Lowest Attended Gig?

Motley Crue

What, out of recollection, do you remember being the lowest attended gig you have ever been too.

Mine would have to be Gilby Clarke, in the Village, in May 2005. I went to see him because I'd heard through his website he was performing - but the venue actually told me he wasn't performing the week beforehand - before someone called me back and said that he was performing but they didn't know if he would show up. I remember emailing him on MySpace and asking him if he was still playing and his manager responded with a resounding "of course, why wouldn't we..."

It was around the time he was doing that Rockstar Supernova show as well, so I was so surprised it was so badly attended, but probably due to lack of promotion and a general unawareness of the gig

In all, conservative estimates would say there were about 25 to 30 people in attendance, and when I first counted at the start of the night there were 11.

Here's a picture from the gig, Gilby was kind enough to sign some stuff afterwards, if anyone recognizes themselves or a friend please feel free to take the photo.

kippy

I've been to a few "low" attendance gigs but the one myself and the missus went to a few years ago in the Roisin Dubh (Galway) sticks out.
Went to see this band: http://www.theflaws.com/
Think it was a Monday night and probably one of their first gigs. There were no more than 15-20 people there but fair play to them they gave a great gig and did their best to get the "crowd" going.
Not sure if they ever took off, they were getting a good bit of radio play around the time.
I've been to a few gigs in the Roisin where the numbers were low but gigs that still turned out great.

scudzilla

Motley Crue wrote: »

So which one are you?

Motley Crue

scudzilla wrote: »

So which one are you?

Although I've changed a fair bit since then, I'm the tall guy on the left (and the one NOT wearing a Motley Crue shirt as it happens)

I miss that Gilby shirt, don't know whatever happened to it! And he never made them again

Keano

kippy wrote: »

I've been to a few "low" attendance gigs but the one myself and the missus went to a few years ago in the Roisin Dubh (Galway) sticks out.
Went to see this band: http://www.theflaws.com/
Think it was a Monday night and probably one of their first gigs. There were no more than 15-20 people there but fair play to them they gave a great gig and did their best to get the "crowd" going.
Not sure if they ever took off, they were getting a good bit of radio play around the time.
I've been to a few gigs in the Roisin where the numbers were low but gigs that still turned out great.

They released a new album last month entitled Constant Adventure and it's very good

old gregg

I remember going to see The Devlins in Waterford as part of the annual Arts Festival a few years ago and there were 10 people in the audience, 6 of whom were festival sponsors. To put it into perspective, the band had pulled a respectable crowd into Vicar st a few nights earlier.

Dermo

years ago I went to see [spunge] in the TBMC. I think the support was Mixtwitch and On/Off.
The crowd for [spunge] consisted of me, my friend Bob, 2 random guys, the support bands and [spunge]'s crew.

Brilliant gig though, non stop jumping about and having a laugh

edit: just remembered. I didn't even pay for the gig as I was interviewing the band that day as well.

PeterTwo

Vincent Vincent and the Villains in Cyprus Avenue, Cork. The crowd consisted of myself, my brother, his friend, the support band and about 5 others. They were really good though.

Motley Crue

Dermo wrote: »

The crowd for [spunge] consisted of me, my friend Bob, 2 random guys, the support bands and [spunge]'s crew.

Spunge are the only band who has ever officially been given permission by the Marley family to change the lyrics of a Bob Marley song, on their cover of "No Woman, No Cry" (this can be found on their second album, Room For Abuse).

CiaranK

Anvil, go to 1;00. Trailer for the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF4H8lB2Y_o

Mars Bar

kippy wrote: »

I've been to a few "low" attendance gigs but the one myself and the missus went to a few years ago in the Roisin Dubh (Galway) sticks out.
Went to see this band: http://www.theflaws.com/
Think it was a Monday night and probably one of their first gigs. There were no more than 15-20 people there but fair play to them they gave a great gig and did their best to get the "crowd" going.
Not sure if they ever took off, they were getting a good bit of radio play around the time.
I've been to a few gigs in the Roisin where the numbers were low but gigs that still turned out great.

