Damn I misspelled Technology! Ironically the technology of spellcheck didn't catch it. haha. Techology sounds like a cool new made up word so I'll just leave it. ;)

@dalejr183

Жыл бұрын

Yeah getting older sucks it’s not the same anymore man. I’m 42 first concert Metallica 1992. I went back to Dallas I’m 2019 for hardwired in cowboys stadium it was a great show but kinda sad man. Previous to that last concert was 2003 so I noticed all the damn phones and the lack of what u talk about. I left after fade to black.

@jacksmart8669

Жыл бұрын

@@dalejr183 Jack White concert doesn't allow phones

@satyadasgumbyji8956

Жыл бұрын

I can tell you exactly what happened, from someone who's 1st concert was Alice Cooper at 9 yro in 1980! In '82 & '83, the inventors of a brand new product called the personal computer paid top music acts in the world to promote it via the Us Festivals, and it not only wrecked the mighty Van Halen with a million dollar payday, it wrecked the entire music industry! Tickets went from $8 FOR ALL SEATS to shows I saw like Ozzy Diary Of A Madman tour in '82, to the outrageous prices today! ALL concerts throughout '80's also charged $10 for T-shirts, & $15 for jerseys! BECAUSE THEIR #1 REVENUE WAS ALBUM SALES!!!! Now they HAVE to tour to make any money cause all their music is STOLEN!!!! & same technology let cell-phones take over, so pay phones became a thing of the past too! Can't even catch a taxi anymore cause everything a fukn Uber YOU HAVE TO USE A CELL-PHONE TO HAIL!!! Not to mention the fukn jumbotron screens! If wanna watch on a screen, will stay tf home! TECH DESTROYS EVERYTHING IN THE END!!! The Atlantians found out the hard way, & unfortunately you will too! Good luck with that, young mofos! Youre gonna need it!!! Now you can't even buy a ticket, it's fukn virtual & have to have a gd mark of the Beast, uh, I mean a "bar-code" to even enter! SMGDMFH! ✌😔❤

@wesleychanin3465

Жыл бұрын

I stopped going to concerts years ago. The true concert experience died a long time ago. The young people today will never know the fun we had with general administration. It was like one giant party with everyone partying together cruising the whole arena meeting new people and getting to go anywhere in the arena to watch your favorite band. I was so lucky to be able to experience the true way concerts were meant to be seen.

I am 70, and still a rock concert fan! I saw Jimi Hendrix for $5.00 twice in 1968. Just one example of many, many concerts I was lucky enough to see. Not all venues have good acoustics.

I recently attended a concert of Iron Maiden in Frankfurt/germany. I had not many experiences with big concerts in the old days, but I say a lot of what you miss today was still there: Not many cellphones (less than I had expected), wild and dangerous looking fans, an impressive and damned loud show, an overwhelming atmosphere with the whole stadium singing and dancing. And Bruce can still sing ... amazing experience. Regarding a dangerous atmosphere I would guess, that you can still find that, if you attend concerts of younger acts than Satriani, Megadeth or Maiden.

@dannybos7024

Жыл бұрын

I'm considering going to Maiden in Amsterdam in 2023. Would you say it's worth it? I've been getting into them more and more and their concerts look like an awesome experience for my second ever concert!

@Sebastian-hu7fp

Жыл бұрын

I was at the same concert and experienced that too, but I think you can find such wild and impressive shows with smaller indie bands in smaller locations as well. In fact, there where wilder moshpits at the Peach Pit concert I went to than with iron maiden (probably due to the audience's age)

@Miami_1984

Жыл бұрын

Ich stimme zu 100% zu

@SuicidalGrind

Жыл бұрын

Oh that's definitely because Iron Maiden fans are diehard. Being one myself having bought plenty of their vinyls over CD's or streaming them at a young age I have always wanted to see a Maiden show purely because not only are they an amazing band, but in every live video you see of them the crowd is there singing along to the melodic duo riffs, the vocals and having a great time. I think it depends honestly with newer bands. Like if you compare Polyphia to like Blood Incantation it's more likely that people are going crazy at the latter band than Polyphia. I think it's mostly in the root of the music itself and what audience it appeals to. More heavier Metal tends to appeal to more party-friendly people. And such.

@Metallian81

Жыл бұрын

My 1st concert ever was Iron Maiden at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. Not a large venue, not very pleasant looking either, at least the night of the show. It was also my first experience with a mosh pit. I can't recall if the mosh pit was raging during the Maiden performance or the opening act, which I can't recall who it was but they were more of an Anthrax style band. So yes, the fans at this show looked like the people you did not want to meet out on the street. haha Anyway, I'm a big strong guy, even more so back then around high school when I went to the show, but I was not expecting the force of a mosh pit. I didn't even actively enter it, it sort of just enveloped me like a moving storm. Since I wasn't prepared, maybe even if I was, I was knocked straight to the floor. Thankfully the fans were great because I don't think I was on the floor more than a few seconds before being lifted by a number of hands so quick I had no idea what just happened. To be honest, it wasn't a good experience. In those brief moments I thought to myself, "no wonder I've heard how dangerous these mosh pits can be! If I don't think I could get up on my own, I'd be screwed!" It also gave me more of an insight on how people get trampled or suffocated at events with emergencies going on. For example, the unfortunate events of the fire that killed far too many people during the Great White show that set the venue up in flames. It doesn't matter how big and strong you are, or think you are, a crowd of people can and WILL F' u up! So I also learned that night how looks can be deceiving. Lots of scary looking dudes that turned out to be pretty cool guys just there for a good time. Unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy seeing the band the rest of the night. I wear glasses and the mosh pit incident popped out one of my lenses. Then as I showed them to my older brother, likely buzzed, he grabbed them, said you don't need these, and flung them across the crowd. 😡 You SoB! 😡 🤣 Still, the show was amazing! Despite being a mere 12ft from the stage, the band was a bit blurry, but the sound stayed with me for days! It was incredibly loud! I can only imagine how crazy a mosh pit gets in a stadium show or massive venue like Wacken, but that part of a concert isn't for me. As a musician, I want to take in the visuals of the band playing while listening to the show. So my 1st concert was also my most expensive concert. I had to buy a new pair of glasses the next day AND call off of work so I could do so. I had to pay full price for the glasses too since I didn't have vision insurance. Probably around $500, for a decent pair, and more than a weeks pay at that time! So that was my 1st and LAST mosh pit! 🤣🤣 Too expensive!

