Have you been to a music concert?

[Leiservampir]

That sucks.

I was looking to go to Oxygen this year down in the Republic but no-one else was able to go with me due to money constraints. I'm not that bothered about it now because the weather is pretty crap atm and I'd rather not be sleeping in a tent.

Haha! That's kinda like me, my friends have asked before if I want to go to Glastonbury and stuff, but I usually can't go because of money, and every year I think "Thank ****ing god" as soon as it starts pissing it down. It's like "Mud? Caked? Music? Maybe one day but not right now"
I do want to go one day thought, I reckon there's gotta be a real good feeling you get out of listening to music in the mud, otherwise it wouldn't be worth going!

 

[Leiservampir]

Yeah, I was pretty happy it was cancelled, as I said, I didn't really want to go. I was afraid my grandma would embarrass me! I mean, a woman pushing 60 going to see a pop group? You don't see that every day, but still, whatever floats your boat, I guess.

Oh and Leiservampir, congratulations on becoming a moderator.

Hahaha!

Thank you

 

[Nolan1971]

Only 2 concerts so far: Metallica "And Justice For All" at 17. It was awesome! Metallica played till midnight and I had a limo.
AC/DC at the Boston Garden at 15. Great concert and my ears were ringing for hours after.
I normally hate large events but because of my excitement to see some of my favorite bands I had no anxiety problems at all.:spin:

 

[ravendragonwing]

I love going to concerts, in fact I just got home from ZZTop. I can be myself at concerts, just let it all hang out, so to speak, and no one even notices
I love the loud music and the pulse of the crowd.....although I tend to be a but grumpy the disconnected the next couple days, just from the shear madness of it all.

 

[King_Oni]

I don't go very often. This year I've been to one, once... last year I visited a festival (just one day) and I think 2 or 3 concerts.

I have my list of bands I would like to see live once or so (or in some cases, whenever possible) but that's not really an extensive list. Right now I have 3 concerts I might want to go visit, but quite often travel and/or finances in general are a problem so I wont go. No nighttrains and 2+ hours of travel for the nearest "big" venue add in to that.

I do however hate to "stick around"... I rather just come in, see the show and leave. The waiting, and therefore not focussing on any live band I came to see, kinda gets on my nerves due to crowds, lighting and whatever you have that adds in.

In general I'm more into small club shows rather than big hall/stadium things. A venue I frequent regularly for shows holds about 1000 people and usually isn't sold out... I usually stick around a bit in the back, I'm not really interested in being all up front joining in screaming and partying so to say. I rather just spectate and see if the band performs well.

But, that doesn't mean I never been up front... I'm actually visible on a live dvd by a band just before they started a wall of death and I participated. But that's something I don't do a lot, lol.

And as for festivals, I prefer indoors over outdoors. Don't really know why... maybe it's because there's a set limit of how many people can enter and still able to see/hear the band. The bigger festivals, that were outside, left me way too far in the back so I couldn't really enjoy it a lot... besides that quite often the sound is ****** cause of high volumes.

 

[wyverary]

Since this thread appears to have been revived a little bit, I'll throw in my two cents.

I'm fairly musically inclined. I have perfect pitch and I studied music quite seriously in high school and in college. I love live music of all kinds. I couldn't tell you how many chamber, symphony, and opera performances I've been to over the years, though in the past couple of years since I stopped playing I've seen hardly any at all. I think classical concerts might be ideal for Aspies, since they are much more relaxed, the seats are comfortable, and there's generally a pretty specific set of expectations as to how audience members behave.

Since I live in the general vicinity of Nashville, I've also made it to quite a few non-classical concerts, but always in smaller auditoriums, or (my favorites) in the little venues that only hold a few hundred people (of which there are a lot). Of course, there's lots of different kinds of music that I attend; a Toubab Krewe show is generally more lively than, say, Joanna Newsom. It is a little nerve-wracking sometimes with all those noisy and often pushy people standing around you, and I do use alcohol--not much, just a couple of PBRs usually--to help me feel more relaxed.

One thing I tried recently that really surprised me was attend a large (80,000 people large) music festival. In the week leading up to it I started to have serious doubts as to whether I could handle it, but surprisingly, I had one of the best times of my life. The music was great and I was camping with good people. However, I don't think I could have gotten through it without smoking as much pot as I did (typically starting first thing in the morning, with little windows of higher sobriety). But thanks to the fact that I was with a group of friendly and more-experienced neurotypicals (wonderful ones, in fact...they're not all bad!), I was able to feel safe and relatively relaxed, enough so to even try shrooms a couple of times without feeling in danger (and yes, they were wonderful trips; please don't judge me).

In short, yes, I love live music, but I would never, ever go to any of these venues on my own. As long as I have at least one trusted friend with me, though, and perhaps a beer or two, I tend to have a wonderful time.

 

[Arashi222]

I don't go to concerts though there are a few I would love to go to I have a hard time in crowds of people. I get a bit claustrophobic. But Does Live theater count I've been to see RENT 5 times and American Idiot once though I wish I had gotten to see it more. I generally have to go with someone as I don't drive but also to help me navigate things as I am visually impaired and get very claustrophobic and panicky if I can't hold onto the person I am with.

 

[LikeyouToMe]

I've been going to live shows / gigs since about 95. First ever gig was Moonspell, Immortal and Morbid Angel at the LA2 (RIP). I've seen Sepultura, Rage Against The Machine, Parkway Drive, Korn, Slayer, System Of A Down, All Out War, E-Town Concrete, Stuck Mojo, Fozzy, Bring Me The Horizon (yuk), I Killed The Prom Queen, Saves The Day, LostProphets, Taking Back Sunday (AWFUL), New Found Glory, At The Gates and SSOO many more.

