General Music Chat

So does anyone else here go see the real PROs in concert?

I've got the following shows lined up:
Rush, Sept 7
Heart, Oct 7
Trans Siberian Orchestra, Nov 24 (tickets not on sale yet)

then the Who (Quadrophenia) in February

I seen Rush in 79 or 80 here in Springfield, MO

It was like watching 3 concerts at once, you couldn't
watch it all, with just 2 eyes, they were unbelievable.

Went to see Sugar Ray and Everclear a week ago Thursday, and Yes and Procol Harum last Monday. Friday we did our own little concert. But no, not many on this board go to concerts or even go out to support local music. Sad sad sad.

seems these days the only pros i go see are the jazzers. i love rock, bluegrass, blues, and pretty much everything but screamo metal and the nascar pop that passes for contemp country these days.

the mrs and i have gotten to see a lot of great jazz folks the past few yrs in St. Louis at Jazz At the Bistro a small little room that always has the sound mixed great at the right volume. not a bad seat in the house.

every time i go see some big name rock act in a bigger venue i always kick myself for blowing a shitload of money for sound that's mixed so poorly.

The Who, two front row seats. Target Center

I'm not paying those has beens' all that money,

in 78 I paid $8.50 to see that stuff,

and you guys gripe about politicians being crooks.

I paid ten bucks to see Yes last week, back of the seated area.

My last trip was to see SEVENTH DAY. They put on a great show here locally. The auditorium at Letourneau College is not huge but is an excellent musical venue designed more for symphony type performances.
Very comfortable. Easy access & egress. It was great!

I've been taking my daughter to see her screamo bands from Hot Topic. On the plus side, it's nice to see a long line of blue and red haired kids with painted faces and piercings waiting to get into the show and that it's sold out, and on the low side, it's sad when we walk into Hot Topic and my daughter recognizes one of the musicians from one of the bands working there, next to where they're selling their CDs and t-shirts.

I just go see and support indie bands now. I also can't afford a crapload of money to go see anyone. I also like the intimacy that I can go and talk to the band and tell them how much I appreciate their music and have a conversation.

Chaeya

Going to see local bands/indie artists is great - but most of them are not what I would call Pro - they don't make a living off of music, they work other jobs, too.

If you can't afford big $$$ tickets, certainly understandable - putting kids through college and other things like that take precedence. But avoiding ALL concerts because they are 'expensive' is just showing that you don't care to support others' music. Heart tickets were $35. Rush was $60 (my wife paid for those!) TSO tickets are usually around $55.
No doubt that Who tickets are expensive. So are Neil Young & Crazy Horse, so were Simon & Garfunkle last time they came to Boston. Roger Waters, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney - all at Fenway Park, expensive for a place that size.
I pick and choose which shows I want to see.

Going to see local bands/indie artists is great - but most of them are not what I would call Pro - they don't make a living off of music, they work other jobs, too.

If you can't afford big $$$ tickets, certainly understandable - putting kids through college and other things like that take precedence. But avoiding ALL concerts because they are 'expensive' is just showing that you don't care to support others' music. Heart tickets were $35. Rush was $60 (my wife paid for those!) TSO tickets are usually around $55.
No doubt that Who tickets are expensive. So are Neil Young & Crazy Horse, so were Simon & Garfunkle last time they came to Boston. Roger Waters, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney - all at Fenway Park, expensive for a place that size.
I pick and choose which shows I want to see.

Truthfully Mike,, I don't go to concerts anymore cause they drain me ...Its always an Over production. Among things, I cant stand the assholes who stand up in front of me...and block my view...

I prefer nightclub settings ... Would pay top dollar to See Macca do that one.

I consider him as THE number one musician of all time... and definitely a huge and significant influence on my musical perspectives...But I wont go out of my way to see him at a concert hall (And I have had plenty opps to do so)

In My opinion, The best action I can think of to offer a musician support is to simply buy his/her CD...and to persuade friends to do the same thing.

