Leaving a Gig Early

Motley Crue

So we've had threads about going to see the support band specifically and what not, but in the same way, have you ever left a gig early (we're not talking 10 minutes before the end here) for one reason or another (other then because of food poisoning or something) and why?

I once left a gig after the first band had been on. They were the only one's I wanted to see and I had gotten free tickets. It was Theory Of A Deadman, they played 30 minutes, and then I buggered off and sold the tickets I had in hand to a tout outside the venue - nice profit:D

Having said that, first time I've ever sold tickets like that:D:D

RonMexico

GNR at The O2. When Axl threw a hissy fit and ruined the night.

chin_grin

Napalm Death and Immolation. I had to leg it before ND came on to make sure I got home! Was back when it was bucketing snow.

Hannibal

went to see Noel Gallagher in NYC last month and some people were strangely still arriving upto an hour into the gig, imo its worse than leaving early

viadah

Went to see A Perfect Circle in Wembley few years back, Deftones were headlining. A Perfect Circle were immaculate, then Deftones hit the stage, the sound was ****, couldn't tell what song they were playing 'til Chino started singing - out of time, dropping words to fit into the verses (it turned out to be 'My Own Summer'). Second song was the same, atrocious sound, so I left, and I wasn't the only one.

Lawrence1895

Never did that. I even got a taxi from Essen to Dortmund, paid around 150 Euro, because I missed the last train. Never mind, I had to see Cannibal Corpse by all means :cool:

Lemmy Scott

Dublin heads have it all too easy -think of your country brothers that travel all day for a gig-im thinking of the gnr fiasco.Ya i stayed and it was great:p

lord lucan

Only once,at the Def Leppard/Alice Cooper gig in the point. Alice was brilliant but then Leppard came on and proceeded to bore me to death and i left after half an hour of their set.

Edit: Make that twice. Spaceboys post reminded me of something i'd consigned to the back of my brain. Tool bored the bejaysus out of me,ended up leaving with a beer and waiting in the bus park for the after-show buses to get going.

chin_grin

lord lucan wrote: »

Only once,at the Def Leppard/Alice Cooper gig in the point. Alice was brilliant but then Leppard came on and proceeded to bore me to death and i left after half an hour of their set.

Aye. Def Leppard, the ruination of any gig.

ham_n_mustard

i left after about 45 minutes of a motorhead gig in wembley, hawkwind and anthrax supported. tubes in london were finishing early this night for some reason so i had to go early. what made the night was an irish lad doing security took pity on me for being on my own and left stand at the side of the stage. i got to say hello to lemmy who was a gentleman. a very drunk gentleman but a gentleman all the same.

spaceboy

Only once when Tool played Ozzfest in Punchestown a few years ago. The most boring, self indulgent tripe I ever had the misfortune of seeing & I was'nt the only one either, lots of people were leaving early during their set.

devildriver

Got free tickets to see Satyricon at the TBMC (as it was then) many years back. Took my girlfriend along as part of my plan to educate her on all things metallic. I think we lasted about 15 minutes before we bailed out to the pub.

A shocking load of cack!

NIBBS

illness aside I've left a few things early -

left about 6-7 songs into Leppard in the O2 in June, was the 4th time seeing them in a couple of years and decided to get my last bus which was 11 rather than get stuck (if I remember correctly it didn't finish till about 5 to 12).....

Tool at Ozzfest too - mate and myself thought they were cack and he was driving so sensible move was to head off......

pretty much anything else was due to illness.......but there is something I just couldn't stomach, but have obviously blocked it from my mind.....

Minstrel27

I left RHCP at Oxegen 2006 after 20 minutes. Absolute ****e

Mental Mickey

Don't think i've ever left a gig early...........?

Twilightning

I've never left a gig early although if I went along to Amon Amarth, Ensiferum and Children of Bodom when they were here earlier in the year I probably would have left as soon as Bodom hit the stage.

I stuck around for Def Leppard's entire set in June and it only properly ended at 10 past midnight, I don't know why I did. The last Luas was gone too so I had to walk from the O2 after having been standing up since around 4 o'clock onwards between getting there, queueing and standing for the entire show itself without taking a seat once up to Connolly Station to get a taxi home. I'll know my lesson for next time!

hellyeah

left trivium in the ambassodor after 10 mins of set as we discoveresd it was an Alcohol free event.:eek:
Was there myself to see god forbid, so was happy with that.
The amount of people we met in Bruxells who left early cause of no booze.

GLaDOS

Never left a (relatively big) gig early, though I've never been to a gig I've considered less than very good

Dermo

Went to see American Head Charge and Soil in the TBMC a good few years ago. AHC were on first and were amazing. Soil came on and the first couple of songs were ok, they just weren't as good. If it was the other way around I would have had no problem listening to Soil while waiting for AHC. Went off to the pub after 2 Soil songs because they just weren't as good as AHC.

