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Conversations at Gigs

deviladvocate

Has anyone else noticed an increasing trend of people having full scale conversations almost the entire way through a gig? To the point it's very offputting and can even ruin a good show?
I can't tell if I'm just getting older and grumpier, or it's because I'm now going to more "lighter" music where background noise can be heard easier as opposed to louder rock gigs, but it seems like more and more people are showing up at gigs for the sake of being there, rather than for a genuine desire to see the band perform!

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lertsnim

Too many people going to concerts now only because other people are going.

hynesie08

It's simple, people are *****.

vicwatson

This is now a disease and puts me off going to gigs, people should just stay at home or go to the pub if they don't want to hear the act, selfish gits ruining it for others that are into the band

HeidiHeidi

*rant alert*

Went to a Leonard Cohen (RIP) concert a few years back at the O2/Point, and nearly lost the head at the carry-on of others around me - you're allowed bring drinks in to the seats these days at most gigs, and the amount of pissed eejits stumbling up and down mid-song to go to the loo/bar drove me nuts. Making everyone along the row stand up and let them past, and then trying to figure out where their seats were when they eventually staggered back.

Then, to add insult to injury two ushers stood on the stairs nearby and held a full-scale, full-volume conversation as if they were in a noisy pub :mad: :mad: Now if this had been an Iron Maiden or AC/DC concert, maybe it wouldn't have been so noticeable. But poor Leonard whispering away on stage trying to compete with those antics was never going to win.

And don't get me started on the ones who insist on watching the entire thing through the screen of their mobile phone or ipad :mad::mad:

/rant

milehip

It's nothing new OP, seems to be worse at large outdoor summer gigs where people are just out for the craic on a warm night.
sucks and really annoying especially during quieter sings,but what can you do,tell them to shut up?Move?

some performers do take it in themselves to shhhh a crowd, was in the Rosion dubh at a Wallis bird gig when she politely asked the people talking in the crowd if they'd like to leave and have their conversations elsewhere cause those conversations were obviously more important than her music.

Robotito

Wear earplugs.
I started wearing them regularly at gigs about 3 years ago because I was concerned about my hearing and how important music is to me.
Apart from not detracting at all from my live music experiences I noticed that they (earplugs) are great at blocking out talking etc around me..and also shield very well against the loud, unexpected, ear drum shattering "woo hoo!"s that happen at gigs.

Xenji

Too many people going to gigs these days just to be seen and take pictures for social media than to actually see the band themselves.

johnnyskeleton

Went to see Badly Drawn Boy in the Bowry in Rathmines before xmas. Really bad venue for a gig. Its a long narrow pub and the speakers were set up badly so only the top half of the pub could hear him. The other half of the pub seemed like they genuinely wanted to hear him but just couldnt and so had to either have chats or just stand there straining to hear.

Ive also been to a few gigs recently where people go into the pit and dont dance dont sing dont do anything but stand stock still, sometimes taking out their phones or pulling their earplugs out long enough to exchange a few words. I find this baffling. If you want to stand and enjoy a gig, you can do so at your leisure at the back. Why go into the pit and just stand there like a decommissioned robot. These were young people too, like guys in their 20s and such.

Arghus

Seems to be something that's always been a feature of gigs to be honest. It is infuriating though, no doubt about it. It's particularly ignorant at quieter events.

cruhoortwunk

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Ive also been to a few gigs recently where people go into the pit and dont dance dont sing dont do anything but stand stock still, sometimes taking out their phones or pulling their earplugs out long enough to exchange a few words. I find this baffling. If you want to stand and enjoy a gig, you can do so at your leisure at the back. Why go into the pit and just stand there like a decommissioned robot. These were young people too, like guys in their 20s and such.

I think that's fair enough though, people are entitled to stand at the front for the best sound, less chatting and good view. They don't necessarily have to be the dancing type. Maybe they are up there to avoid the aforementioned chatting which almost always happens at the back where people are less arsed.

Alicano

Agree with the OP. And although it's not a library and can't be helped. Its folks (usually with some drink in them) signing along terribly and out of key etc that gets me mad. More so if the artist is particularly vocally talented and has great range/dynamics etc. Leave them alone to sing it please. Stop trying to scream along with it

But like I said. It's a gig. They have paid in and are free to enjoy them selves. And if I/we ever said anything you're mocked for being a stiff or a buzzkill. I don't drink at gigs and prefer to really watch/listen closely. Especially in the smaller venues, for the intricacies going on. Be it a drum/bass thing etc. For me that's what separates the gig from the CD at home..
Sorry for rambling.

