The problem with alot of bands today.

[HellboundGreaser 0]

Recently I went to go see a favorite Rockabilly/RnR band. The opening band spent 60+ minutes on stage staring at their shoes pretending they that they were in some Yngwie Malmsteen social athletic club. First off, helloooo The audience is right here. We paid to get in here. Your not in your Dad's garage practicing. Secondly please try n keep your self indulgent "technical wizardry" songs under five minutes. Yes I can see that you know phrygian scales but I don't care. Entertain us with some straight forward meaningful RnR not that doesn't make the audience want to whip beer bottles at you.

[Silenced Fred 2]

+1, read my post on technical ability or songwriting skills. I can't say it enough

[The Mick 0]

Another problem thats common.

If it takes you a half hour to set up you need to shorten your set you don't still get your 45 min. The other bands still get their time slot.

[Riffster 346]

I went to see a Led Zeppelin tribute band and they said "hello" to the audience after 7 songs, then not much after that.

 

These guys were really into themselves.

[ShredAstaire 623]

45 mins is too long for a lot of bands...specially in the indie arena...

[The Mick 0]

45 mins is too long for a lot of bands...specially in the indie arena...

Too long damn.

[HellboundGreaser 0]

I really feel that this is one of the reasons that the Ramones really stuck. They were the epitome of "Anti-Arena Rock" They stripped RnR of the "bloated", "coked up" "Laser light" excess that it had become by the mid 70's. They brought it back down to earth and made it about the song once again. Short and sweet.

[EVOL! 279]

Yup. People paid to see a show so you'd better give them one. Smearing peanut butter on yourself is optional.

[HellboundGreaser 0]

Yup. People paid to see a show so you'd better give them one. Smearing peanut butter on yourself is optional.

[The Mick 0]

Nice one "Skippy"

[EVOL! 279]

tee-hee.

 

I almost said rolling in broken glass instead of peanut butter, but that wouldn't have teed up as many jokes.

[SHO 15]

The problem with a lot of people listening to music these days is that they seem to think that anything they don't like themselves is worthless and shouldn't be played or enjoyed by anyone.

[HellboundGreaser 0]

The problem with a lot of people listening to music these days is that they seem to think that anything they don't like themselves is worthless and shouldn't be played or enjoyed by anyone.

A band playing for an audience is supposed to be playing for the crowd and entertaining the audience. Not themselves and their ego's. If a band can't engage the audience then what's the point? Also a good RnR band should be able to make their point in under 4 min.

[Look! Im guitarest! 0]

Here we are, generalizing. The problem with pop bands (the majority of the bands) is that they focus too much on the show. They wear their pants down to their knees and jump off amps, yet can't play ****.

[ShredAstaire 623]

^ I only half agree....i think the band should be playing for the audience but i'm ok with long songs....but i likes me some prog so i'm not in the majority!

[SHO 15]

A band playing for an audience is supposed to be playing for the crowd and entertaining the audience. Not themselves and their ego's. If a band can't engage the audience then what's the point? Also a good RnR band should be able to make their point in under 4 min.

 

So, let me get this right. You went to see a Rockabilly band, and the band before them were playing some progressive type of thing or what? If so, it sounds like they guy in charge of booking the bands needs a head check.

[Look! Im guitarest! 0]

^ I only half agree....i think the band should be playing for the audience but i'm ok with long songs....but i likes me some prog so i'm not in the majority!

I hate these rules about music. "songs must be 4 minutes long, have vocals and go verse, chorus, verse" The people who think that way are the same one's who say everything has been done. I don't always like long songs. I do if they're pretty progressive or experimental like Escape from inbred mountain. If they have a basic rock structure of verse, chorus, verse, I can't stay interested.

[Californiaman 387]

Yup. People paid to see a show so you'd better give them one. Smearing peanut butter on yourself is optional.

 

Throwing raw meat at the audience though, that's a different set of standards all together.

[HellboundGreaser 0]

We'll just say that it's personal preference. No I don't enjoy certain types of music. If anyone else does then, more power to ya'. However regardless whatever type of music a band is playing in a live setting. That band should still drop the ego's while on stage and do their best to make the crowd feel like they're part of the show. Acting like an Arena Rock band in a small 500 seat venue doesn't translate well and the audience can see right through it.

[Riverside 138]

I agree.

 

The problem with a lot of bands today is that I don't like them or their show.

 

I do like some of them, but those bands aren't the problem.

 

Now the question is what to do about it...

[Silenced Fred 2]

Here we are' date=' generalizing. The problem with pop bands (the majority of the bands) is that they focus too much on the show. They wear their pants down to their knees and jump off amps, yet can't play ****.[/quote']

 

I saw Story of the Year, and they put on a crazy show and they were good live (never really listened to them before) but they did sick stuff on stage. At one point, the guitarist whipped his guitar across the stage to his tech, backflipped off an amp, then had his tech throw his guitar back to him. It was really cool, but they also sounded great. I think the music is key, but a show is pretty much essential or else nobody will like it. For example, I saw Seether (I love the band, they have a ton of great songs) but their show sucked. They sounded pretty good, but they just played and played and played. They didn't interact with the audience or anything. It's all a balance

[Look! Im guitarest! 0]

I saw Story of the Year' date=' and they put on a crazy show and they were good live (never really listened to them before) but they did sick stuff on stage. At one point, the guitarist whipped his guitar across the stage to his tech, backflipped off an amp, then had his tech throw his guitar back to him. It was really cool, but they also sounded great. I think the music is key, but a show is pretty much essential or else nobody will like it. For example, I saw Seether (I love the band, they have a ton of great songs) but their show sucked. They sounded pretty good, but they just played and played and played. They didn't interact with the audience or anything. It's all a balance[/quote']If I go to a concert, I want it to be somehow different than listening to studio recordings. There's things like audience participation (letting a fan press your killswitch), adding some new licks/fills to the song. But the most important thing to me may be that the music is executed with little to no mistakes.

[FirstMeasure 273]

Opening act for a small Rockabilly Show? They didn't see one cent from the venue, they didn't see one cent from the audience. Chances are the came straight from their parents garage and it wasn't Ego that kept them from addressing the Audience, it was most likely Fear!

 

Opening Act is small places like that are doing it for Free. Completely Free, hoping for exposure and learning (hopefully) valuable lessons about performing in front of hostile audiences. The venues will fill the bill with local unknown bands that are willing to set up and play for the exposure, what do want for free? You paid for the headliner, not the free guys.

 

Now, when a headliner or Paid Act sucks you'll hear me rant. When an Upstart opening act sucks, I feel sorry for them.

[dem00n 736]

Throwing raw meat at the audience though' date=' that's a different set of standards all together.[/quote']

LONG LIVE OZZY!

[Dub-T-123 590]

I hear what you're saying but I don't fully agree.

 

I don't think it's egotistical to stand there. When I play I move around and walk around and I rock out sometimes and make stupid faces but I don't jump all over the place or totally go crazy. I don't act like that ever so why should I do it in front of a crowd of people. I think if the music is good who cares what people are doing on stage.

 

I think what you're talking about is people who look bored because they're just so good it's boring to them. I'm just myself and I do whatever I feel like. I'm passionate but not ridiculous.

 

And to be honest I don't know how long our songs are but they're pretty long. Certainly not just excercising technical abilities. No shredding or solos.