Aeternitas

I only leave a gig early if I have to. I had to leave Judas Priest early to catch a train because I was working the next day.

Other than that I paid for a full ticket so I catch the full show.

breffni666

Left Metallica in RDS after Creeping Death before crowd were looking for Whiskey which I think never came. St Anger rubbish so one CD was over I was happy to drift back into town for few leisurely pints!

IamMetaldave

spaceboy wrote: »

Only once when Tool played Ozzfest in Punchestown a few years ago. The most boring, self indulgent tripe I ever had the misfortune of seeing & I was'nt the only one either, lots of people were leaving early during their set.

That was 2001 dude, bit more than a few years ago

Only gig I can think of that I bailed on was Motorhead at the Xstream (let down) in the RDS sometime around 2003 I think.

Angron

I had to leave Opeth once before the end, I'm not sure how long was left though. I had to go cause I had no way back to Longford otherwise that night.

DaveNoCheese

Only once and not by choice, was the Unholy Alliance in Dublin a few years back. Had to leave two songs into Slayers set to make it home, was gutted!

furiousox

Went to Def Leppard/Motley Crue/Steel Panther in Manchester a couple of weeks ago.
TBH we were only there to see the Crue (saw them once before, Hammersmith Odeon 1985)
I thought Steel Panther and the Crue were great.
Def Leppard came on and we looked at each other and said "let's go" after 2 songs.

entropi

Similarly a few weeks ago I was in Manchester too, but to see Machine Head. Would have walked if it were not for the fact Machine Head were the headliners. Bring Me The Horizon were on before them...absolutely shocking band...pure sh*te (they got copious amounts of abuse, bottled etc, but the lead singer had the absolute gall to hurl a drumstick at a guy 3 rows behind me, caught him right in the chest).

They even put Devildriver on before those clowns ffs!

Glad I stayed anyway...savage set

Angron

Urgh, I'd hate to see BMTH live..

entropi

Denny M wrote: »

Urgh, I'd hate to see BMTH live..

It's not something I'd wish upon anyone

Still, saw it through, MH opened with "I Am Hell" and chaos ensued. Got Rob's main plec afterwards too, happy out:)

youtube!

yea i left during woodstock 1969 when this strange black dude was murdering my national anthem, other than that though...

Motley Crue

Master of Nothing wrote: »

They even put Devildriver on before those clowns ffs!

That is just bizzare billing, how in the hell could DevilDriver OPEN for BMTH

entropi

Motley Crue wrote: »

That is just bizzare billing, how in the hell could DevilDriver OPEN for BMTH

Tell me about it. The billing was:

Machine Head
BMTH
DevilDriver
Darkest Hour

Definitely not how it should be.

Irish Halo

IamMetaldave wrote: »

That was 2001 dude, bit more than a few years ago

2002<pedant>

IamMetaldave wrote: »

Only gig I can think of that I bailed on was Motorhead at the Xstream (let down) in the RDS sometime around 2003 I think.

XtremeFest also 2002</pedant>

Back on topic, I have never walked out during a set that disappointed me but have left after the support as that was why I was there, biggest event I've done that at was probably Slane 2003 as I have no interest in RHCP so bailed once Foos were done. I have sat in a corner in Brixton academy playing my DS during Trivium's sets (I went both nights) at the Black Crusade 2007

kbell

hellyeah wrote: »

left trivium in the ambassodor after 10 mins of set as we discoveresd it was an Alcohol free event.:eek:
Was there myself to see god forbid, so was happy with that.
The amount of people we met in Bruxells who left early cause of no booze.

Bars were open upstairs at that.

lord lucan

Irish Halo wrote: »

2002<pedant>

Certainly was. I signed for my new house on the Friday,kipped on the floor for 2 nights and then down to Punchestown on Sunday. Fun times. Seems a lot longer than 9 and a half years ago though!:(

Aeternitas

Motley Crue wrote: »

That is just bizzare billing, how in the hell could DevilDriver OPEN for BMTH

I'm not a fan of either but ****ing hell that's a retarded schedule

Motley Crue

Aeternitas wrote: »

I'm not a fan of either but ****ing hell that's a retarded schedule

Yeah I'd imagine DevilDriver volunteered to go on early because they wanted to do a shorter set, or BMTH had a problem and DD needed to go first that night

devildriver

Motley Crue wrote: »

Yeah I'd imagine DevilDriver volunteered to go on early because they wanted to do a shorter set, or BMTH had a problem and DD needed to go first that night

Devildriver accepted the slot even though they knew they were on before BMTH just because they wanted to be on the Machine Head tour.

Dez has the story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=J56PtHMwj-4#!

Motley Crue

devildriver wrote: »

Devildriver accepted the slot even though they knew they were on before BMTH just because they wanted to be on the Machine Head tour.

