bangin on stage etc, and getting an up close and personal view of some of the more impressive guitar playing
And in the smaller venues doing it with the band members doing the same only a few feet away from you. Especially when the most intense of heavy of riffs drops.
And during the bigger shows almost 'fighting for your life' when the crowd purges forward. 

I very much dislike all the dicks in the audience. Midst all the chaos in the crowd, I like the think that there's a certain 'metal etiquette,' like everyone helps some guy in the mosh pit up after they fall. I've even had a sweatshirt returned to me that I forgot on the stage guard.
And that's why it irritates me when people are total dicks.
ie. Went to see DTP/Gojira last week, and some guy was so desperate to get to the front of the crowd that he grabs people and peels them out of his way so he can move up. That's the kind of shit I don't like.
I also can't stand when people have their girlfriends or lady friends with them and do that thing where they have an arm on each side and 'shield' them.


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## Diggy (Feb 15, 2013)

playing.. seeing an audience understand what we are doing and love it like its their own.. energy!

watching.. seeing an audience understand what the band is doing and love it like its their own.. energy!

pretty cliche, but its the truth


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## Hyacinth (Feb 16, 2013)

At small shows, I enjoy people doing what they love in an intimate setting like a small club/bar. At big shows, I like it when the sound guy doesn't suck. It's bullshit when the band is up there doing their thing and the sound guy is making them sound like a blurred messy wall of sound.


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## Mprinsje (Feb 18, 2013)

as a musician: going crazy while playing my own music

as a watcher: bands going crazy while playing their own music.

Don't underestimate a good stage performance, i can't stand bands standing still all the time.


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## nscarfo83 (Feb 20, 2013)

That power you feel when you see a band play as tight as the cd


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## GunpointMetal (Feb 25, 2013)

I like it when the bands are not responsible for sound when someone else is promoting (don't ask us to play YOUR show, then tell us WE need to bring a full PA for EVERYONE to use), I like it when the bar/venue/promoter allows bands to backline/load in at the very beginning of the night (space permitting), I like it when the sound equipment provided works and comes with everything (14 microphones and no cables? c'mon!), and I like it when who-ever is setting up the show is honest about promotion..if you're not gonna do anything, tell us so we can get it out there. We have so often had bands/promoters who are like "Don't worry about advertising, we got radio spots, flyers, FB, etc. covered" then you find out they printed like 50 quarter sheet flyers and left them at the bar we're playing at and nowhere else. If the show is well run, thats the best as a performer, then all I have to worry about is getting MY rig set-up and rocking the fuck out. As a fan, I like it when the PA sounds good, I like it when the band start on time, I like when it doesn't take 40+ minutes between bands (drummers who don't even set up thier cymbal stands before they get on stage piss me right the fuck off! You're up next, get fucking ready!), I like it when someone actually EQs the vocals, and I like it when the cover is reasonable. Anything over $5 for unsigned locals is too much unless its like an all-day deal and theres a dozen bands.


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## aturaya (Feb 25, 2013)

I still don't understand the hate for hardcore dancing/moshing. It's energetic music. Don't you ever listen to a song that's so heavy you just want to beat the shit out of someone instead of just standing there? And from the stage, seeing that your music causes people to move like that is pretty cool.


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## GunpointMetal (Feb 25, 2013)

aturaya said:


> I still don't understand the hate for hardcore dancing/moshing. It's energetic music. Don't you ever listen to a song that's so heavy you just want to beat the shit out of someone instead of just standing there? And from the stage, seeing that your music causes people to move like that is pretty cool.


 

yeah, music makes me feel like beating the shit out someone sometimes, but I don't go to shows to get in fights, and if you're out there "karate dancing" at every breakdown, you're probably gonna bust someone in the lip, or the eye, or you're gonna accidently punch someones GF and then you are in a fight. I have no sympathy when I see some douche windmilling off the crowd thats is trying to WATCH a band and finally one guy steps out and fucking levels him. Actually, that probably makes my night when I see that; some ignorant fuck who thinks its fun to spin kick without knowing his surroundings gets laid the fuck out in the middle of the floor. Saw it at a show a couple of weeks ago from the stage and I was pretty happy about it. If you're at some teeny-bopper HxC show and all the 90lb waifs in girl pants are karate dancing, whatever.....don't do it in a 120 capacity bar where ADULTS go to have a good time.


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