In all fairness, do you still feel the magic at Christmas? Or has it diminished since you got older? I recently took my daughter to her first show and she felt everything you did because in her world, it was new, fresh, and something she will remember forever just like you and Metallica.

@thepayne7862

Жыл бұрын

I still feel the magic at Christmas especially when I am around my niece and nephew.

@GeorgeBonez

Жыл бұрын

You daughter may have felt some magic but that’s only because she can’t compare it to the old days when concerts amazed everyone no matter how old you are!

@crungefactory

Жыл бұрын

But it will grow old for her quicker because there's not much magic left

@michaelmillican5592

Жыл бұрын

It's not the same

@Uncle_Ruckus_

Жыл бұрын

Dude I'm in my 20s and I see concerts aren't as lit as concerts in the past. When I see concerts in the 80s and back people would go nuts and had fun. Now people just stand there with their phones out.

Yeah phones at concerts have gotten really bad but good luck telling someone to put theirs away. Social media has made everyone the center of their own world.

@mylogify

Жыл бұрын

I am glad that Mike had left Tweeter. So agree with him, about it. It's a place to waste lots of time talking to space. And nothing valuable happens, it's the opposite of communication actually. Tweeter is nothing but a stupid newspaper now. I see people here scrolling through instagram stories at high volumes in trains, everywhere. It's the worst time spent.

@HansaGBB

Жыл бұрын

People have to understand that nobody cares about them on social media.

@johnbraucher1499

Жыл бұрын

Being an "introvert" is "cool" now too. I only wish I was able to be social. I've been unwillingly antisocial my whole life, a lot better now that I'm older but man people just use it as a crutch now days, an excuse. There is a difference between anxiety and being lazy.

@ReAmpHeaven

Жыл бұрын

Idiots watch their phones while filming something they'll never watch again cause something new came by 30 minutes later. It ain't just kids doing that either. Advice, watch the show. Someone else has the recording if you ever really need to see it Again!

@javi5810

Жыл бұрын

So what if they want to capture the moment

I can totally relate on your point about the punch of some concerts. I thought my liver had ruptured at an AC/DC concert. One of the best opening acts that I remember was just a massive screen showing Bugs Bunny cartoons. Everyone in the stadium was stoned (whether they wanted to be or not) so it was a real treat.

@cylexxxicago

Жыл бұрын

"One of the best opening acts that I remember was just a massive screen showing Bugs Bunny cartoons." Are you talking about the YES tour from the early 80s? That was a great freakin' show!

@mike60521x

Жыл бұрын

@@cylexxxicago I remember that as well

@shortwinger3

Жыл бұрын

“I thought my liver ruptured at an AC/DC concert.” Yeah that sounds like barrels of fun.

My first concert ever: Rush at Radio City Music Hall, September 1983. I was 13 years old. I went with my 16-year old friend Jeff. During the opening act - Marillion - he sparked up a fatty. Then another. And another. And another. And another. Literally. We smoked five spliffs during the opening act. I might as well have been tripping. That was the highest I will ever be in my entire life. It was an out of body experience.

@trillrifaxegrindor4411

Жыл бұрын

that was a regular day in the 80s........try half an ounce and plenty of shrooms

@8MinuteAxe

Жыл бұрын

My first concert ever: Rush 1982 at the New Haven Coliseum. Rory Gallagher opened.

One thing I have noticed is, when I was a kid at shows, everyone was always squashed together. You'd be pressed up against the person in fornt of you and to the sides, you could barely move or even breathe but from, I'd say' around the mid-late 2000s, you can get near the front without anyone touching you. Of course, it's much better having some space now, but sometimes I do miss that feeling of the whole crowd being litterally connected

@chriswhinery925

Жыл бұрын

Depends on the show. Especially at music festivals it's still possible to experience everyone squashed together. Get a popular enough band in one of the tents at Coachella and people will pack in like sardines (or at least they would when Coachella still had good lineups, it's been many years since then). I still remember when I saw Lykke Li play there, it felt like every damn person at the festival was crammed into that tent.

I agree with everything you said! I'm old and remember General Admissions ticket prices were $8 - $12 (for KISS, Judas Priest, Van Halen, AC/DC & etc). I think the absolute loudest concert I went to was KISS. I had made my way upfront to Ace's side of the stage and I think I was deaf for a week after the show! 🤣

Back in 2018 when I was a freshman Anthrax came by my city, it was in a decent sized indoor area. We got pretty close to the stage and we’re in front of the speakers, and when they played their intro. The excitement and loudness was intense, and when they hit the first note to Among the Living. Holy shit. The whole experience was loud, people were hanging off the ceiling and moshing in the crowded room. It was hard as hell to get video of the concert because of all the people and the loudness of it. 10/10 experience would do it again 👍

My first concert was Metallica Black Album in 1991 at Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, OH. I was in row 6 and ticket was $50. Lots of leather, fists, smoke. Shocking when James played drums 😊 It was once in a lifetime event.

@Diabolik771

Жыл бұрын

Mine was there but 1988. LOUD AS FUCK

@boohiss

Жыл бұрын

@@Diabolik771 Saw that 88 Metallica tour with Queensryche at The Gardens in Cincinnati......badass!

@MrSpankee02

Жыл бұрын

I saw many Grateful Dead shows in Richfield. My first concert was Kiss at memorial Auditorium in Buffalo 1979.

@D-Fens_1632

Жыл бұрын

I saw Metallica with Danzig and Suicidal Tendencies in 1994. My ticket stub says 15 bucks.

the kick drum sound! when i saw the white stripes in 2005, meg's kick filled up my whole chest. it was awesome! i haven't experienced that in any live show in a long time. i'm glad someone else remembers what that was like

Excellent video. I saw my first concert in 1992. I can tell you things are drastically different nowadays. Everything you stated in this video, was spot on. 👍

I had a duel cassette player. I remember copying the end of the ozzy randy tape. It had a section of audience cheering without any band. I recorded that many times (looping) and then played other bands over it so I could hear what I thought the show would sound like. Embarrassing confession here.. I would also play recorded versions of myself so that I could pretend it was my crowd. Anyway fun upload brother. I wish shows were more like they were then ...

@acerimmer8338

Жыл бұрын

This is so adorably wholesome!

Hey that was an exceptional description and articulation of how yes the concert experience has completely changed! Real good points and you were able to capture it well in your discussion. Sometimes its hard to define this kind of thing but I totally agree. I remember being mad because Santana tickets - with Alphonse Johnson and I think Tito Puente sitting in - cost me….$9.00!! Cell phone videoing of the event is like the people are not really there. Its like why not just film the band someplace else and show a video of it, and one person attends with a cell phone filming it. Then you can pay the guy for a drop box of the video of a video and watch it by yourself on your 2x2 screen!

