Heart concert review

dreadnut

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Well that was interesting! As is often the case, the opening act, Lucie Silvas, stole the show, she really rocked. Sheryl Crow rocked too. Heart was right on with their songs, I was impressed with Anne's voice, she nailed all their old songs. She has also lost a lot of weight. Nancy was good but not great. I guess I was expecting to see her prowess on the guitar but she largely just played rhythm all night, while their 20-something guitar slingers played all the hot licks. She did play the mandolin a couple of times, including a cover of Zep's "Battle Of Evermore," which they pulled off nicely. They also did a nice cover of Floyd's "Comfortably Numb."

On the down side, we were stuck in the middle seats of a long, crowded row - I will heretofore be more picky about the seating arrangements. It was way too confining, and I don't like that feeling.

To further exacerbate the problem, a really big gal (I'm being nice) sat next to me with her big boyfriend, which made it even more crowded. That wouldn't have been so bad, but she'd obviously had too much to drink and she decided to clap along and sing along loudly with all the songs she thought she knew. Of course she was off key and off time. She also kept jumping up from her seat and waving frantically at someone halfway across the stadium who obviously couldn't see her, but that didn't stop her from trying several times. Every time she jammed herself back into her seat the whole row rocked. The she didn't get the hint when I cupped my hand around my left ear so I could block her out and hear the actual singers. I had all I could do to stop myself from turning toward her and singing along loudly with some of the lyrics I knew. In my older age, I have learned it's probably best not to stir the pot...

Musically a good experience, but for me, the venue sucked. Too crowded and too many morons. That is all.
 

walrus

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Musically a good experience, but for me, the venue sucked. Too crowded and too many morons. That is all.

We've had a discussion on LTG about this before. Too many concert goers think it's about them - selfies, phones in the air, singing loudly, standing in front of you. And the constant talking about something in their personal life during the show! Unfortunately, this doesn't work well for the rest of us in venues that are not stadiums (and for certain artists).

Last year I saw a show of the John McLaughlin/Jimmy Herring tour, and there was a guy in the row in front of me who had to scream and raise "devil's horns" during and after every great lick. Well, that's every 30 seconds with these two guitarists! Someone actually told him to relax a bit and he ended up moving to another seat to bother some different people!

walrus
 

F312

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Well that was interesting! As is often the case, the opening act, Lucie Silvas, stole the show, she really rocked. Sheryl Crow rocked too. Heart was right on with their songs, I was impressed with Anne's voice, she nailed all their old songs. She has also lost a lot of weight. Nancy was good but not great. I guess I was expecting to see her prowess on the guitar but she largely just played rhythm all night, while their 20-something guitar slingers played all the hot licks. She did play the mandolin a couple of times, including a cover of Zep's "Battle Of Evermore," which they pulled off nicely. They also did a nice cover of Floyd's "Comfortably Numb."

On the down side, we were stuck in the middle seats of a long, crowded row - I will heretofore be more picky about the seating arrangements. It was way too confining, and I don't like that feeling.

To further exacerbate the problem, a really big gal (I'm being nice) sat next to me with her big boyfriend, which made it even more crowded. That wouldn't have been so bad, but she'd obviously had too much to drink and she decided to clap along and sing along loudly with all the songs she thought she knew. Of course she was off key and off time. She also kept jumping up from her seat and waving frantically at someone halfway across the stadium who obviously couldn't see her, but that didn't stop her from trying several times. Every time she jammed herself back into her seat the whole row rocked. The she didn't get the hint when I cupped my hand around my left ear so I could block her out and hear the actual singers. I had all I could do to stop myself from turning toward her and singing along loudly with some of the lyrics I knew. In my older age, I have learned it's probably best not to stir the pot...

Musically a good experience, but for me, the venue sucked. Too crowded and too many morons. That is all.

Forget the nice guy routine, I want to hear the details on what really happened.

Ralph
 

richardp69

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I used to love going to hear live music. It's just so exciting. But, I'm not sure what happened, just old age and evolving into an old curmudgeon most likely. But, now I detest being around mobs of people or people just in general. I like stopping into the local Eagles Club for a beer now and then but if I see more than 5 cars in the lot I just skip it. I have several concert DVD's I truly enjoy and I'll catch a concert on TV whenever I come across one but the live shows are out for me. Which is kind of a shame because I miss that electricity and excitement of live music. My Dogs and Cats seem to prefer me being home anyway and it's a lot less expensive.
 

dreadnut

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Haha, OK Ralph, maybe I leaned way forward a few times which blocked her view of the stage, but it was purely to ease my back pain...:cheerful:

I'm with you, Richard, more comfortable at home playing my own guitar or listening to my music collection.
 

davismanLV

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Yeah, these days I really kinda dread going to concerts. Seems like a whole different vibe and people are so effing rude! Seems like from my youth or at least into my middle years, people seemed so in awe of these artists and paid their money to actually hear them and experience the show. There'd always be one or someone who'd get loud or out of control, but usually someone from the venue would come to settle them down. These days there's so many out of control that it's just mayhem and there's no controlling that. I'm trying to think if things are THAT different, or I'm just mis-remembering from my past, but I always come up with "people are jerks today".