I've prob been to more gigs this year already than last year in total ahaha. Texas In July, All Shall Perish, Madball & H20, First Blood & Your City Is Forgotten all at The Camden Underworld. Also seen Margate, Snuff, Less Than Jake and the oh so mighty NOFX at Shepards Bush Empire.

I'm not a fan of crowds tho, never really have been. If I can't get away from the crowds which make me nervous and angry, I will just leave. I tend to get int he backstage area / sound booth at the Underworld which is a life saver at some gigs.

Although I have never been to Download, Sonisphere, Hevy or Bloodstock, I would love to go to them all really. I have been to Dynamo & Hellfest which piss all over UK fests.

 

[76054Pluto]

I've been to several live rock concerts when I was a lot younger. The first concert I went to was Marillion (80s prog-rock band) in 1987, I even met lead singer Fish afterwards and got his autograph as he was just getting into the tour bus. One of the worst concerts I went to was the Rolling Stones in 1999 because the crowds made me feel very uncomfortable and the sound quality was very bad as it was a big sports stadium.

 

[Soup]

Despite hating crowds, I've been to more concerts than I can count. Some were classical premiere-type events where men wear black tie & women wear a formal gown, others were plein air rock concerts where hippies, punkers & every other type of character co-mingle. Some were in huge arenas where the air was thick with marijuana (Rush, Nazareth, ACDC etc). Some of them I regret having wasted money on whereas others put on an incredible performance well worth gritting my teeth & surviving the crowds for.

 

[wyverary]

Despite hating crowds, I've been to more concerts than I can count. Some were classical premiere-type events where men wear black tie & women wear a formal gown, others were plein air rock concerts where hippies, punkers & every other type of character co-mingle. Some were in huge arenas where the air was thick with marijuana (Rush, Nazareth, ACDC etc). Some of them I regret having wasted money on whereas others put on an incredible performance well worth gritting my teeth & surviving the crowds for.

When I go to the symphony, which isn't often any more as it is far more expensive than a show at a small club, I always go in my street clothes. I have very strong opinions about concert etiquette at classical concerts - most of the traditions we observe today were developed by stuffy and pretentious conductors in the nineteenth and early twentieth century...Meh, that's probably a whole other discussion.

Which were the concerts that you considered a waste of money?

 

[Benevolent Fiend]

Yes I've been to a few a gigs and even a Mudvayne concert. I didn't mind the gigs or the concerts cos I was with my sister and her friends and sometimes her now husband, all the time, so I felt safe, though at one gig, there was a pill pusher, i said no of course and he left... which was yeah, strange....

 

[Loomis]

When I go to the symphony, which isn't often any more as it is far more expensive than a show at a small club, I always go in my street clothes. I have very strong opinions about concert etiquette at classical concerts - most of the traditions we observe today were developed by stuffy and pretentious conductors in the nineteenth and early twentieth century...Meh, that's probably a whole other discussion.

Which were the concerts that you considered a waste of money?

I think it depends on what city you live in. In Minneapolis or Saint Paul, each has their own professional orchestra, people are very casual about how they dress. Jeans are not unusual; that's the way it should be.

 

[rainbowdragon]

I love concerts. I go to them quite often . It is strange how much I enjoy concerts and raves, but hate going into a busy supermarket. I am not really one for crowds and for the most part, I hate to be touched, but it is fine while I'm at a venue and I've only been to general admission shows, so it's always been right in the.midst of the crowd. Im fine with the loud volume, except when it's High pitched. I do have social anxiety, so I hate waiting before the show starts and between sets, since I don't have friends and go alone. I feel awkward and don't know what to do with myself

 

[_Josh_]

I've been to many concerts, as well as other crowded events. (mostly airshows)

When the music is playing or the aircraft are performing, I am totally fine. My senses and interests are focused on the show. In between sets, or walking through a crowd (bathroom trip for example) is when I'm uncomfortable. Standing in LONG lines to a portable toilet is the worst. At concerts though, I tend to have a few beers which helps calm me down quite a bit.

 

[Aalo]

I like to attend at times, let's say once a year. It takes me full day to mentally prepare for such an event, so it'd not be possible to do really often, finances is a reason also. But mostly this is a question of priorities, as I often feel like having better chances to listen music well at my home from good apparatus of mine. Side note: I hate drunk people, and in my home there aren't any. So that leads to being really picky about which performers are worth my attention live, and there can be vast difference between with what I usually listen. I won't bother you with a list, but there have been all sorts of interesting stuff. There's hardly been reasons to be disappointed.
I like the overall atmosphere at clubs better that air venues, where sound escapes. I'm also more inclined seeing one gig at a time rather than going to festive lasting for full weekend. I don't have huge urge to go to the crowds getting mutilated, I'll rather shoe gaze from distance. It's ok for me to go alone being a wallflower, then I'd at least have all the attention to performer, but going with a friend could do also. Loudness isn't really bothering me and as I'll need a good time to rest after doing something either way, concert won't really make a difference of other activity in public.

 

[anne.bc]

I have been to all kinds of concerts. Being a musician, I am quite used to loud noises. I am always assigned seating behind trumpets. Ugh. lol

I saw Andrea Bocelli twice, Avenged Sevenfold 3 times, and I go to raves, most are just traveling artists that open for big artists, or just a bunch of underground in general. I have seen Tiesto twice (once with Porter Robinson before he got even more insanely famous somehow, and the other with Quintino and Tommy Trash) and Bassnectar twice, and I saw Krewella right before they made their big break. I also won grand prize on a contest of theirs on Twitter last summer. LOTS of Skullcandy merch! So cool. :bounce: