The live music experience

[chickenstrip]

Does going to see bands/artists perform live matter to you? Is it important to have venues for live music? What kind of venue do you prefer - stadiums, large concert halls, pubs and clubs?

If you play an instrument yourself, is it something you do/have done, or aspire to? Has the pandemic entirely put you off the idea? Temporarily, or permanently?

Interested to know how important people think all this is these days.
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[Howling Terror]

Live is best even if the band can't/don't replicate what 'you' expected.

*Memories are more likely to stay. Friendships made (if only for an hour).

A chance to meet the band/artist/crowd.

You find out what songs work the best and/or work-up new songs prior to recording them.

Venue size is largely irrelevant if the band connect and a good crowd are in although it is nice when your bottle of piss can make the stage.


Limit the number of venues and you'll limit the variety of music. i.e The International 1,2 and 3 in Manchester. The International 3 was great for a band to debut.
Pubs are usually more choosy and go for a safer option.

The Lurgy isn't the biggest threat to live music it's gentrification.


* single most important point.
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Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[chickenstrip]

[The Artist]

[chickenstrip]

I think I prefer small venues, probably only a couple of hundred people, assuming a decent act.

Close to the action huh?
The second time I saw Buddy Guy was at a large theatre on London's south bank. He did his usual walkabout through the audience, all neatly seated rows, and everyone stood as he came along their row (if they got lucky). He came to us, and I said something crass like "I wanna steal some licks!", and he stopped right in front of me and played like a fiend for maybe a whole minute
My mate couldn't get over it - "he played for you!" I'll never forget that. Buddy was SO good with the audience interaction thing. Still going I think.
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[Nobby the Bastard]

Having seen hawkwind in bothe the anson rooms in Clifton and the Walcot palais in Bath, venue size doesn't make much difference until you start getting to stadium sort of size.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[chickenstrip]

[Howling Terror]

I don't really need to explain gentrification do I.

Real estate..NIMBY.
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Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[Nobby the Bastard]

To be honest.i don't really bother with music very much at all these days.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[chickenstrip]

[chickenstrip]

[Nobby the Bastard]

She tends to see stuff more often that I do. I don't even have a cd record or tape players any more
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[chickenstrip]

Don't you want to share the experience with her? I don't get it
I can't imagine a life without music. How dull that would be!
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Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[Nobby the Bastard]

[Howling Terror]

It's good that there are so many more music festivals. Some put on a new band area but in reality that means a punter spending a fair chunk of cash and then potentially missing out on a known band to see a bunch of spotty herberts in a tent.

A music venue often gets a cut of the merch and makes its money from the bar and a cut of the ticket sales.

They can effectively run loss-leaders.
A new band barely makes any money after expenses but they can soon get a name for themselves at a local level which may just pique the interest of a promoter...enough for a small tour...which may get the ball rolling.

Online presence and digital word-of-mouth has propelled some to super stardom. Cream does rise to the top but popular doesn't equate to innovation.

Art needs the diversity. Massive bands/artists draw inspiration from the spotty herberts. Reduce the zit-count and it becomes bland.

I think we're in a transitional stage with smaller pubs n clubs finding it more difficult but there will always be places for musicians to rehearse and collaborate.

The squats in Liverpool Manchester Leeds London etc were essential for the massive creative output during the latter half of the last century plus arts grants (handouts if you like).
Brings in a lot of money if that's important.

Support artists in whatever way you can.

How important is art to humans? It's what sets us apart from the animals.
____________________
Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[chickenstrip]

[chickenstrip]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Used to gig, many, many moons ago. I do find myself missing it. If I didn't have a gig, I'd be watching one of the other bands on the circuit. Caught up with some old friends a few years ago and buggered about in a studio for a bit, some still play live and I joined for some jam sessions, but all too quickly the reasons I quit surfaced again, and I went back to just playing for my own enjoyment.

Pre Covid I'd happily go to a theatre to see a band (I don't do pubs and clubs anymore, even before Covid) but it's going to be a while before I do again.

Grumpy fucker aside, it is important to keep live music going. I've gotten lazy, and since you've pretty much got a recording studio in the palm of your hand, it's too easy to let the tech do the work. You can't stop and do another take when playing with others, the mistake has happened and it's out there. When you're in a tight group, the quality shows, and it's noticed by the crowd. A good performance feeds the crowd, and it gets paid back tenfold. And you only get tight by doing it.
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[chickenstrip]

[Islander]

I've performed live many times in bands as a guitarist in me yoof and in orchestras, brass, wind and swing bands on cornet/trumpet/flugel. It's something I haven't done for a while now and I miss it if I'm honest. The feeling of being a part of and working with other musicians to make music is indescribably good especially when it all comes together with an audience.

Live music is a part of the arts and is incredibly important. We don't have much choice in live bands here but when we lived in London we were out watching live music at small and large venues all the time. The loss of every live music venue is a real blow.

Support live music, support the arts!

[mentalboy]

I prefer smaller venues - Once saw Fairport Convention at a tiny venue in Cullompton where just about everyone was stoned, sat on the floor at the band's feet.
More recently we have found a quintet of older ladies who play bluegrass on Saturday evenings in a pub about 60 miles away, they don't even have a group name but make for a great boozing background ambience.

Americans have this weird thing about wanting to sit down at larger venues which I could understand at the James Taylor gig that we went to last month but he was touring with Jackson Browne whose stuff brings out the dad dancers...

It'd be a shame to lose live music in any of it's forms, even the dire buskers who can't hold a tune.
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Make mine a Corona.

[Bhud]

I'm happy for you guys who enjoy live music. It will always be there, in some form.

Personally, it's not my thing. This is 2021, so show me how you implemented granular synthesis in Max, and timed it to trigger your algorithmic art. Show us something new and impressive. Not just plucking some strings or banging a drum. I mean, come on...

[chickenstrip]

[Bhud]

[The Shaggy D.A.]