I agree absolutely. One thought: The impact is different because now I am 55 and not 15 and saw so many things in my life.

@2760ade

Жыл бұрын

Yes, I'm a similar age. The excitement and passion wane over the years. Everything is new and magical when you're 15!!

13 years have passed by, and yet I've still never been to a concert. Thanks for the info, man. I'll keep these in mind when I go see my first.

I'll always lament the fact the great ticket prices from back in the day aren't around today (I'd be able to go to a lot more shows haha) and that the overall experience will never be the same, I only started going to shows a few years ago so it sucks that I'll never get that old school experience. I do anticipate and plan ahead for what I'm gonna wear, I usually go to shows on my own so I don't get to really share that experience with anyone else. I do wish that the tickets were physical, I like to have it in my hand, and after the show look back at it every now and then, somehow having something to look at and hold strengthens the memory for me, I like to display them too like in a frame or something. I do make at least one friend at every show I go to which always makes the experience a good one. Went to see Anthrax on Thursday, I didn't touch my phone the whole time, most others especially in the mosh pit, didn't use theirs either. It was great being up on the balcony just watching the whole thing unfold, it was incredible. It got super hot in there, i'm glad I kept my clothing pretty light, I wore my Art of Guitar tank top hehe 🙂

I just happened to run across your video and decided to take a look. Damn! You are exactly on target with this topic. I've never given this aspect of music much thought before so it's like this suddenly connected with me. Great observation for sure.

I went to a knocked loose concert for my first. Everything that you described besides the lighting was just like the old days it was a full frontal assault of loud and heavy I left with my ears ringing and a smile on my face

You're so right. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. That's exactly what I feel for years now. My first concert was AC/DC on the Back in Black Tour with Whitesnake in 1980. I was 13 then and my ears where ringing 3 days, but that was formative for my whole life. I saw them all in their early days. AC/DC, Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Scorpions, Priest, Maiden, Metallica, Motörhead, Venom, Slayer... you name it. Hundreds of gigs in over 40 years. And the best memories I have are from these early gigs in the 80s and 90s. The light and the resulting atmosphere is very different now. In the old days there were spots on every musician and the stage was dark and in the audience it was dark. Everyone was smoking, so there was smoke without a fog machine. Today is everything so bright and so colourful and the air is fresh. No more Marshall walls but big displays with closeups. And there are no more surprises. Often something broke on stage in the old days. At one Monsters of Rock open air got rain in the amp or PA and all of a sudden everything was off. No more sound, no lights, nothing for about half an hour. And the techs were running, switching amps, pulling cables and stuff. Such things don't happen anymore. Everything is backed up and one don't notice if something goes wrong.

I completely agree on the technology and mystery segments. Actually, I agree with all your points, but I have particular thoughts on those two. Phones are definitely something that detracts from the experience of a concert. I would be a hypocrite if I said I wasn't part of the problem. Every single show, I tell myself "Alright, don't take out your phone, just enjoy the spectacle like you used to in Ye Olden Days" and every single time without fail, I inevitably give in to that urge. I try to keep the photos to a minimum though. Taking your phone out, unlocking the screen, opening up the camera app, trying to stand still and let the shot focus, it all distracts you from why you went there in the first place. You bought a ticket to see a band perform, not to take pictures. This is why I admire artists like Bob Dylan and Steven Wilson. Seeing Porcupine Tree a few weeks ago was magical. There was a strict no-phone policy, and I could just focus on the show itself. It was wonderful. As for the mystery element, yes, social media has been a mixed bag on that one. On the one hand, it's great to see various images and videos of the show. For example, if something funny or unexpected happens, there's always a video of it floating around somewhere. But on the other hand, you already know exactly what's going to happen. For example, I've seen Ghost three times. They're my favorite band, and they're known for their elaborate and eccentric stage presence, costumes, skits, and antics. Ghost concerts are a complete and total feast of the senses. Visually spectacular and always interesting. One aspect that Ghost shows are known for are their costume designs and costume changes. Every tour, Papa Emeritus introduces one or more new costumes. Social media is great for seeing high quality images of those outfits, but they also spoil the surprise of having an entirely different look every tour. If you compare the audience reactions to new costumes for Ghost nowadays to their first recorded performance, the difference is night and day. Their second ever show acted more as their first one, as the actual first was in a small and obscure venue. But their second show was recorded in its entirety, and the audience's reactions to seeing the band was wild. Even if you're not a Ghost fan, I highly recommend watching that Live eviL gig. The audience is rabid, and I don't think I've seen a more ecstatic and awesome crowd. What made it even more intriguing was that this was at a point where no one knew what the band looked like. They only listened to the music on MySpace with only a logo. They had no idea that the band that walks on stage was going to be a skull-faced satanic pope surrounded by nameless, faceless figures enshrouded in black robes. The screams of the crowd are genuinely awesome. This is something that would be near impossible today, with the overwhelming presence of social media and promotion. And to touch on tickets, I always have been, and always will be a physical media person. I crave having an actual item in my hands. This is why I loathe the recent trend of some concerts having digital only tickets. I get that it's cheaper for the ticket and venue companies to go digital, but nothing beats an actual physical ticket. When presented with the option, I'm more than willing to pay extra just to get a physical ticket. I just recently paid an extra $5 on a $30 ticket for Ceremony solely for shipping a ticket to me. In regards to the loudness, yes, absolutely. I went to a lot of hardcore shows back in the day, and would often stand right in front of the speakers, and it was, as you put it, a sonic assault. But seeing metal bands today, even being front row, it's not loud enough. Now, I am partially deaf in my left ear (unrelated to concerts, believe it or not; wax buildup that caused partial deafness), but it definitely isn't that. Bands have most certainly turned the volume down a noticable amount.

Great analysis and must agree with every point. Really liking the channel. First show Scorpions, Bon Jovi opening Worchester, MA circa '84. The soundcheck kick drums from OUTSIDE the venue provided a legit "Jukebox Hero" moment, and I had yet to even enter the arena. Life truly changed that day.

