I turned to him like I was going to say something important or friendly and just went 'SHUT THE FUCK UP'
heh. I did this too, at a seated GYBE gig. the exact same words, the exact same effect.
I genuinely intended to be polite to the endlessly chattering gimps next to me, but all my pent-up rage just fell out of my face.
― m the g, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 13:26 (fourteen years ago) link
The first time Brian Wilson did Pet Sounds in London - the OPENING FUCKING NIGHT, his first involved gig here since before the old queen died and all - there were two fellas a couple of rows bag talking at normal conversational volume throughout. Finally leapt out of my seat and pleaded with them to let the music talk. One of them told me he'd been waiting 40 years for this night and I was not going to ruin it for him by making him be quiet. That he had paid for his ticket and he intended to savour every minute however he chose.WTF do you say to people like that, who know they're ruining it for others but completely don't give any sort of a fuck?
― ithappens, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 13:42 (fourteen years ago) link
killing's too good for 'em...
― preferred method is to beef w/ ned raggett (stevie), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 13:56 (fourteen years ago) link
Typical Londoners. You wouldn't get that anywhere else in the UK.
― anagram, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 13:59 (fourteen years ago) link
Hard to know how much of an asshole one will be. I loathe bullying, so the staring-down bs just makes me want to goad them into action. The key is for them to swing, and you not be embarrassed to dodge or back off, so that it's obvious to security that those people need to be kicked out, and you get to stay. I've only accomplished that twice in 25 yrs of shows. Usually they'll back off. Another tactic is to push past them and say you figured they wouldn't mind since they don't seem into the show, ha ha. My best experiences are showing up early and staying right up front. If I come late, I hang in the back, since I'm 6'1"+. Also, it's helped that bands I've seen lately are way too loud to even attempt to talk over.
― Fastnbulbous, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 14:13 (fourteen years ago) link
I have heard people complain that they went to a gig where the band was so loud that they couldn't even have a decent conversation...
― m the g, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 14:14 (fourteen years ago) link
i prefer talking to people over going to concerts but its pretty lame that these people are paying $15 to talk in a loud bar
― max, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 14:16 (fourteen years ago) link
Stevie ... they were Glaswegians who'd come down to London for the opening night.
― ithappens, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 14:16 (fourteen years ago) link
last gig I went to (and I don't get to many these days) featured someone shouting I LOVE THIS SONG! repeatedly throughout about three quarters of the songs. AAAAAAAH.
― FC Tom Tomsk Club (Merdeyeux), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 14:16 (fourteen years ago) link
Ah, right. Good job you didn't try and fight them, then. Although, my name's not Stevie. xp
― anagram, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 14:18 (fourteen years ago) link
Sorry anagram. Misread which post I was replying to.
― ithappens, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 14:22 (fourteen years ago) link
I was not going to ruin it for him by making him be quiet. That he had paid for his ticket and he intended to savour every minute however he chose.
This level of selfish asshattery just boggles my brain. What a frightful human being.
At most other events (theatre, cinema, etc), you'd be able to get an attendant to give them them "you're spoiling it for other patrons" warning, but when faced with that kind of gibbering selfishness I doubt even that would work.
The biggest problem for me is that the talking itself is super distracting, then yr own irritation adds to this, THEN one's indignance and rage takes over with a final result that you're completely removed from the moment of enjoying the music, and it can take an age to get back into that mindset EVEN IF the yapping fuckwit does shut up when asked to. Which they rarely do, ime.
― Bill A, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 14:24 (fourteen years ago) link
Last year I went to see Neko Case at a seated show, and one girl in the audience was yelling shit loudly at the stage after every song -- nonsense stuff like "Neko, I want to have your baby!" to which Neko rightly responded with, "Uh, I think you're a little confused" -- until Neko finally asked her to please not ruin it for everyone else. Audience girl then called her a bitch, so Neko stopped the show and asked security to remove her, to thunderous applause.
― El Poopo Loco (Pancakes Hackman), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 14:29 (fourteen years ago) link
There was a pretty classic discussion about this here several years ago, btw, but no phrases I'm putting into the search engine ("Talking At Live Shows," etc.) are turning anything up. Maybe it was just part of a bigger thread, I'm not sure, but somebody else can find it. Definitely also delved into the phenomenon of tall people standing in front of short people at shows, fwiw.