That's interesting, he's a nice bloke, and he tours quite a lot - more than anyone else I can possibly think of - I remember when I interviewed him he was always very "work work work" and as much as he loves his family he does need to take it easy sometimes.

Still, it's nice to see DD recognize the fact that sometimes you need to accept that you have to take a huge tour opportunity and sacrifice your own billing place. Very humble.

triggermortis

I left Donington early in 1991 as I only really wanted to see Motley Crue (missed the Dr Feelgood tour as was in the Gulf war!)
I did stay for Metallica, but bailed before AC/DC finished as wasn't really into them at the time.
I left early in 92 too as Iron Maiden bore me to tears

hellyeah

kbell wrote: »

Bars were open upstairs at that.

I think that was the first time they played here. Was upstairs for that.
2nd time they played was alcohol free event. Gutted.

ush

Never leave a gig early. There might be a late equaliser.

Motley Crue

triggermortis wrote: »

(missed the Dr Feelgood tour as was in the Gulf war!)

That's as solid an excuse as I've ever heard to be honest, glad it went well for you at the time

Mushy

Motley Crue wrote: »

Yeah I'd imagine DevilDriver volunteered to go on early because they wanted to do a shorter set, or BMTH had a problem and DD needed to go first that night

Or that BMTH may be a bigger band than DD?

Heard the singer titled one song 'Sucks to be you, we're opening for your favourite band' or something with that ending anyway, quality. Must have been one of the worst tour package lineups I've ever seen.

Left Judas Priest early last summer...was quite drunk and enjoyable, but then it just went on so long it got boring so left. Prob only two or three songs left anyway.

Motley Crue

Mushy wrote: »

Or that BMTH may be a bigger band than DD?

Good one - I love the sense of humour on these forums:D

You know, your probably right though, as much as it pains me to say that. BMTH have 32 million Google search results...whereas Devildriver have barely 5.2 million...I feel sick seeing that. Or maybe it's all the Christmas food.

wolfmoon87

Motley Crue wrote: »

Good one - I love the sense of humour on these forums:D

You know, your probably right though, as much as it pains me to say that. BMTH have 32 million Google search results...whereas Devildriver have barely 5.2 million...I feel sick seeing that. Or maybe it's all the Christmas food.

I don't think Devildriver get the respect they deserve. They are just awesome.:D

Mushy

Motley Crue wrote: »

Good one - I love the sense of humour on these forums:D

You know, your probably right though, as much as it pains me to say that. BMTH have 32 million
Google search results...whereas Devildriver have barely 5.2 million...I feel sick seeing that. Or maybe it's all the Christmas food.

Yeah I always hear of BMTH more. Wasnt a dig at DD, not that I like them either.

Viva La Gloria

left Bowling For Soup early because we wanted Eddie Rockets and we were a bit bored, tbh.

hidinginthebush

The only one I have is leaving the Arctic Monkeys in Malahide castle a few years ago. It was a Saturday evening gig, so everyone was horribly drunk, where I got a free ticket ticket last minute, so was completely sober, along with the two lads I was with, who also got em last minute. Added to that, my sisters bf (who I was with) got an absolute hiding the night before from a pack of nackers, so was missing lumps from his face and in terrible form. Added to that, you could tell it was 90% of the crowd's first "rock" concert, so they didn't know how to behave and enjoy themselves, so there was a bad atmosphere with fights breaking out all over the place.

Pants gig and I'm delighted we left (after about 20 mins), though I really love their latest 2 albums, hopefully they've scared off most of their poppy fans now and when they come next it wont be full of a nightclub crowd looking for their earlier stuff.

cournioni

Steve Vai in Vicar Street a few years back. The most boring ****e ever. Even my mate, who would have been one of Vai's biggest fans had enough. What Vai does is anti-music IMO. It's just self indulgent wankery. I think each musician on show in Vai's band at the time had a ten minute solo each to show off their technique. Get on with the ****ing music.

hidinginthebush

cournioni wrote: »

Steve Vai in Vicar Street a few years back. The most boring ****e ever. Even my mate, who would have been one of Vai's biggest fans had enough. What Vai does is anti-music IMO. It's just self indulgent wankery. I think each musician on show in Vai's band at the time had a ten minute solo each to show off their technique. Get on with the ****ing music.

As a guitarist who's seen him twice it pains me to say you're right. Steve vai's an incredible player, who puts on a great show, but it gets pretty boring standing watching someone shred for 2 hours.

ThunderApple

I had to leave gigs early so many times back when I was at my parents' place. I can't even remember the whole list of the bands I had to miss.
And then... and then I got old and now I don't care about "how do I get home". Somehow I do. Hehe, as long as I don't have any kids - noone cares when I come home.
I guess the only reason I would leave a concert might be a very ****ty band. But I was quite lucky till now.