I remember years ago (late80s-earlyn90s) going to a concert was like a status symbol in your peer groups.if you went to a big time show.you were sort of held on a high pedestal.evetybody thought you were cool.guys were like "you went to that show" or they would tell other kids "hey so and so went to that concert last night" .you were like a bad a--.now when you go to a big time show people have a "so what" attitude.your peer groups act like it's no big deal.i really miss those old days.i also remember getting concert t-shirts with the dates on the back.if you wore one of those in high school people looked at you differently.you were the king of the hill.and you are so 100% correct Mike when you talk about anticipation leading up to the show.i remember thinking about it morning,noon and night.couldnt get it off my mind.the talk around town,in school,on the bus,at work..etc... everybody into music was constantly focused on the big show.then when we went to the show we all piled in our buddies vehicle,stopped at McDonald's on the way.that was cool we felt free and independent from our parents and life in general.boy I miss those days.then when we came home after the show,all we did is talk about it and listen to those bands all week long.we had a rebellious attitude.we couldn't get the show out of our minds.nowadays it's like you watch a concert and it's back to normal life right after.it doesn't have that same emotional impact.

I remember every show was general admission. No assigned seats. You got to the venue early hoping to get a place in the front. If not you spent your time during the opening band pushing your way to the front.🤘

Been going over this in my head the past few days, and I have quite a few points I feel can help here, but I’m sure I’ll miss a few. I believe that the best thing I can offer here is to realize that you’ve gotta reconcile what traditional perception of a performance is (arena concert type event) and what you can reasonably expect and shape your experience to be these days. And I think what’s crucial to understand is that with a massive, arena worthy band, there is eventually gonna be a point of diminishing returns. This isn’t to say these bands suck or that you can’t still appreciate them the same. But the further away from the original passionate burst of creativity that the artist gets (meaning in this case, getting huge and successful, making money, life changing for them as a result), the less likely it is that you’re gonna experience something magical. And it’s great that we have bands like Metallica who have been around for 90 years because it makes that fact more obvious. Again, not saying they’re not passionate or connected to their original creations. But it is nearly impossible for a human to retain that level of emotional intensity forever. And that’s ok. That’s why we love the rare artists that can continue to create legitimately good work that is sincere to their core. That being said, I think accepting that only certain acts are worthy of seeing in a huge, traditional concert setting is key here. I know people who are out of touch will definitely wanna debate this, but there is just amazing current music being created all the time, and this puts us in an advantageous position to see these bands in the best possible setting, which is a tiny club, face to face, with no unnecessary frills or even bells and whistles to hide behind. I’m sure most Metallica fans today would just relish the opportunity to see them in a 300 capacity club, sweating just as much as them, packed in with the other die-hards (as opposed to the soccer moms and dad rockers). I think they even did that recently, which I applaud them for. The problem most people seem to have is that they’re passive about music. They either stick with what they know and grew up with, which is fine, but ultimately keeps you stunted. Or they just don’t actively seek out new stuff. Because I’ll tell ya, the days of great music being handed to you on a silver platter (aka radio, mtv…) are long gone. But that’s not an excuse, because it’s so easy to find these guys now, if you’re just willing to keep an open ear and accept the possibility that maybe, just maybe, someone CAN be better than your current favorite band. And that’s part of the thrill. Real music is progressive by nature, and so it’s impossible that you’re not gonna find something that’ll knock your dick in the dirt at some point. And if you’ve never experienced it, I can’t even express to you how amazing it is to find that band, get in on the ground floor, watch them go through the “payin’ the dues” stage and earn everything they deserve. You really can’t do that with with Metallica anymore, or AC/DC, Maiden, GnR, all the big names. Again, not shitting on them, but that’s just the nature of it. That’s why it’s exciting when, for example, Slash started something new with Velvet Revolver. Cause there was a bit of that paying the dues element there (granted, yeah, he had a head start at that point over some kid in his bedroom). So yeah, I think taking in music appropriately and realizing the experiences we had with our favorite bands as teenagers are long gone, and that’s ok. But we have the opportunity to experience that all over again, as real music fanatics, if we keep evolving. It’s never been easier to find the most obscure band in the world, and we shouldn’t be so entitled to feel that we don’t need to actively seek them out. As practitioners of what I still feel is the underdog, outsider realm, we owe it to ourselves and those bands (who I can assure you are struggling in some way) to keep doing what we do, and keep this thing going optimally.

Just saw trivium live in Calgary last week, and that concert literally changed my life. The crowd was going absolutely INSANE the entire time. I’m a relatively bigger dude and even I was getting tossed around. The concert even had to get stopped at one point to help someone in the crowd getting trampled. Every time I looked behind me someone was getting crowd surfed. The lead singer of trivium even said that it was one of the craziest crowds they had ever had in North America! Basically what I’m getting at is, I think it really depends who you go to see and the crowd you’re experiencing the show with.

I'm 50 and have seen so many concerts I lost track.My first concert was Ozzy Diary of a Madman tour when I was in 4th grade and my cousin took me,I never got to see Randy because he died a couple weeks before and it was postponed a couple months and Torme' was the guitarist. What a great show for a first one and I've seen so many but even bands that were great live back in the day phone it in.

@ChiefMiddleFinger

Жыл бұрын

I saw Randy with Ozzy at a small outdoor shed. It was their very first tour together. They were still a little rough around the edges, but I could tell Randy was something big waiting to happen. Also saw SRV at the same shed before anyone knew who he was. I wasn’t that impressed.

@flazjsg

Жыл бұрын

UFO opened up that tour when I saw Ozzy with Torme'. I thought Torme' did a great job given that he had very little time to prepare. Couldn't believe that UFO didn't play Doctor Doctor or Rock Bottom. Spinal Tap at their finest.

The worst part of concerts now a days is all the electronic sales, you hardly ever get a hard ticket you can keep for your collection. There are so many great shows (mostly Tool) I have seen in the past 10 years that I don't have a ticket stub from. Can you imagine seeing Hendrix at Woodstock and you had no chance of having a ticket stub for your collection?

I saw Megadeth on their Canada tour just a little while ago, was super cool, I didn't have floor seats but it was wild, even some crowd surfing. Probably one of the best shows I've seen. Took a road trip with a few friends to the city, buzzing all the way there and after the show.

Good incite! Veteran 47 year old concert, music metal fan guitar player. Totally agree dude.

The last concert I saw was Tool. It was either in 2006 or 07. It was the best show I've ever seen. Wasn't as loud as some other concerts, but you could still feel it well enough to enjoy it. I know exactly what you mean by feeling it. It's why I like having a stereo system in my car, and am annoyed by living in an apartment, and can't play music at a good volume. I can't go to concerts anymore due to physical limitations of fibromyalgia. If you can, you need to go to a concert at the gorge in George, Washington (state). It's one of the most magical places for concerts because of the view. Doesn't matter who it is either. Megadeth in 98 or 99 was the loudest. They played at our local Shriner's building. It was the size of a highschool gym. Saw Living Colour there too. I was right by the stage and the 10 foot speaker stack. I think I lost some of my hearing from that concert. It was worth it though. Having the ticket is like reading the actual book. It's just not the same. Tactility is fading away as our minds become the fluidity of reality.

