Is Live Music Dying?

[javert]

Axewielder, I think you are right in what you say, except for the conclusion. Why are we seeing all these old bands reuniting and touring all the time? And people complain that the tickets are so expensive. Why is that? That's where the money is now--people are not spending less on entertaintment, they're just spending it differently. I remember reading in Nick Mason's book about Pink Floyd that in the old days, they would gig to support the album sales and that now it's completely the other way around. I think we'll see the music industry change even more in the years to come.

[AK47]

The quality of music just is not as good.

I know most of you guys hated the Grunge era but that was a great time in music even though it killed metal.

We have not had anything really huge since then except the later 90's Gansta rap surge.

What was the last great album that you could listen all the way through? I can only think of a few in the last decade and they were by TOOL and A Perfect Circle.

[eakinj]

Then I guess you're just too young to remember the "good old days", and don't know what you've been missing.

I remember camping out for Rush tickets for the Presto tour back in 92. That was awesome we were there for two days. there was about a hundred of us total sitting there it was a blast.

Seeing Heart with uh.. Honeymoon Suit opening for them four the "Heart" album was a lot of fun to. nice a kicked back.

I stopped going to concerts after seeing Metallica at Day on the Green. In fact that was the last concert i went to see. I just remember just wasn't enjoyable anymore, seemed like poeple were more out to get in fights. I'm sure for mellower music that's not the case but i don't listen to a whole lot of mellower music.

[toxikdeth]

I see local bands every weekend and i try to see bigger bands when they come in a 4 hour distance of me

[eakinj]

The quality of music just is not as good.

What was the last great album that you could listen all the way through? I can only think of a few in the last decade and they were by TOOL and A Perfect Circle.

Well depends are you talking about brand new acts or just new album? The latest Testament album I have played to death. This'll kill any metal cred i have, but I've also been listening to the last Dresden Dolls album a lot. But then there's also a lot of acts that are far from real mainstream putting out good new stuff, Richard Thompson, Hannah Fury, even the Janet Robin stuff (I think i spelled her name wrong..)

I can't really say there's any new bands or trens that really have my attention. In fact I was in the mood for bouncey music, i ended passing up all the current stuff and going back to Adam Ant.

On the bright side, the lack of good new stuff kind of forces and re-discovery of old stuff. I just heard Trust by Megadeath on the radion in a Quiznos.. made me dig out the album.

[AK47]

Well depends are you talking about brand new acts or just new album? The latest Testament album I have played to death. This'll kill any metal cred i have, but I've also been listening to the last Dresden Dolls album a lot. But then there's also a lot of acts that are far from real mainstream putting out good new stuff, Richard Thompson, Hannah Fury, even the Janet Robin stuff (I think i spelled her name wrong..)

I can't really say there's any new bands or trens that really have my attention. In fact I was in the mood for bouncey music, i ended passing up all the current stuff and going back to Adam Ant.

On the bright side, the lack of good new stuff kind of forces and re-discovery of old stuff. I just heard Trust by Megadeath on the radion in a Quiznos.. made me dig out the album.

Thats my point. There are a few decent "Metal" acts with a few good songs but when was the last time you listened to an album all the way through because every song was that good or it just went together well. The stuff now is just not as well thought out.

I like the entire Cryptic Writings album it was well produced and had more than just one or two good songs. It was a good strong album overall but it was nothing like the earlier 80's stuff. I still listen to Youthanasia all the way through.

[Spivonious]

The last Opeth and the last Symphony X album. I have trouble not listening to them the whole way through.

[jgcable]

the reason live music is dying is the price of tickets.
What kid can afford to go to a good show.
I used to complain when floor seats for Kiss were $12.50 even though the ticket read $7.50. Still, I could afford to go to all the concerts I wanted to go to and I had a part time crummy job.
Thats what is killing live music.

[LouSiffer]

This is a reason I find a few good local bands and follow them around. People have gotten so sold on giving the "perfect show", it has lost its soul.

This is also the same reason todays recording techniques suck in my opinion.

