Anyone who knows me will be aware that one of my favourite things in the entire world is live music. There's nothing quite like it. Especially when the band I'm watching are one of my favourites like last night's Taking Back Sunday show.
As a regular gig-goer, I've accumulated a group of friends that I go to gigs with. I even have some friends I only ever see at gigs and as a result we talk a lot about music and what we love about certain bands, albums, songs, shows and general music experiences.
At a recent show (Death Cab For Cutie, if you're asking) I got to thinking about the things I don't like about live music. I'm not sure what set me off but I came up with quite a list and I've decided, interesting or not (you decide) to share them with you now. See how many you agree/ disagree with!
Firstly (and I think this may have been what set me off) I've never really understood why some people feel the need to video bands on their phones and cameras. I've only really noticed this in the last few years because when I first started going to gigs nobody really had digital cameras and mobile phones weren't that sophisticated. I'm showing my age here, aren't I?!
You can go on YouTube right now and find hundreds of live videos of bands and artists that someone's uploaded. My question is this; How can you possibly enjoy a show for what it is if you're watching it through a viewfinder on your phone? Surely the point of live music is the experience so why not actually watch it rather than record it for the purpose of watching it again later. You'd be as well just watching it on YouTube in the first place!
Another thing I can't abide (and I warn you, I'm about to get angry) is couples who stand right in front of you and proceed to make out for the ENTIRE gig. Why even buy a ticket? You can put the CD on at home in the privacy of your own bedroom where no one else has to feel sick at the sight of your unnecessary PDA. You're not watching the band anyway, save us all the nausea!
And on that note, how annoying are couples who stand practically glued to one another? It's got to be uncomfortable to stand like that for an hour and half. I do apologise about the bitterness, but let's face it, it's not cool
Another gripe is guys who think it's appropriate to take their shirts off when it gets sweaty. Yes it's warm sometimes and yes, it's slightly uncomfortable. But what's more uncomfortable is being one of the poor bastards you brush past leaving your disgusting stale sweat and body odour all over.
Given that I have the bladder of an eighty year old woman and (hold the front page) I also like a drink, I generally have to run to the loo every now and then. (Always running and always during pre-planned filler songs!). Because of this I get incredibly irate when I get to the toilets to find girls standing around doing their make up. I just really have to wonder why these people even bother to go to a gig if they're going to spend all night preening themselves in the toilets rather than enjoying the band. I'll never understand that.
I've saved the two worst things about gigs for last; touts and unofficial merch sellers. They make my blood boil. No gig is a gig without having "TICKETS TO BUY OR SELL" shouted in your face. These low lives buy as many tickets as they can, selling out the show thus making it impossible for genuine music fans to get hold of one without buying them at double the price from them.
As for those people who sell merch outside the venues, they should be fined every time they do it. Merch prices inside venues are so expensive these days and it's no wonder. Bands must really struggle to sell their genuine merchandise when these creeps are outside selling cheap knock offs at half the price. I'd much rather spend that little bit extra and support a band trying to make an honest living than give any of them the time of day.
Enough complaining, I'm off to see if there are any gigs coming up!