Shows were so different back in the day ( mid-late 80s, 90s) and saying they were events that everyone talked about leading up to them was spot on, I remember going to see Testament and Nuclear Assault on the Practice what you preach tour and that whole week leading up to that show was nothing but Testament or Nuclear Assault blaring out of everyone's jam systems, it was all over Wreckage radio, it was nuts.

After growing up going to all kinds of concerts and having a blast, the one that still stands out the most to me was when I finally saw my favorite band for the first time. I went AWOL from my Air Force Base in Northern California and flew to Memphis for 311-Day 2006. I got away with it too! Hahaha I've seen them countless times since all fun, but I think the risk factor and excitement of that first show will always stand out.

Hi Mike! 2 months ago, I went to a Opeth concert and I must admit that it was absolutely incredible. Luckely, this band still does things like the old days, like you say. Would love to go watch them again

I was at the Metallica Munich 2019 Concert 1.5 meters away from the stage, the experience was amazing. I picked up so many details I still laugh about today when I listen to it (Got the CD of the concert). Didnt really see many phones, but mostly cause I didnt look around a lot, mainly focused on the band. My ears were dead the next morning still ringing with the music, but was worth it and I kinda knew that my ears were going to hurt once they did the kick drum and snare test. The best part though were those 30 mins before Metallica came out. They shouldve already been playing according to schedule, but they wanted to wait for darkness and the suspense just kept rising till you finally heard the "the good, the bad and the ugly"-intro and bum, I fell into a deep state of trance for the rest of the concert that slowly faded away over the next weeks. I highly recommend to go to a concert and just take it in instead of taking a video of it.

Thanks for this video. I agree with so much of what you said. I thought it was just me that concerts didn't feel the same because I am older now. The "experience" and the sound was so much different in the 70's and 80's.

Something interesting about your point with surprise for shows, what's been really cool with the My Chemical Romance tour is that they've been playing completely different sets every night. You never know what they're gonna play and the singer Gerard Way has been wearing some pretty random costumes that add to the mystery and randomness.

My first concert, Def Leppard 1989, I snuck in a camera and got some pics, I was thrilled. About a year later a snuck a tape recorder into Whitesnake and recorded a few songs. It was great to get a personal piece from a show.

Back in the seventies I remember seeing rock bands that were popular at the time some of them are still popular today but tickets were about $ 5.50-$6.50 back then.

Awesome video, so true on many levels!

When I went to see Slayer for the final time in Dublin in November 2018 Obituary were the opening band. I could feel the thud of the drums on my chest. I got that feeling you described missing. I had ear plugs so that actually helped me hear everything better because it drowned out a lot of the white noise you get from full volume speakers at a concert. The pit was as intense as expected from a Slayer concert. I almost lost a shoe. It came off and just as I'd resigned myself to losing it I stumbled on it by pure fluke and got it back on as quickly as I could. I remember being pissed off during lamb of god's set because I don't have any of their albums so I'm not familiar with their stuff and after seeing Obituary and Anthrax I was getting impatient waiting for Slayer to come on. A few weeks later I was off work with a bad back (not related to the Slayer concert) so I couldn't mosh at Beyond Creation. I just observed from the side. It was a much smaller venue but there were a good selection of bands. The experience was different but not in a bad way. I was talking to Kevin from Beyond Creation after the show. We didn't have that kind of access at Slayer.

@dragons_red

Жыл бұрын

Jealous, Donald Tardy is one of my favorite drummers, and I've never gotten to see Obituary.

I'm old and still go to lotsa concerts and get excited every time. After I buy my tix I usually find the setlist online and binge it so I can sing every word and know when to get in the pit. Concert prices are only super expensive when I see bands from my childhood that made it super big like Maiden, Metallica, Dave Matthews and they play at the big arenas and amphitheaters which are always expensive. I still see shows for 30 bucks all the time at smaller venues (1000 people where I used to see those old bands back in the day) just newer bands like Lorna Shore, WhiteChapel and bands from my past that didn't get super huge like testament, exodus, and GWAR.

@chriswhinery925

Жыл бұрын

Damn shame that Testament never got huge, I personally always thought there were WAY better than Anthrax and should have been in the thrash Big 4 instead of them. Funnily enough, one of the two times I saw Testament live, Anthrax opened for them, so I can't possibly be alone in this opinion.

I saw Sabaton for the fifth time with Epica as their opener (first time seeing them) and it was real neat. Although it seemed like everyone just wanted to see Sabaton, Epica played amazingly good and Simone has such an angelic voice. Sabaton however, never disappointed seeing them. I actually caught my first pick ever during that show! People around me was congratulating me and the experience was elating.

@luciusblackwood2640

Жыл бұрын

I saw them in Cincinnati a few days ago. I was there for Epica and I was shocked at how excited everyone was for Sabaton. I like Sabaton but I had no idea they had such a strong fanbase.

My first concert was KISS on the Canadian Love Gun tour, with Cheap Trick opening. Tickets were $7.50, purchased at a 'Towers' department store. Tour Guides cost $4 and T-shirts were $9 and $10. The sound was deafening from stage-mounted PA piled almost to the arena roof trusses. You could feel the heat from the pyro and the flamethrowers made you close your eyes because of their intensity. It was a magical night, one that changed my young life for good. I agree, you're paying several hundred dollars now to see these bands, it should be more of an immersive concert experience. There is very little genuine showmanship in the popular musical acts of the 21st century, as they have become more of a pre-recorded, pre-planned cookie-cutter event.

Honestly the buildup to the concert still happens for me, the talking in friend groups all about it and even the silly little things like T-shirts and such. But that just might be me being lucky to have such a good group of likeminded Metal loving friends. Bands are also still a little laid back with times, but it is definitely very scheduled like you said. 10-20 minutes early or late at most. A lot of times I don't even think of looking up the setlist, but the recent show I went to Dismember they had this thing where the fans would send in their song suggestions beforehand through email since they were playing in their hometown Stockholm. So it definitely had some mystery to what the setlist was gonna be! Dismember also was extremely loud, the last one I decided to go without ear protection because holy moly they still got their 120 decibels goin with them HM-2 pedals 30 years later. It's REALLY loud at a Dismember show, but in the best way possible because you can hear the guitars and the bass and drums and vocals (given that the sound guy hasn't went to sleep or gotten drunk) I still think about the show every day and same goes for the first proper Metal show I saw with Trivium in 2018 I believe? But my brain is definitely that of a weird one. Because I can sometimes get flashbacks from those local Rockabilly bands that played at car shows when I was really young just from like one event that happened. So for me I don't think it matters how many concerts I attend because I've gone to plenty. If the band is good, I'm gonna remember it for a very long time.