One of the greatest albums ever, in my opinion is Appetite. It had miffs and clams, but, you know what.......it made it real and tangible. Its imperfections made it "perfect". It was raw, and my ear has always been drawn to that rawness. -Lou

[atdguitars]

One of the greatest albums ever, in my opinion is Appetite. It had miffs and clams, but, you know what.......it made it real and tangible. Its imperfections made it "perfect". It was raw, and my ear has always been drawn to that rawness. -Lou

+1

[Robert Hendrix]

I stopped attending arena shows a long time ago. I use to love going to the Civic Center in Amarillo and seeing bands, but later on, I moved to Dallas for awhile and went to see Whitesnake and Motley Crue and it was such a pathetic experience I left the show before Crue even came on. The tix I had had me sitting behind the stage in the nosebleed section at Reunion arena so I couldn't see a thing and the only thing I heard was what bounced off the far wall. It was a disaster.

I've been to several arena shows since and the experience hasn't been much better. Fortunately, most of the good shows that come through Raleigh are outdoors in an ampitheatre, so I go to more of those. I just don't enjoy the big arena shows at all. Shitty sound, shitty seats, and WAY too many people in one place.

[Endrik]

Do you remember when it was popular and cool to go to a live concert?

yes I do and I think it's getting more popular than it was 15 years ago

Man, these were basically social events for the people

very social whenever I go

When's the last time you heard of a popular and successful live album from a band? Contrast that with the hugely successful live albums (yes, I said albums! :P ) of the 70s and early 80s - Cheap Trick Live at the Budokan, Frampton Live, et al.

Keith Jarrett's live recordings do very well.
Live recordings of different bands performing in Rio are very popular.
In the 90's I remember Pink Floyd's Pulse, Peter Gabriel's Secret World and Porthishead's NYC live were huge.
This century Metallica S&M sold a lot. Dave Matthews Band's and David Gilmour's live albums have sold very well. The amazing Grammy winning Larry Carlton & Steve Lukather live album made in Osaka was a success.
Everything doesn't come in mind right now but there's a lot of great stuff.

[Gartron]

It's seems a lot different in the UK, most shows by big bands sell out in minutes and then the tickets are on e-bay for 4x cover, also with established festivals your buying your tickets long before the line up is announced or you don't go.

don't get me wrong none of this bothers me one jot as I've seen pretty much every band I wanted to ever see and paying upwards of £60 to spend a night in the company of a room full of dickheads ....no thanks.

But I can remember getting tickets for Metallica, Monsters of Rock, AC/DC weeks after they were released for sale with no problems

[horns666]

Funny, I was just going thru an old junk box in the basement and found an Ozzy/Motely Crue ticket stub dated Feb, 07, 1984 for $11.50 at the Coliseum in Richfield (RIP) .

Like John said, 12 bucks to see Kiss. 11 bucks to see Ozzy/Motely Crue. I paid a scalper $40 (double the ticket price) in 1990 to sit 2nd row center for Van Halen..some new band called Alice in Chains opened.

I'll never forget that..NOBODY cared about AIC at the time. Everyone was getting beer, going pee and shit while they played to an empty stadium. AIC kept hearing me yell "You guys fuggin' rock!!!". They kept pointing, smiling to me saying "thank you"..:ROTF:

[TommyD]

Is Live Music Dying?

> I'm with the crowd that say ticket prices are killing the concert scene. As much as I love Van Halen,there's no way I'm paying 150 bucks for decent seats.

I'd be semi-willing to pay to see Dream Theater live again,but not gonna drive 8 hours for it. The last several times they've been on tour in the US,the closest they've come to me is Atlanta or Chicago.

I'm also with the people that mentioned the talent level of local bands these days. It wasn't long ago I saw a band playing in one of the local bars. The guitar player and the bass player plugged into THE SAME AMP! Needless to say,their set was cut short by a blown internal fuse. They didn't have a spare,and after 5 1/2 songs,wanted to be paid like they were 5150.

Another local band does Crazy Train,but starts the song over just before the solo,cause the guy can't play it. I wouldn't leave the house if I couldn't. Tommy D.