Hah, The Flaws at the Tuam Arts Festival would be the lowest attended gig I've been to! No more than 15 people at it but I'd safely say all 15 who attended bought the CD they had on sale and became fans.

Actually, the real lowest attended gig was one myself and another guy were playing in a pub that was on it's way out and the bartender was an alcoholic no one could tolerate. Total attendance was 3 people.

Danger781

If we're talking about a band known worldwide.. It had to be the Trivium gig I was at in The Savoy in Cork.. At the very most there was 200 people there.. But I must say it was the best gig I was ever at :eek:

Motley Crue

CiaranK wrote: »

Anvil, go to 1;00. Trailer for the movie.

You were at this gig, where there was a guy seated next to the guitarist on the stage:D

nitromaster

My lowest was about 150..when i saw The Damned Things...(members of Anthrax, Fall Out Boy and Every Time I Die)

Great intimate gig though :pac:

Timmaay

mars bar wrote: »

Hah, The Flaws at the Tuam Arts Festival would be the lowest attended gig I've been to! No more than 15 people at it but I'd safely say all 15 who attended bought the CD they had on sale and became fans.

Actually, the real lowest attended gig was one myself and another guy were playing in a pub that was on it's way out and the bartender was an alcoholic no one could tolerate. Total attendance was 3 people.

Lucky you, can't get any more "intimate" a gig then just 15 people at the flaws!

CiaranK

Motley Crue wrote: »

You were at this gig, where there was a guy seated next to the guitarist on the stage:D

No, I wasn't at it, Had to post it. Lowest amount of people was an AC/DC tribute band in the pouring rain, I'll never forget it. It was in Co. Clare, Scariff Harbour Festival. The band were on that programme on RTE a while back, the Tribute band competition. There was about 10 children in the front row, The parents huddled under a tent type thing and one or 2 people there for a bit to see the show but they left. It would've been a great photo but I didn't have the camera.

loyatemu

saw EMF in the Tivoli several years after Unbelievable was out, can't have been more than 20 people there, Venue held ~1000. Still good fun though.

My brother once saw Shakin Stevens at the (old) Point Depot - he reckoned there was no more than 300 people in a venue that held 8000.

Thundercats Ho

Saw Andy Irvine (Planxty) in Portlaoise last year, and there was about 25 at it. Class gig.

Mattallica

On a recent episode of the apprentice, at some random Irish music festival, there was a band playing to.......0 people!!

It was an unknown band, but still... there was no one

youcancallmeal

Went to see Republic of Loose play in a small tent at Glastonbury a few years ago. Literally 3 of us turned up, think there might have been a big act on the main stage at the time? There was maybe 4 or 5 other people sitting around the tent chatting with no interest in who was playing.

It was hilarious. They came on stage and looked fairly disgusted, there was actually more people on the stage than in the audience. It was around the time they were pretty big in Ireland too, they had just released Aaagh! I think? They performed about 4 songs and then left muttering something about only playing for the free tickets.

Another gig at Glastonbury where more or less the same thing happened to Damien Dempsey, 4 or 5 of us showed up. He was different though and played one of the most memorable sets in my many years of attending Glasto. It was like having him in your sitting room. He just belted out song after song and didn't care less how many people were there.

RayCon

Nothing as low as <100 but The Soundtrack Of Our Lives in the Music Centre 2002 wasnt exactly stuffed (brilliant gig though - still one of my favs ever)

Matt Bianco

kippy wrote: »

I've been to a few "low" attendance gigs but the one myself and the missus went to a few years ago in the Roisin Dubh (Galway) sticks out.
Went to see this band: http://www.theflaws.com/
Think it was a Monday night and probably one of their first gigs. There were no more than 15-20 people there but fair play to them they gave a great gig and did their best to get the "crowd" going.
Not sure if they ever took off, they were getting a good bit of radio play around the time.
I've been to a few gigs in the Roisin where the numbers were low but gigs that still turned out great.