Totally accurate, honest view of how things have changed. I agree with every word.

I remember a David Lee Roth show (Tesla opening) 20° outside but 120° inside! It was sweaty, loud as f***, everyone was screaming. Man it was awesome!!!🎸🔊

I graduated high school in 1972. Back then general admission tickets in the Twin Cities were $5.00 and reserved seating was $5.00, $6.00, and $7.00. Crosby, Stills, and Nash was coming to Mpls for a concert and was asking $10.00 per ticket. There was a boycott, the concert was rescheduled and the ticket prices were dropped to $7.00. The Rolling Stones broke the price barrier with $20.00 tickets. But it was a bigger production than most concerts and Stevie Wonder was also on the bill. But we didn't have the ticket scalping to deal with like we do today. Most concerts today are nearly unaffordable. We also had clubs like "The Depot", which eventually became 1ST AVE. I was sitting directly in front of B.B. King and was siting close enough that I could have reached up and touched him and had the opportunity to shake his hand after the concert. Yes, I shook hands with a guitar God! I also saw James gang and Savoy Brown there. I was sitting 7 rows back for Black Sabbath at the St. Paul auditorium for $7.00. I saw The Who at the Mpls Auditorium. For $5.00 at the 1st Met Pop Festival, I saw Grand Funk Railroad, Ted Nugent wearing a white feather suit with the Amboy Dukes, Canned Heat, Buddy Miles, The Litter, The Stooges, SRC, and Brownsville Station. I could afford all of this working part time after school cleaning a bakery and could even afford to buy a brand new Gibson ES-335! I saw everyone from Chuck Berry, to Joni Mitchel, to Howling Wolf, to Frank Zappa. There were so many concerts happening that you sometimes had to choose between two different major concerts on the same night. I actually feel sorry for kids today that don't have this same experience.

This is so true. I saw Poison in Stadium Tour and something wasn't feeling right. Now thanks this video I finally got it.

I saw Eric Johnson's anniversary tour for "Ah Via Musicom" a couple of years ago, in a medium sized venue. I stood in front of the stage so I could watch his hands and gear, and this put me only about fifteen or twenty feet away from his amps. It was LOUD. Before that, the loudest concert I ever saw was AC/DC on the Blow Up Your Video tour -- my first concert -- and my ears rang for a week.

Literally agree with every word you said 100% Nailed it.

Spot on! Especially about the anticipation. Concerts are more like going to the movies now.

@thephoenixhasflown

Жыл бұрын

Bingo

I'm too busy headbanging to film the band live. Though I did get a photo with the guitar player of Immolation after the show, that made my night.

I had the same experience when I just saw Satriani here in Madison, WI a few days ago. I had never seen him before live, and it was great to hear and see him play. But I didn’t get that same feeling like I was younger either. I also recently seen Iron Maiden, and Within Temptation in Chicago. Some anticipation was there, but that kick and sound level was not the same as the old days. Though Iron Maiden does still put on a good show with props and stage scene changes and such. Everyone was defiantly into the show. Except that the fact was sitting right by a walk way and during Within Temptations set for the opening everyone didn’t care, they blocked the view by constantly getting beer. The main reason I went to the Chicago show and not the Minneapolis show was because of Within Temptation, but considering that it seemed that no one cared I didn’t get to enjoy the opening act as much even though I was standing up the whole time. But at least after the Maiden concert I came back home and the next day going through books and re-looking up Tabs for Maiden songs online. Even though I’m 42, still got a little bit of post show excitement.

Totally agree, you made some great points as well as some I didn't even think of. I saw the RHCP on Sunday at Austin City Limits and before I left KZread was trying to send me videos of the show the week prior but I did not watch because I didn't want any spoilers. Also, maybe it's me and I'm too old and have been to too many concerts, but it wasn't as loud as I wanted even though I was 30 ft from the stage. Eh, maybe that's a good thing; protect the hearing of kids. However, I remember back in the day actually being a bit scared of the massive sound - I guess that's related to the whole danger of the experience. Great insights! Also, should go without saying: put the f***ing phones down! That's why I like Tool, they'll kick you out of you're on your phone instead of paying attention!

As someone is their 40's who's been to a couple hundred shows over the years, 90% of this sounds like "Why don't things hit the same way like they did when I was 15?!". I also saw Joe Satriani for the first time a couple weeks ago and it was fantastic.

@TheArtofGuitar

Жыл бұрын

Yea, that’s exactly what it is. 🤣

@TheRodersAbides

Жыл бұрын

@@TheArtofGuitar Happens to the best of us! 🤣 I've got tickets to my 15th Modest Mouse show in November. It's going to be awesome, but there is no way it'll hit like the first time I saw them. It just wont have that raw, fresh and new feeling like it once had, and that's okay. I'm different, Issac is nearly 50(!) and I know exactly what to expect. I remember being 15 and seeing Pantera, Metallica, Tool, etc. and seeing old dudes with grey beards standing in the back while I was going crazy in the pit. Now I have a grey beard and am standing in the back of Mastodon and Gojira shows and I love watching teenagers going nuts like I used to. Everything is still awesome, just different. Joe was great, but I wished he played some stuff off of Crystal Planet. That album was my absolute jam my first summer with a drivers license!

First concert was Blue Oyster Cult with Rush and Mott The Hoople opening the show in 1976. I was 13 and was just blown away cause I never heard music at that volume. Good Times!

I’m the same way with concerts in that I try and tune out what they’re doing on the current tour so that I don’t know what to expect going into a show. I’ll also take a picture or two if I can but I find it’s rare I’ll go back and look at them often, so I just try to be in the moment and enjoy the show. Then I’ll look at others videos on KZread from the show so was at. Lol!!! I love the convenience of digital tickets but miss having that ticket stub to look at years later. And print at home tickets just aren’t the same.

Back in the Eighties a friend and I drove from central Va. to Maryland on a Sunday, to camp out at the venue of a Springsteen concert and be first in line when the box office opened for ticket sales (online ticket sales weren't a thing then). When we arrived that evening there were several hundred people ahead of us. We weren't as smart as we thought we were but we got our tickets. We saw Springsteen many times during the eighties and the shows were all epic.