Former Former

lertsnim wrote: »

Too many people going to concerts now only because other people are going.

Xenji wrote: »

Too many people going to gigs these days just to be seen and take pictures for social media than to actually see the band themselves.

machiavellianme

Going to a gig is a night out. Entertainment, no more, no less.
Last time I checked, people were free to talk in bars, pubs and clubs.
After all, its a social event, its not supposed to offer some existential and deep meaning to an attendees life.
If you aren't in assigned seating, you are free to move if your surroundings bother you. If you are stuck in a seat, then you can either ask the loud folks to quieten down or suffer in (non) silence.

GLaDOS

machiavellianme wrote: »

its a social event

Is it?

I disagree, gone to plenty off gigs by myself.

There can be a social aspect to it sure, but I wouldn't consider it a social event.

greenspurs

Really ???!!!
PEOPLE SINGING AT GIGS ANNOY PEOPLE !!!
PEOPLE THAT DONT DANCE AT GIGS ANNOY PEOPLE .......

My god , what is happening!?? Its a free country (ish) , if I can get my hands on a ticket to any gig, I will bloody well do what I want to when I get inside!
I don't dance, so i will stand there and listen , and that's how I enjoy the music of a band I pay to see.
If people are "talking!" I just move elsewhere ..... Flipping heck...
The "Outrage Generation" just always on the look out for things to be outraged at .......

Arne_Saknussem

greenspurs wrote: »

Really ???!!!
PEOPLE SINGING AT GIGS ANNOY PEOPLE !!!
PEOPLE THAT DONT DANCE AT GIGS ANNOY PEOPLE .......

My god , what is happening!?? Its a free country (ish) , if I can get my hands on a ticket to any gig, I will bloody well do what I want to when I get inside!
I don't dance, so i will stand there and listen , and that's how I enjoy the music of a band I pay to see.
If people are "talking!" I just move elsewhere ..... Flipping heck...
The "Outrage Generation" just always on the look out for things to be outraged at .......

Alicano

greenspurs wrote: »

Really ???!!!
PEOPLE SINGING AT GIGS ANNOY PEOPLE !!!
PEOPLE THAT DONT DANCE AT GIGS ANNOY PEOPLE .......

My god , what is happening!?? Its a free country (ish) , if I can get my hands on a ticket to any gig, I will bloody well do what I want to when I get inside!
I don't dance, so i will stand there and listen , and that's how I enjoy the music of a band I pay to see.
If people are "talking!" I just move elsewhere ..... Flipping heck...
The "Outrage Generation" just always on the look out for things to be outraged at .......

Please-read my post. Thanks.

Birneybau

machiavellianme wrote: »

Going to a gig is a night out. Entertainment, no more, no less.
Last time I checked, people were free to talk in bars, pubs and clubs.
After all, its a social event, its not supposed to offer some existential and deep meaning to an attendees life.
If you aren't in assigned seating, you are free to move if your surroundings bother you. If you are stuck in a seat, then you can either ask the loud folks to quieten down or suffer in (non) silence.

It's a performance. Bad analogy, but would you have a problem if people were chatting all the way through a play?

Birneybau

greenspurs wrote: »

Really ???!!!
PEOPLE SINGING AT GIGS ANNOY PEOPLE !!!
PEOPLE THAT DONT DANCE AT GIGS ANNOY PEOPLE .......

My god , what is happening!?? Its a free country (ish) , if I can get my hands on a ticket to any gig, I will bloody well do what I want to when I get inside!
I don't dance, so i will stand there and listen , and that's how I enjoy the music of a band I pay to see.
If people are "talking!" I just move elsewhere ..... Flipping heck...
The "Outrage Generation" just always on the look out for things to be outraged at .......

I'm about twice the age of the "Outrage Generation" and I have always thought that people that chatted throughout entire gigs are up-their-own-hole cnuts.

Lotus Flower

People who see no problem with going to a gig and talking their whole way through it, would you go to the cinema and have a full-blown conversation there? To me, they're in the same ballpark

And the "move elsewhere" argument isn't helpful. I've done it but it's a pain to have to manoeuvre around because some self entitled folk ruin it for others. And its not always possible anyway

Just go enjoy the show you (and others) have paid to see and leave the conversations for the pub

blastman

machiavellianme wrote: »

Going to a gig is a night out. Entertainment, no more, no less.
Last time I checked, people were free to talk in bars, pubs and clubs.
After all, its a social event, its not supposed to offer some existential and deep meaning to an attendees life.
If you aren't in assigned seating, you are free to move if your surroundings bother you. If you are stuck in a seat, then you can either ask the loud folks to quieten down or suffer in (non) silence.

