| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| broken part |
Posted - 08/10/2005 : 16:10:06
Los Angeles, 2nd June, The Wiltern Theatre
Passing through the entrance into the auditorium from the lobby I read: 'Crowd surfing and stage diving forbidden'. I had to mention this for any europeans reading. What the fuck!? Those thigns happen with permission? I have this great image of the Heineken Hall in Amsterdam, Pixies going through U-mass, lights scanning the audience, about 5000 peaple ALL jumping in time, beer flying all over the place. Sure enough the Wiltern could not have been any mellower. You could actualy stand right at the front with no one touching you, never mind bumping into you. And this I am not making up: you can have a waitress bring you the drinks, on a tray, not in the seated section but right down on the floor. Imagine this at an UK gig. I've been to Catholics shows where being in the mosh pit became a matter of survival. I am by no means saying that it should always be like that, I can appreciate a show from being in the more quiet section. But to go to a Pixies gig and see about 4 people at the front getting dirty looks from their neighbours for being pushy was pathetic. I went off with a feeling that these kids are scared of something. I am almost buying into the 'American fear culture' Michael Moore is mongering.
Point is (unexpectedly?) I though it was a great show and everything was played to perfection.
London, early August
Received my copies of the two Witlern sets. Put the CD on. Confusion. Were these the gigs I saw? Frank sounded terrible, especially when compared to Kim's silky smooth voice. He could barley hold the line. Actually it was more the trademark screaming than the singing that was failing. For example, the two screams at the end of Joey's Vamos solo are barely recognisible. Sounds like someone with tonsolitis. What happened? Did he have a cold? For how long did it continue? In Clevaland he sounded better but still a bit coarse. |
| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Daisy Girl |
Posted - 08/14/2005 : 10:42:25
yeah, Haywood that's cool that you can still find nicer places where people are cool about it. Maybe it will inspire other places to be cool.
I think you're right tho the smaller the crowd the more well behaved the crowd for the most part. 
"I ain't goin to be what I ain't" |
| HeywoodJablome |
Posted - 08/14/2005 : 07:39:04
That reminds me of when a friend and I went to a Christian rock concert and he got up on the stage to do a dive but before he could the singer of the band pushed him off the stage where he promptly fell on his back. I guess the lord looketh down upon that sort of thing.
And DG, you can still find shows where everyone follows the rules, but it's usually in smaller clubs, the bigger the venue the higher the chance of having a bunch of b-holes in the crowd. |
| Skatealex1 |
Posted - 08/13/2005 : 21:26:51
goodies mean u enjoy them and privates means.............. hmm neveer mind i have no idea what im saying *RUNS AWAY*
The Truth Is Out There |
| pjcoble |
Posted - 08/12/2005 : 19:43:34
What's the difference in the goodies or privates? |
| Daisy Girl |
Posted - 08/12/2005 : 16:26:54
well to bring home the danger... just a few weeks ago a band member of some band died doing a stage dive.
I used to be into stage dives and moshing.
But right around Nirvana, that changed.
A lot of people were new to punk/grunge and pits.
There actually used to be an ettique about stage diving...passing you around and moshing.
Rules were:
1.) If someone gets knocked down, you pick them up... that's your brother.
1a.) You mosh counter clockwise... to keep it organized.
2.) Don't be annoying and start moshing when the ppl around you are clearly not into it
3.) the older farts sit around the edge and make sure everyone gets picked up... violent people get kicked out and form a buffer to keep the mosh pit contained.
4.) IF some one is going to pass you or you are taking a stage dive... don't do it unless you see a sea of hands before you.
5.) if you are a part of that sea of hands, you got to support that person no matter what... if you see that people are not into passing that person around.... you let them down ... GENTLY
6.) If you are passing someone around no groping of the goodies or privates.
those were the old rules... and they went out the window with Nirvana (like the music, hate what that popularity did to the "scene")....so that's why i don't mosh...slam dance.. anymore.
"I ain't goin to be what I ain't" |
| PixieSteve |
Posted - 08/12/2005 : 06:18:17
brixton was crazy. bordering on regretting it because it was so hard to pay attention to the music. plus i was dieing of thirst. still, i can't deny that i had an amazing time.
 Oh let it linger |
| Homers_pet_monkey |
Posted - 08/12/2005 : 06:01:47
You definitely don't get this in the UK. I am stand further back at Reading and admire, but at Manchester I am gonna mosh I think. Just like I did at V Festival and Briston Academy last year.
 I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
|
| brock_disaster |
Posted - 08/11/2005 : 01:50:04
yeah after so many shows his voice must get real
scratchy. i noticed how he sounded in my cd also,
but think about it, after singing about 50 songs a night
your voice wouldn't sound the same either. |
| bobo plenty |
Posted - 08/10/2005 : 22:56:43
Frank was a bit hoarse at the Wiltern shows, probably due to 14 shows in 6 days wearing him out. I went to all four shows (with my 8 month pregnant wife) and they were great but I wasn't really watching the pit from our balcony seats.
In terms of the stringent rules in US venues, I believe it has to do with liability. If somebody is injured and sues, the venue will become un-insurable and go out of business. Blame the fucked up US tort system for this.
Back in the 80's you could still have fun at a show but nowadays the only place that aren't extremely draconian enforcers are public universities. They have deep pockets (taxpayers) to bail them out of any trouble/liability issues.
I've been to many shows in europe and it is a real different vibe there. Not better or worse just different. |
| scruvs |
Posted - 08/10/2005 : 22:35:14
I agree with you on everything, broken. The crowd picked up in SF as the night went on. SJ was the best crowd in my opinion of the shows I went to in 2004/2005. It was full of 16 - 18 year old kids, and when you push a 16 year old kid, he'll push back cause he doesn't know any better.
I had the same reaction when I heard the CDs, I couldn't believe it was the same show I saw. I just don't remember his voice sounding like that. I'm still grateful for the CD recording though.
_____________________
Boy, you sure can holler. |
| Skatealex1 |
Posted - 08/10/2005 : 22:04:08
Im not a fan of mosh pits myself. When I saw the pixies on 12/18 if i wouldve been 10 feet closer i wouldve been getting crushed in the pit :{}
The Truth Is Out There |