I went to a concert not too long ago that had two rather large females sitting together and they were SO ANIMATED with yelling, cheering, singing, and jumping up and down. Every time they'd slam back down into their seats, that whole section of the seats would pitch and rock and bounce and I was just waiting for it to come loose!!

I really avoid crowds these days......
 

dreadnut

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I was wishing someone would pass her a joint; maybe she would have mellowed out.
 

crank

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I still love going to concerts and we go more now than I ever have.

That said, I am picky about the venue and try to only go to places where I know they have a great PA.

We were just at an outdoor show last week where the crowd was a bit big for the venue and the PA was way underpowered. Band was having feedback issues on stage (monitors probably had to be turned up too loud). Out in the audience, if you weren't in the first 6 or so rows of folks standing then the sound of people talking was louder than the band. We left before the end of their first set. Too bad because they are a great band: Shake 'Em Up Jazz Band out of NOLA.

A couple of years ago we paid big bucks for 3rd row orchestra tix to see Steeley Dan. They were good and it was fine, but, off to the side of us in the front row was the biggest Steeley Dan fan ever. He was up and dancing wildly to every song and we were thinking, sure glad we are not next to or right behind that guy. At one point Donald Fagen called him out saying, "Dude, not cool." while wagging his finger at him. The poor superfan sulked in his seat the rest of the show and then angrily threw his Steeley Dan baseball cap at the stage and stomped out as soon as the last song concluded.
 

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Well that was interesting! As is often the case, the opening act, Lucie Silvas, stole the show, she really rocked. Sheryl Crow rocked too. Heart was right on with their songs, I was impressed with Anne's voice, she nailed all their old songs. She has also lost a lot of weight. Nancy was good but not great. I guess I was expecting to see her prowess on the guitar but she largely just played rhythm all night, while their 20-something guitar slingers played all the hot licks. She did play the mandolin a couple of times, including a cover of Zep's "Battle Of Evermore," which they pulled off nicely. They also did a nice cover of Floyd's "Comfortably Numb."

On the down side, we were stuck in the middle seats of a long, crowded row - I will heretofore be more picky about the seating arrangements. It was way too confining, and I don't like that feeling.

To further exacerbate the problem, a really big gal (I'm being nice) sat next to me with her big boyfriend, which made it even more crowded. That wouldn't have been so bad, but she'd obviously had too much to drink and she decided to clap along and sing along loudly with all the songs she thought she knew. Of course she was off key and off time. She also kept jumping up from her seat and waving frantically at someone halfway across the stadium who obviously couldn't see her, but that didn't stop her from trying several times. Every time she jammed herself back into her seat the whole row rocked. The she didn't get the hint when I cupped my hand around my left ear so I could block her out and hear the actual singers. I had all I could do to stop myself from turning toward her and singing along loudly with some of the lyrics I knew. In my older age, I have learned it's probably best not to stir the pot...

Musically a good experience, but for me, the venue sucked. Too crowded and too many morons. That is all.

I was gonna see Heart in the 80's when they had their comeback. Now just not really interested in their music much anymore. I hate going to big or bigger concerts. I like places that hold about anywhere from 100 people to about 1500 is the limit. Big outdoor amphitheater shows and outdoor and indoor sports arenas are just not where I like to enjoy a live show.

Usually the best part of shows is seeing the people who come out at night who were let out of their cage from the human zoo.
 
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Quantum Strummer

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These days I enjoy going to small venues like The Ark in Ann Arbor or El Club in Detroit's Mexicantown. A few hundred or so people, pretty much all there to listen & enjoy rather than perform themselves. :)

I saw Heart open for ELO in summer 1978 at the Pontiac Silverdome, one of the worst places in human history to host concerts. Gawdawful acoustics…my friends & I had great seats on the main floor and the sound was still crap. But there was so much weed smoke in the air that everyone was a little buzzed & mellowed out, so not many showoffs.

-Dave-
 
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richardp69

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These days I enjoy going to small venues like The Ark in Ann Arbor or El Club in Detroit's Mexicantown. A few hundred or so people, pretty much all there to listen & enjoy rather than perform themselves. :)

I saw Heart open for ELO in summer 1978 at the Pontiac Silverdome, one of the worst places in human history to host concerts. Gawdawful acoustics…my friends & I had great seats on the main floor and the sound was still crap. But there was so much weed smoke in the air that everyone was a little buzzed & mellowed out, so not many showoffs.