― xhuxk, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 14:43 (fourteen years ago) link
Tall people look over the heads in a crowd and go "Oh look there's a hole in the crowd, nobody there!"
So they go into the spot, and see it's populated by shorter people.
And then go "oh. Oh well, it's better than over there" and STAY!
― Mark G, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 14:45 (fourteen years ago) link
The guy in front of you who insists on taking camera phone photos the whole time is just as annoying. I once had to watch an Animal Collective show through the camera of the jerk in front of me because it was packed and I couldn't move.
Also annoying to stand near: the freaky dancer.
Damn hippies.
― Sam Weller, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 15:05 (fourteen years ago) link
Dealt with to some extent on this thread (but apparently there was an earlier one that talked about it more, because I mention it here too):
people who doesnt like to go to shows , although they love music, and live in a place where it's available - c/d?
― xhuxk, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 15:12 (fourteen years ago) link
I actually really enjoy between song heckling, especially if it's at all witty. Though maybe this girl was just more obnoxious than anything. But if I could be disappointed in Neko case and her fans, if that were at all possible, I might be after reading this.
― Mister Jim, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 19:45 (fourteen years ago) link
I hope I never attend a show with you Master Jim. Between song heckling is almost never "witty".
― you gone float up with it (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 19:47 (fourteen years ago) link
And even if it is, you have to choose your marks. For one thing, you don't do it after every song. For another, Neko Case?
― El Poopo Loco (Pancakes Hackman), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 19:51 (fourteen years ago) link
kinda disagree
"you don't rock" and "play the hit" were two of my favorites
when i go to a lot of shows i start to see a lot of the same people, 'specially if it's a trendy act in a small venue. i have sympathy for the idea of concerts as just an extension of your social life. but you should be nowhere near the front and respectful of listeners and if you're a ligger talking loudly i'm not sure i'd step in to save you if it led to your being beaten viciously.
― chronicles of ridic (zvookster), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 19:52 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm not saying it can't be witty, but nine times out of ten the heckler thinks he or she is 1,000,000 times more witty than they actually are.
― you gone float up with it (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 19:55 (fourteen years ago) link
Pretty glad I didn't go to the Girls show at teh Blue Note last night tbh
― Trip Maker, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:03 (fourteen years ago) link
Though I would have liked to see Smith Westerns
One of my favourites concerns Bono on stage at a famine relief concert, whether true or not I don't know nor care.There he is standing centre stage between songs and he starts clicking his fingers every 3 seconds and he starts his sermon:"Everytime I click my fingers someone in Africa will die of starvation". He continues to slowly click his fingers to the silent crowd.Cue heckler:"Well stop clicking your bloody fingers then!"
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:05 (fourteen years ago) link
hahaha
― guammls (QE II), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:06 (fourteen years ago) link
xxp
there was no one there & everyone looked to be 18-20
smith westerns were really rad
― birther blood (J0rdan S.), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:06 (fourteen years ago) link
I figured, with the weather and all. If I was going anywhere it would have been to the DIY show on Orr street to see my friends. The fact that no one was there and they were being really loud makes it worse. The Blue Note is so depressing when it is empty.
― Trip Maker, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:13 (fourteen years ago) link
Pretty used to being surrounded by 18-20 year olds.
― Trip Maker, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:14 (fourteen years ago) link
http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/bono.asp
― PaulTMA, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:16 (fourteen years ago) link
whether true or not I don't know nor care
― chronicles of ridic (zvookster), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:17 (fourteen years ago) link
congrats
― PaulTMA, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:17 (fourteen years ago) link
PaulTMA, why do you hate fun?
― sarahel, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:19 (fourteen years ago) link
sarge u were in the right they were in the wrong
i almost got beat up at a gwar show in like 96 cuz dudes were trying to start a pit by the back bar
― the dong remains the same (M@tt He1ges0n), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:19 (fourteen years ago) link
Way to rain on my parade, Paul. :'(
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:20 (fourteen years ago) link
Don't worry ilxor, I'll tell it to my friends as if it were true.