Was there not a competition with O2 where the winner could have the Flaws play in your sitting room - maybe small crowds is just the way they like it

There was also the dry festival over the summer http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2010/0705/1224274032535.html - Know thy audience I think is the lesson from the exercise

seachto7

Saw Jeff Lang a few years ago upstairs in Dolans in LImerick. There must have been about 20 people at it. It's a small enough venue anyways, but I think he deserved more. He is pretty much unknown in Ireland though, so you can't expect him to be in a bigger venue. It was an unreal gig, phenomenal guitar playing.

I am thinking the OP meant the lowest attended gig for bands who should command a large crowd. I don't think Andy Irvine, for his own gigs, would get a big crowd anywhere near what Planxty would draw, so maybe he wasn't the best example to use in the previous post.....

evillive

saw Wolfsbane in the Rock Garden in the early 90's there was about 30/40 there - a fight broke out in the middle of the venue and the band were just looking at each other going wtf? most people were just stood at the bar and there was one row of bodies at the stage

jack presley

evillive wrote: »

saw Wolfsbane in the Rock Garden in the early 90's there was about 30/40 there - a fight broke out in the middle of the venue and the band were just looking at each other going wtf? most people were just stood at the bar and there was one row of bodies at the stage

I think I was one of those bodies at the stage! Was that around the time they released Massive Noise Injection? if so, it was probably the same gig i was at. I can't remember how many were there to be honest but I do remember the guitarist giving me he set list from the monitor at the front of the stage. Ah, the good old days!

calex71

Mine had a high attendance based on some of the ones mentioned, but Glassjaw in tripod a few years ago and Fountains of Wayne in the ambassador were pretty empty.

smelltheglove

had to be the almighty in the temple bar music centre, few years back was only bout 30 people there and joe elliot lol he actually stood at our table fort he gig and hooked us up with passes for ronnie woods album launch in vicar street a few nights later in which ronnie performed with slash and we were seated beside marianne faithful!! Deffo memorable

smilerf

i saw daddy's little princess in 2003 temple bar music centre. Reckon 12 people were there

brennarr

Mattallica wrote: »

On a recent episode of the apprentice, at some random Irish music festival, there was a band playing to.......0 people!!

It was an unknown band, but still... there was no one

Castlepalooza, Tullamore August Bank holiday weekend

RayCon

Just remembered :

The Inspiral Carpets - The Ambassador , 2003. It was fairly empty , I won 3 tickets to be collected at the Box Office on the night ... as I was collecting mine , there were at least 5 or 6 other people collecting tickets there too - Im guessing they were freebies too as when we went inside the place was pretty sparce. The Carpets were great though ... and Tom Hingley was even cracking jokes about the size of the turnout :cool:

Thundercats Ho

seachto7 wrote: »

I am thinking the OP meant the lowest attended gig for bands who should command a large crowd. I don't think Andy Irvine, for his own gigs, would get a big crowd anywhere near what Planxty would draw, so maybe he wasn't the best example to use in the previous post.....

The OP didn't say anything about that. It was just lowest attended gig.
Obviously Andy wouldn't get as big a crowd as Planxty but deserved more than he got. Nothing wrong with using him as an example, as a few bands listed here would be pretty unknown in Ireland.

evillive

jack presley wrote: »

I think I was one of those bodies at the stage! Was that around the time they released Massive Noise Injection? if so, it was probably the same gig i was at. I can't remember how many were there to be honest but I do remember the guitarist giving me he set list from the monitor at the front of the stage. Ah, the good old days!

yeah, i got some drumsticks and a guitar pick, there was one for everyone in the audience practically!!! i think that was the last time they played here - i see they are back touring england next year - great band, all great characters

Welease

The Men They Couldn't Hang in Swindon..

Waited years to see them.. turned up and so did 4 other people..
Great night though.. They dumped their regular tour set, and let the "crowd" request their favourite songs ..