They are, so why don't they fcuk off to a bar, pub or club and talk if that's what they want to do? I've paid for the gig, I'd like to actually hear it.

Say Your Number

The majority of gigs I go to are loud rock bands, so doesn't affect me that often, but I went to Rodrigo y Gabriella in Limerick and half the crowd had effectively turned their backs to them and were talking away, if I knew it'd be like that I would have just stayed at home, it was a complete waste of time when the tools in the crowd were making more noise than them.

Also saw Black Sabbath last month and during the song Black Sabbath (a quiet and atmospheric song) there was these three gimps near me having a conversation basically ruining the sinister air of the song. I'm repeating what's already been said but I can't get my head around people paying up to 100 Euro for a ticket and taking the time to travel to a concert and then ignoring the band when they come on stage.

Also wish they'd close the bar during gigs, cos nearly every gig I go to I have some eejit trying to barge through me nearly every minute, it's so distracting, it's another I don't get, people missing a good chunk of the concert to go queue up for some overpriced pisswater.

greenspurs

Alicano wrote: »

Please-read my post. Thanks.

I did......
Whats your point now? Arent we agreeing? kind of?

PTH2009

Say Your Number wrote: »

The majority of gigs I go to are loud rock bands, so doesn't affect me that often, but I went to Rodrigo y Gabriella in Limerick and half the crowd had effectively turned their backs to them and were talking away, if I knew it'd be like that I would have just stayed at home, it was a complete waste of time when the tools in the crowd were making more noise than them.

Also saw Black Sabbath last month and during the song Black Sabbath (a quiet and atmospheric song) there was these three gimps near me having a conversation basically ruining the sinister air of the song. I'm repeating what's already been said but I can't get my head around people paying up to 100 Euro for a ticket and taking the time to travel to a concert and then ignoring the band when they come on stage.

Also wish they'd close the bar during gigs, cos nearly every gig I go to I have some eejit trying to barge through me nearly every minute, it's so distracting, it's another I don't get, people missing a good chunk of the concert to go queue up for some overpriced pisswater.

remember at Bruce Springsteen in Croke Park last year i went out to toliets and the amount of people who were out in the drinks area chatting away and not giving 2 ****s about the gig was amazing, Same with a lot of gigs i was at. I even went to see Des Bishop in Waterford once and there was a drunk couple next to me who started fighting

talking/drunkeness at concerts/shows are just one of those things but if someone has no interest in the gig why pay for a ticket just stay in the pub or have a party and play whoever on the stereo ??

greenspurs

if someone brought me to a Des Bishop gig, id fight with them too !!!

Alicano

greenspurs wrote: »

I did......
Whats your point now? Arent we agreeing? kind of?

I'm not making another point? I asked you to re-read my post correctly. You fabricated things from my post that weren't typed. Simple.

threein99

Noticed a lot at gigs the last few years. In the Academy for Ham Sandwich it wrecked my head, we moved about 3 times. It's like once you notice the hum of conversations you can't tune it out again

greenspurs

Alicano wrote: »

I'm not making another point? I asked you to re-read my post correctly. You fabricated things from my post that weren't typed. Simple.

Get over it Butterfly, I wasn't specifically singling out you post......
But if the cap fits......
(you should go to bingo instead of gigs maybe...) :pac:

seachto7

Gig etiquette...

People talking at gigs annoys me. I've had it at acoustic gigs, but you can't police stupid all the time.

rubadub

machiavellianme wrote: »

Last time I checked, people were free to talk in bars, pubs and clubs.

Whats the relevance of saying that? Have you heard of people pissed off since they went into a pub/bar/club and people were chatting?

The only instance I can think of is people chatting over the national anthem if played in pubs, which I have not seen happen in years.

"Last time I checked" it was frowned upon by many to be chatting away, obviously taking away from the experience or respect of others at cinemas, theatre, gigs, study libraries, at a funeral mass. You can call them social events but the majority seem to think it is antisocial to be knowingly spoiling it for others, especially if they have paid €100+ to be there, and when the performance is only lasting an hour or so.