― Moka, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:29 (fourteen years ago) link
Oh, I rarely heckle myself. But I do enjoy it. Not if its overdone, true. But I like the way it deflates the typical show dynamic a bit. My favorite example, I guess, is at the end of some bands set and before they went offstage to wait out the inevitable encore, some guy yelled "play another song you fucking faggots!" Admittedly not witty, but it made me laugh. Now that I think about it, I only really like it when there's a roomful of people all rapt over some sensitive soul up there sharing their intelligence and genius or whatever. I like seeing that deflated.
xposts
― Mister Jim, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:30 (fourteen years ago) link
this is how it's donehttp://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/files/2009/02/soybomb.jpg
― guammls (QE II), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:31 (fourteen years ago) link
I think the thing is also that what even constitutes heckling or rude behavior at a show is going to depend a lot on the type of show it is. Like say a punk show and an indie show and a metal show and a jazz show are going to have totally different norms of behavior. Heckling is funniest at the indie show, and most obnoxious at the jazz one.
― Mister Jim, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:33 (fourteen years ago) link
some guy yelled "play another song you fucking faggots!
Anyone that laughed at this is a disgusting savage imo.
― you gone float up with it (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:35 (fourteen years ago) link
Heckling is funniest at the indie show
Everything is funniest at indie shows. Indie music is funny music.
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:38 (fourteen years ago) link
Admittedly not witty, but it made me laugh.
typed with all the pride of a man boasting about the size of his last turd.
I only really like it when there's a roomful of people all rapt over some sensitive soul up there sharing their intelligence and genius or whatever.
yeah god forbid people go to shows to appreciate and enjoy artists they admire.
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:41 (fourteen years ago) link
tell you what'd be funnier than "play another song you fucking faggots" - punching "mister jim" in the face
sometimes a man boasting about the size of his last turd is pretty funny
― sarahel, Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:42 (fourteen years ago) link
i think ur wrong there
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:42 (fourteen years ago) link
or just have a really low bar for "funny", whichever
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:43 (fourteen years ago) link
a good heckle is shouting count-offs right before a band is getting ready to start a song like "1-2-3-4!" my friend got a band to "false start" two times in a row...that's stuck in your lizard brain as a musician, it's hard not to
― the dong remains the same (M@tt He1ges0n), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 20:51 (fourteen years ago) link
http://batmancomic.info/generate.php
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Tuesday, 9 February 2010 21:11 (fourteen years ago) link
my favorite heckle from another ILM thread was to shout "one more song!" after the band's first song
― 99. The Juggalo Teacher (dyao), Wednesday, 10 February 2010 05:05 (fourteen years ago) link
So can I safely conclude that the best way to get to the front of any show now is to take a $2000 camera lens with me?
The entire front row at the School Of Seven Bells show last night consisted of photographers (at maximum I counted 14). And I'm not counting folks with cameraphones either - these were all multi-thousand buck rigs with big lenses, etc. I've never seen that many photographers at a show before (outside of like of something like U2 or the Stones) and I had to wonder how many of them were actual music photographers and how many were there just to perv on the Deheza sisters.
Sure photojournalists gotta eat and all that, but why should I give up my place at the front just because you have a camera.
― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 3 June 2010 22:59 (thirteen years ago) link
the worst 'neighbor' i ever had at a show was at Pulp in i think 1998 (they were touring This is Hardcore). i was lukewarm on the band even then, but being 14 years old my friend and i staked out spots in the front early on. He spent the time grabbing random women by the arm and helping them towards the front (i.e. in front of us), sitting on the floor and setting fire to any litter he could find with his lighter and, towards the end of the show, grabbing the left shoe off my foot and hurling it into the middle of the crowd. I had to wait until the room cleared out to find it. The guy was like the same age i am now.
― Deflatormouse, Friday, 24 November 2023 18:06 (four months ago) link
xpost was it a good butt?
― a very very unfair (Neanderthal), Friday, 24 November 2023 18:08 (four months ago) link
I always--always--end up close to the woman with the most piercing voice in the venue.
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Friday, 24 November 2023 18:09 (four months ago) link
I don't mind people acting enthusiastically for the show (as long as you're not bowling me over as a result of your enthusiasm). but like...look, there are tons of bands on any bill I'm not there to see, some I hate. if I have shit to talk about the band or am completely disinterested and want to talk to my friends, I go outside. where I can hear, for one, and where I won't be shouting over the music and ruin something else's time.
any time I'm at any show to see someone that isn't the headliner at this one particular venue, I have to deal with people dicking around in very loud, distracting ways. the other night I would have moved but unfortunately where I was standing was the best available sight-line combined with best area for sound (this venue is very spotty). wanted to be stubborn and say "why should I move, I was here first and shouldn't have to".