Went to see Half Man Half Biscuit a couple of weeks later in the same venue and only about 10 turned up for that..

punchdrunk

PiL played to only about 150 people at electric picnic this year,and it was raining out! (I only know this as the tiny crowd made for a handy shortcut through the tent to the jacks without getting rained on)
Johnny Rotten probably didn't give a **** though

FortuneChip

I saw Biffy Clyro play an acoustic set under a bridge in Paris. I'd put the numbers there at about 40/50 people. And that's a contender for best gig I've ever been to.

Jim

Been at a couple of gigs with less than 5 people. Essentially just me, some mates, coupel of others and the bands.

schemingbohemia

Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down @ Crawdaddy on the Sunday of a bank holiday weekend, think there were 15 people there and that may have included the support band. Great gig though they really gave it their all.

The Czars, Whelans about 6 years ago. Very small crowd on a wet and weary Monday night, decent gig your man (John Grant) has a great voice.

Wolf Club

I remember seeing RSAG in the student bar in Maynooth a few years back. I know it was unlikely to pull a big crowd, but I thought there would have been more than 5 of us in attendance!

Motley Crue

Just to clarify, I meant just a low attended gig in general, as opposed to a big performer who should demand more of an audience...having said that, I was at a Simple Minds gig once, and it was extremely poorly attended and I would have expected more

Justin Hawkins also played with Hot Leg once in Edinburgh, and there were maybe 40 people there, in a tiny club called GRV

Joe_Dull

Oxjam at the Ambassador in October 2008 - we were playing it and there were about 350 when we were on, a good few more for the next band, and then as soon as they finished everybody left. Apparently the crowd had just been there to see their friends play and then feck off. Codes and Concerto for Constantine had been booked as headliners, and they both played shortened sets to a crowd consisting of our band, another band and maybe 3 others A fairly bizarre experience!

danniemcq

Motley Crue wrote: »

Spunge are the only band who has ever officially been given permission by the Marley family to change the lyrics of a Bob Marley song, on their cover of "No Woman, No Cry" (this can be found on their second album, Room For Abuse).

Do you remember, a few years ago
When they used to play this song yeah?
We decided it was much too slow
So we've gone and upped the tempo.

We say,
Everything's gonna be alright now
Everything's gonna be just fine
Everything's gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be just fine
Everything's gonna be alright now
Everything's gonna be just fine
Everything's gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be just fine

So we went back
Did a bit of thinking, did a lot of drinking too
And we came to this conclusion
If you want it
You gotta go for it, don't care 'bout who is who
And you've got the best solution

We say,
Everything's gonna be alright now
Everything's gonna be just fine
Everything's gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be just fine
Everything's gonna be alright now
Everything's gonna be just fine
Everything's gonna be alright
It's gonna be just....

No woman, no cry
You've got no woman, don't cry
No woman, no cry
You've got no woman, don't cry

[Guitar Solo]

Everything's is gonna be alright now
Everything's is gonna be just fine
Everything's is gonna be alright
Everything's is gonna be just fine
Everything's is gonna be alright now
Everything's is gonna be just fine
Everything's is gonna be alright
Its gonna be just....

No woman, no cry
You've got no woman, don't cry
You've got no woman, don't cry
No woman, no cry

So we remembered
Did a bit of thinking and we did a lot of drinking too
And we came to this conclusion
If you want it
You gotta go for it, don't care 'bout who is who
And you've got the best solution

We say!
Everything is gonna, everything is gonna, everything is gonna be alright
Everything is gonna, everything is gonna, everything is gonna be just fine
Everything is gonna, everything is gonna, everything is gonna be alright
Everything is gonna, everything is gonna, everything is gonna be
It's gonna be just....

No woman no cry
You've got no woman, don't cry
You've got no woman, don't cry
You've got no woman, don't cry

Padraig Mor

Saw Michael Gira (of Swans fame) play in the Triskel in Cork to no more than 15 people. To make matters worse, the venue is a tiered fully seated room (seating a couple of hunderd) which just emphasised how empty it was. Got a cracking recording of it though!