-Dave-

I may have been one of the contributors.
 

dreadnut

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Saw The Who at Pontiac Silverdome in '75 right after I got out of the Navy. At the time they said it was the biggest rock concert ever, 80,000+ people there. Keith Moon was still alive and drumming. Some Reggae band opened for them.
 

walrus

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Saw The Who at Pontiac Silverdome in '75 right after I got out of the Navy. At the time they said it was the biggest rock concert ever, 80,000+ people there. Keith Moon was still alive and drumming. Some Reggae band opened for them.

Toots and the Maytals!

walrus
 

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Seems like a whole different vibe and people are so effing rude! Seems like from my youth or at least into my middle years, people seemed so in awe of these artists and paid their money to actually hear them and experience the show. There'd always be one or someone who'd get loud or out of control, but usually someone from the venue would come to settle them down. These days there's so many out of control that it's just mayhem and there's no controlling that. I'm trying to think if things are THAT different, or I'm just mis-remembering from my past, but I always come up with "people are jerks today"

I am 100% with Tom on this and I'm betting that most from our generation feel the same way. Music meant something different to us. It wasn't just what you listened to in the car or at the gym when you're working out or at the new micro-brew pub - to us it was an essential part of life, like the air we breathed (thank you, Hollies). We actually sat back and listened to vinyl (5-6 songs at at time) and took in the experience of a whole album - an artistic statement. I don't think it's old age or that we're mis-remembering things - something has changed dramatically in the people and their behavior at concerts. It's downright depressing. And it makes me feel blessed to have grown up in the 60's - 70's and gone to concerts back then.

You want to experience something really interesting? Go see one of these big country acts (and I mean corporate country acts as opposed to roots based country or outlaw or alt country or Bakersfield, etc.) and take in what THAT crowd is like - talk about total drunken debauchery with the loud, horribly off-key singing along - my god, it is a spectacle to behold.

My rant is almost over. I think the best concert I've been to lately (in terms of the audience surroundings) was to see America. The folks going to that concert seemed to have the same sensitivity to music that I have. I only wish it could have been at Red Rock where, shall we say, the ambience was the same as I remember it in the 70's.
 
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crank

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I go to concerts all the time and I have no idea what you guys are talking about.
 

gjmalcyon

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He was up and dancing wildly to every song and we were thinking, sure glad we are not next to or right behind that guy. At one point Donald Fagen called him out saying, "Dude, not cool." while wagging his finger at him. The poor superfan sulked in his seat the rest of the show and then angrily threw his Steeley Dan baseball cap at the stage and stomped out as soon as the last song concluded.

We saw Livingston Taylor at the Ram's Head in Annapolis do the same thing to a kid who appeared to be livestreaming his entire concert. He politely asked the young man to put the phone down so that the both of them could enjoy the performance in real life. Kid stormed out of the show, to applause from the rest of audience.
 

dreadnut

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Years ago during a Gallagher show here, a gal got up and left the venue to use the bathroom in the middle of his show. When she was gone he said "I'll teach her to walk out during my show - quick, all you people in her section switch seats with all the people in the next section!" They all moved, and when the gal came back she was truly confused...
 

adorshki

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Years ago during a Gallagher show here, a gal got up and left the venue to use the bathroom in the middle of his show. When she was gone he said "I'll teach her to walk out during my show - quick, all you people in her section switch seats with all the people in the next section!" They all moved, and when the gal came back she was truly confused...

Who'd-a thunk a serial fruit abuser would show so much class?
 

mike1100

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You want to experience something really interesting? Go see one of these big country acts (and I mean corporate country acts as opposed to roots based country or outlaw or alt country or Bakersfield, etc.) and take in what THAT crowd is like - talk about total drunken debauchery with the loud, horribly off-key singing along - my god, it is a spectacle to behold.

These days I enjoy going to small venues like The Ark in Ann Arbor or El Club in Detroit's Mexicantown. A few hundred or so people, pretty much all there to listen & enjoy rather than perform themselves. :)

I really enjoy smaller venues as well.

The larger the venue, the more likely there will inconsiderate folks in attendance. I have had great experiences at metal, jazz, "classical", and most of my rock concerts. Bluegrass isn't my thing, but I'd go to that any day over the "corporate country" event as you described. I can imagine.

That said, even when the expectations are high that the audience will behave in a certain way, there's a chance that "that guy" or "that girl" may be in attendance. The Seinfeld Pez dispenser concert comes to mind......

Ana is quite the professional here (17 seconds in).
 
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