I did see something at a show once where this fan was standing near the back, near the merch area, and he was texting, and it was an opening band, and the bass player in the band pointed at him, pantomimed texting with his hands, and flipped off the fan. then when the fan looked confused, did it again. all while still somehow playing the bass. in fan's defense, this was a sprawlingly large venue and he was very far away from the stage and wasn't actually watching the show or obstructing anybody for doing so, but it was hilarious
― a very very unfair (Neanderthal), Friday, 24 November 2023 18:16 (four months ago) link
Um … fuck that bass player, I suppose. (Or don’t.)
― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Friday, 24 November 2023 19:38 (four months ago) link
When you’re playing a set on stage, who has time to care about something like that?!? Weird.
― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Friday, 24 November 2023 19:39 (four months ago) link
Yeah, that comes across very entitled and self-important to me. Would the musician have acted the same way if someone in the audience were writing in a notebook?
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 24 November 2023 20:03 (four months ago) link
I saw Jeff Tweedy once call out people for holding their phones at a Wilco show.
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Friday, 24 November 2023 20:05 (four months ago) link
Roger Waters has a voiceover tell the entire crowd to 'fuck off' right at the beginning of his show nowadays.
― MaresNest, Friday, 24 November 2023 20:40 (four months ago) link
Lol yea I heard that last show
― a very very unfair (Neanderthal), Friday, 24 November 2023 23:13 (four months ago) link
Pleasant fellow
― calstars, Saturday, 25 November 2023 15:56 (four months ago) link
What the message actually says is "if you like Pink Floyd but not Roger Waters' politics then you can fuck off to the bar." Which I think is something well worth saying.
― lord of the rongs (anagram), Saturday, 25 November 2023 16:21 (four months ago) link
Long show review whose structuring “hook” is the band berating the crowd for a lack of enthusiasm: https://racketmn.com/this-is-the-last-sleater-kinney-show-ill-ever-review
― let’s get intertwined (morrisp), Thursday, 28 March 2024 05:34 (yesterday) link
Oh yeah, saw that review by a former ilxor. Not a good look from Brownstein imho, although it might have been more gentle than "berating"
I’d never been called “tepid” quite so gently in all my life. Granted, Carrie Brownstein hadn’t directed her comment at me specifically; you might even say that I (notebook, pen, working, etc.) had something of an excuse for not exactly kickin’ up my heels, more so than the many paying customers nodding in subdued approbation for Sleater-Kinney at St. Paul's Palace Theatre on Saturday night.
Not that any of them—any of us—had some obligation to go crazy out there, as the singer/guitarist acknowledged even as she noted what she more euphemistically called our “shyness.” When she thanked us “for bringing whatever version of yourself here that you could tonight,” it came off as a genuine (if a tinge Portlandic) attempt to meet a reserved Minnesota audience where they stood.
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 28 March 2024 16:47 (yesterday) link
although it might have been more gentle than "berating"Yeah maybe I should’ve said “chiding”
― let’s get intertwined (morrisp), Thursday, 28 March 2024 16:52 (yesterday) link
It’s funny bc when we saw the Breeders recently, the crowd was very tepid. I just chalked it up to “tired Gen Xers,” but the crowd for Liz Phair at the same venue was much more lit.My wife saw Madonna recently (much larger venue), and she said the crowd’s energy collapsed as soon as Madonna came onstage, in a weird way…
― let’s get intertwined (morrisp), Thursday, 28 March 2024 16:55 (yesterday) link
I was at the S-K show, "chiding" would still be far too strong
― soup of magpies (geoffreyess), Thursday, 28 March 2024 17:07 (yesterday) link
My thesaurus is coming up empty for synonyms of criticism milder than chiding, perhaps Sleater-Kinney are admitting that they themselves are the problem?
― Halfway there but for you, Thursday, 28 March 2024 17:36 (yesterday) link
it's just a different vibe with MN audiences
― budo jeru, Thursday, 28 March 2024 17:50 (yesterday) link
I’ve seen plenty of shows in NYC where the crowd is just standing still. Esp for these older bands, are they expecting moshing?
― calstars, Thursday, 28 March 2024 17:56 (yesterday) link