Saw Meshuggah last night and it was lively as hell. Robert Trujillo came running into the pit when Torche was opening. Fucking awesome experience!

I went to Upheaval this year and it was the allowance of chairs that almost ruined it. Mudvayne came on stage and barely anyone cared. Most everyone either stood around and did nothing or sat in a chair on their phone barely paying attention. My parents hyped up the insane crowds that arise but the most I ever saw was a few people jumping.

@trillrifaxegrindor4411

Жыл бұрын

go see ;lamb of god

I agree with everything you said. I think it's age though mostly. Also I got a bit spoiled watching so many virtual shows and recorded concerts during the lockdowns. You really have the best view watching a recording vs. there when you struggle to see half the time.

Very nice observation. I was lucky enough to see AC/DC the Black Ice tour, with Malcolm..until this day I can not describe the impact they did on me. The sound was was spine crushing and their energy is like they play for each individual..It still had the old school vibe. I feel, like you addressed a bit, that the sound engineering standards are getting worse and worse. It's all about kick drum and not very much details going on. In the old days the technology was behind, but you could hear every fu**ing bits and pieces the band was doing. Like the movies these days, all about the effects and explosions, but no story, no characters..no soul.

I should’ve went to Joe’s concert and I would’ve met you in person. I’m sorry the concert wasn’t as strong as the old days. And that’s an interesting point and I’m glad you’re bringing this up. I remember one of my first concerts had a stronger vibe than what we have today. It was Nickelback. Yeah they are the most hated but they put on a hell of a show at Wembley Stadium back in 2008. Nowadays, concerts don’t feel as exciting as they were back in the old days. I will have exceptions though. When Rammstein came to Minneapolis, it was one of the BEST! I was having anxiety in anticipation for the concert cause I didn’t know what to expect or if something or someone caught on fire. Back in March, Dragonforce and Firewind came to First Ave and they put on a hell of a show for such a smaller venue. It was exciting! So I get what you’re saying and every point you made here makes me realize how everything has changed. I hope there will be some changes in the future that’ll makes album sales and concerts more exciting.

Back in the 80,s we went to concerts for the whole experience. I grew up in the UK. The variety of music was astronomical. There was no time for hotdogs and sofa pops. If anyone raised ant kind of camera you would would have been sent to the back out the F#$king way. We were all there to feel the vibe, together like an army. If someone fell over you grabbed them and picked them up. Women were respected and were given room and definitely not groped . I miss those days and that’s probably why I haven’t been to a gig in years. I got tired of people with their F#$king phones . I’m sorry you guys missed it and I hope you get the feeling back 🎸

I found it quite funny when you talk about old school concerts from 1991. I’ll add 20 years to that. February 19, 1971 my first concert, Black Sabbath with opener the J. Geils Band at Fillmore East. Tickets were $4.50. Now that’s old school.

Most of the concerts I go to are still mostly like the olden days. Granted, I’m generally seeing smaller bands than Metallica or Satch. I only paid $25 for the Melvins show I’m seeing this Thursday, for example, and I’ll be there in the pit wearing my battle vest and bullet belt, as is the custom of our people.

I have to say that someone who is great live still is Billy Coragin whether with Pumkins or solo.You can tell he just likes playing music even after all these years.

@zinniebee

Жыл бұрын

He is! Saw him a few years ago at the Fillmore in Charlotte. Small venue was amazing. First time I saw the Pumpkins was for the Mellon Collie tour. I was just as giddy seeing him play as a 30-something.😂

Festivals are still a blast... I went to Heavy Montreal 3 or 4 times and it was fucking nuts every single time.Just be thankful you live somewhere where bands actually tour. Moved back to the east coast of Canada and we get one or two 'big name' bands a year. It sucks when a concert doesn't live up to your expectations though.

I'm pretty young but I understand your point about the volume of concerts nowadays. I agree having it loud makes for a more sonic experience but if it's to the cost of rupturing your ears irreversebly it's not worth it. Especially if you're a musician.

my first concert was Rainbow in the 80. It was about 7 Euro (14DM)

I saw Ghost about 3 years ago and it was the best show I've ever seen in my life - and the crowd was great too. I'm in my 50's.

My first concert was in 1857, Stephen Foster (no opening act). Its been a long time but if I recall correctly it was an unplugged show, the lighting was poor, and he played a three song set. Camptown Races, Old Folks At Home, and then a rousing encore of Oh, Suzannah.

For the most part I've noticed the same. Also when I went and watched Skid Row/Bon Jovi in '88 I remember camping out all night at the place that sold tickets to the show, that in and of itself was an event, it's like you had to earn your way in for the good seats. Fast forward to 97' Ozzfest in Vegas Pantera and Black Sabbath to close the show. I dont know if I'll ever feel the energy of a crowd the way it was when Pantera came out on stage. Saw Metallica the same year and that was one of my favorite shows of all time. I saw Pantera and Slayer in Vegas again in 2001 I believe and that was another high energy, loud, in your face type of show. I miss those days.

What a coincidence! I'm seeing Joe this Friday in Kalamazoo, MI!

Great episode 👍

You nailed it!

Really enjoyed the video. Another thing to mention that in the 80s and 90s - especially at indoor theatre level rock shows was ... The smell! In the U.K, I'd say 90% of those concerns were attended by guys. Everyone was smoking, most people were walking in with their own alcohol, I remember fireworks going off at shows in 1200 cap venues during Halloween. No air conditioning and the condensation dripping from the roof, all sweat, and in the U.K it was more than likely raining hard outside, which made the leather jackets stink! I don't think if ever smelled that concoction beyond 1988.

Hey man, (being your age) I'm totally with you! I experience exactly the same as you just described... Whenever I talk to my 17 year about that, he makes me remember me the way I felt about how my father seemed to me when I was 17.... Face it man - we're getting oooooooooold..... But I still know exactly what you mean!

I like to watch new/old bands in smaller venues these days. It's more intimate and you get to see some killer performances up close. ✌🏻

I remember the many homemade tribute banners at concerts, painted on bedsheets and paraded around the main floor before the show started.