Among things, I cant stand the assholes who stand up in front of me...and block my view...

I prefer nightclub settings ... Would pay top dollar to See Macca do that one.

I consider him as THE number one musician of all time... and definitely a huge and significant influence on my musical perspectives...But I wont go out of my way to see him at a concert hall (And I have had plenty opps to do so)

In My opinion, The best action I can think of to offer a musician support is to simply buy his/her CD...and to persuade friends to do the same thing.

Yeah, these days an audience that sits the entire time is almost unheard of, but the audience at TSO shows does sit more than other shows.
What I hate worse is General Admission shows. At least when you pay for a seat, you get a place to stand. At GA shows, people cram into the space between you and your neighbor with no apology, despite the fact you all have been there for an hour and they just arrived.

Buying an artist's CDs is great - but the artist makes so little from a CD sale, that you better be getting a hundred of your friends to buy the CD to make up for 2 ticket sales.

... But avoiding ALL concerts because they are 'expensive' is just showing that you don't care to support others' music.

Really? So these famous musicians counts as "others'" and the indie musicians I support and pay to go see are just "non-grata" individuals. Should they just quit and suffer their day jobs and stop being hobbyists? That you only become a "real" musician if you have a big label contract, hit records, basically a big corporate machine to "tell" you that they matter?

Sir, that $35 for a ticket becomes $70 if both my husband and I attend. I'm the sole breadwinner in my house and my husband works as a "pro" musician while I hold down the fort. So I like how you have the nerve to tell me that I should be out there supporting other these people who have hit records, they make royalties off satellite music stations, they make royalties off television and commercials who use their music, classic radio stations play their music in regular rotation, they tour and have thousands of fans who are non-musicians and who support their music, while I can't even afford to replace my f**k up carpet in my house, and have to put music equipment we need on layaway at Guitar Center.

I've supported these people and have their albums when they were in their heyday, I also rebought their music in digital format, so I think I've f**k supported them enough! So I prefer to be selfish and support some indie bands who I see as just as "pro" and spend my leftover cash on supporting my own music career!

Some of the "non grata" indie musicians I support:

Abney Park - www.abneypark.com - been playing since the 90s, started as a goth industrial band, but one of the top Steampunk bands in the WORLD. See their latest video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpGF9bDTLoI

Unextraordinary Gentlemen - www.unextraordinarygentlemen.com - been around since 2007 and another leader in the Steampunk genre. Currently has a new CD just released "Stars Pulled Down." I love the leader singer's lyrics and sense of storytelling in his lyrics.

Kina Cosper - who was pro, started out with the grammy-award winning group, Brownstone, and got a solo recording contract with Dreamworks in the 90s, but because she was black and her music was crossover rock/pop, the label didn't promote her. She's now holding a fundraiser to record her next CD. http://www.indiegogo.com/newkinamusic

April Smith & The Next Picture Show - http://www.aprilsmithmusic.com/ April is based on the East Coast and goes on tour every year, so I attend her show in Los Angeles. Has had her song "Warm & Flutter" featured in a Crest toothpaste commercial and her some "Terrible Things" featured as the promo song for the HBO Series "Weeds."

The Pirate Charles - friends of mine who are simply badass live and a lot of fun to see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKegYuEM ... ure=relmfu


Chaeya

ALL of us should support local music. Those with the means should attend the "pro" concerts that they wish to see; there is no shame in not being able to afford it. But it doesn't cost much to support local music; maybe $5 to get in, maybe $20 for drinks, maybe $5-10 for the CD. If you don't support your fellow local musicians don't be surprised when no one comes to see you.

I have seen most of the bands I ever wanted to see... some as many as 7 or 8 times.
The rest are dead.
I don't dig the resurrection of some bands. Journey as an example are a far cry from what they once were. Not worth it to me. I'll hold on to my memories of 1977 a little longer.

I do support local shows maybe once or twice a month at the advice of my kids.