Cheap LEDs look cold. Good ones (RGB-UA) look spectacular. I agree with all your points, except... I couldn't leave a concert before the last note rings and that post-show music fades up. 💜🔊🎶

I completely agree even playing live gigs isn't the same feel the same as they used to

You’re right man. I’m 57, and started going to concerts in 1978. There is nothing the same. Back in the 70’s, the groups were older than us. You might pay $6.50 to 10.00 for a ticket. It was general admission. As far as building up to the show, that was pretty much the same. Remember. Society was different. Everyone partied. And rock and hard rock was a part of everyone. Ou had country, rock, r&b. R&B fans didn’t go to rock concerts that often. The was no Rap, except maybe the Sugar Hill gang, but we just didn’t listen to much of that. Disco was big then, but there was a line drawn in the sand, and most of my friend were anti disco, at least on the surface. But concert day. We would all get loaded in the parking lots. Right up until they opened the doors. It was always a big party out there. As Time went on, the partying aspect of this kind id decayed. For me, I was deep into guitar and music by the end of the 70’s, because I was already 15. We were the ones who grew up in the 70’s, and still were part of the 80’s, for me. I was a working dad at 18, and by the 90’s. Grunge was in. My favorite years for music are probably 66 to 76/77, and 90 to 2000. The 90’s were kick ass. Thin was, most of the popular bands were my age and generation, most being born 63 to 67. I was born in 65. So for me , it was like finally. Some great music again.so. As for concerts it was always a party, but partying is a young man’s game. Being on the floor in a general admission concert, with everything being black, and being part of a crowd that was like one living thing. Compacted, yelling, screaming. Fist in the air. Everyone’s high, lit on booze, or both. It was dark, spotlights moving, stage lit up cool. Music is kick ass. It was really an experience. We are the last generation that grew up like we did. 50’s, 60’s, 70’s,thing changed.the days when people would ask if he or she “is cool” have been over. And by cool, I don’t mean Elvis cool.technology changed the world. Anyway, there’s always our memories, By the way man, your videos are great man. I love ‘em. Thanks

I agree all round. My first Metallica ticket was £26.50 in 1999 and I went on my own. Felt like an adventure - huge metal heads and the smell of beer! Trying to get near the front. So many good memories. If I can I prefer a physical ticket. People stand there and film it becomes just some guy standing there with his arm up in the air in front of you. I’ve been to shows where they show no interest and stand their bored with the phone in the air and what’s worse is they block your view and you’re ending up trying to not watch it through someone’s phone and the live event happening right there in front of you! When I see old footage of concerts now everyone was there as one! Now it’s just phones

Music consumption as a whole brother! Remember when we used to buy an album and we'd look at the sleeve artwork and lyrics like a hundred times for a single tape/cd?

Because of my professional background in event technology and stage lighting in particular, I have some things to say (and nerd out about) regarding what you said about the lighting just looking less "lively" and "vibrant" nowadays (tl;dr at the bottom). The somewhat scientific explanation is that LED lighting often does not suffice for rendering the deep reds in colors. Light consists of electromagnetic waves and their frequency (and thus the wavelength) determines their color. Visible light exists on a spectrum between roughly 380 nm (violet) and 750 nm (red). Daylight contains waves all throughout the spectrum, so it looks white. The light from a halogen lamp also looks white, but it's a warmer (more yellow-ish) white because halogen lamps emit more light on the red side of the spectrum. If you look at the spectrum of an incandescent lamp, you'll see a slant towards red, with the most of the light being at wavelengths in the deep red area. For halogen lamps, it's more slanted towards yellow, but they also emit a lot of deep red. An LED on the other hand has a large spike around its respective color and some light scattered across other wavelengths, but not much. This is why deep reds are so hard to render with LED lighting. Skin for example actually contains quite a bit of red (speaking in extremely simplified terms here), but when the light making the skin visible doesn't contain red, the skin can't reflect it so the reddishness of the skin is not visible. But those deep red hues make up what we perceive as "liveliness". They show that the tissue is receiving enough blood and that the person we're looking at is not dead. Thus, people being lit by LEDs often look less lively than people being lit by halogen lamps because LEDs often don't contain the colors that make people look lively whereas halogen emits them in abundance. Manufacturing LED fixtures that also emit deep reds is sort of the whole marketing shtick of ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls Inc.) Fixtures, but they market themselves towards theatres whereas rock concert lighting designers usually look for fixtures with a lot of output and really strong colors but with almost zero attention being paid to color rendering. That is why this problem is particularly bad in concert lighting. Many household LED bulbs have better color rendering than what is used for concerts, but admittedly, manufacturing LEDs that are both really powerful and have great color rendering is incredibly hard and we're just not there yet; a compromise always has to be made between these two. *Tl;dr:* halogen lights emit reds that make people look lively whereas the LED fixtures typically used for concert lighting don't.

I saw Richie Kotzen at a small venue recently, and he is certainly one of my favorite players, but I do agree that the rush wasn’t there as much. I think it is because I have other responsibilities and it was on a Wednesday, not a Friday or Saturday. But I do have some footage for my own personal exercises, so that’s good.

absolutely i´m 45 remember the feeling back as 15-16 year old going to shows here in Denmark

You are 100& right!! I used to camp out overnight in front of the record store to get good tix. After getting them, it was like waiting for Christmas

I remember back in the day that everyone would tail gate hours prior to the show in the parking lot before the show drinking so that you were already drunk by the time you got in. Most were under age. You would hook up with girls. Some people would try and sneak in a video camera. It was an event. A way of living. Everyone had long hair and leather or denim jackets. Fights would break out during the show. Stage diving. It was great. I remember having to stand on line at your local Ticketmaster to get tickets. You would get there early to get the best tickets. The tickets were mostly all the same price and reasonable. There was no internet or cell phones back then which was great. Some would be so wasted they wouldn’t even remember the show. The good ole days.

Great review! I echo your experiences. Very different these days.

I’m taking my son to see Steve Vai this weekend. I can’t remember the last time I went to a concert and I’m excited to see Vai with my son.

the part about the stage lighting was so spot on. i used to go to shows in college 10 years ago at a reputable local club and it was just the most bland boring red or blue lights the whole time, no matter what genre of music was being performed. really ruined the pictures i took too

Watching this I found myself nodding and saying yeah constantly. I remember it felt dangerous too, but thrilling at the same time.

Saw joe yesterday in Madison. Was so loud my ears are still ringing. Must have been your seat or something like that, super good show

I saw Metallica "Ride The Lightning" tour general admission for $5 in Austin, Texas... I was right in front of Hetfield (and his monitor). It was loud AF!😎 🔥🎸🔥

Most Concert Venues have decibel level restrictions from the state, for the safety of their guests. I worked for the state weights and measures and had to check local places from time to time....

Man I wish it was the 80s