Gig-goer of the Week
Ledge and I went to see Interpol on Friday night (his review will follow shortly) and yet again I walked out of the show shaking my head and muttering “There’s always one idiot….” This is my first post in honour of those individuals who in their quest for a good night out somehow manage to spoil it for everyone around them….
Now, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m 4’10”. With my big boots on I can just about boost myself up to 5’0″. I’m fairly certain that never in my life have I ever managed to block anybody’s view anywhere. If I don’t go right up to the barrier at sold out gigs, chances are I’m not going to be able to see much of the stage. So, even though I’d really prefer not to be right against the iron bars, for bands I really love, I do tend to take myself down there.
On Friday night I had a reasonable spot to the right of the stage where I could see the whole band except the drummer and keyboard player (and let’s face it, drummers and keyboard players are rarely THAT interesting anyway). Considering my general viewing difficulties, I was more than willing to cope with the photographers in the pit blocking my view of Carlos D for 3 songs, because I knew they were eventually going to go away and I’d have a nice clear line of sight to gaze at his oh-so-debonair shoulder holster (why, Carlos, why?).
Shortly after the photographers departed, however, as I was really starting to enjoy myself, I heard a voice near my ear say “You need to let me in front of you. I’m a photographer and I need to get some photos.” I turned around and one of the photographers who had been in the pit 5-10 minutes earlier had pushed her way between the small girl to my right and myself. She then proceeded to pull out the massive camera she obviously didn’t know how to use (or why would she need MORE photos, there’s only so many unique shots you’re ever going to get from the same angle and shooting from where we were stood was never going to lend itself to photos as good as the one’s she’d taken from inside the barrier). Leaning up so she was practically humping me with her 50lb handbag, she started taking photographs over my head, with the lens cap alternately hitting me in the head and in the face.
So, I shuffled around a bit, hoping she’d realise she was bruising me with her ridiculous bag (why do people bring giant bags to gigs, stand in a closely-packed crowd and jump?), and back off a bit. After all, how many more photos could she possibly want? This is the point at which she started singing…. Now I’m all for the crowd singing and dancing at gigs. It’s great for atmosphere and genuinely entertaining. Except when the person singing is the only person singing, they’re doing it EXTREMELY loudly in your ear and they can’t sing a note to save their lives – oh and when they don’t actually know the words. Oh yes, you guessed it, photo chick only knew about every third line. If it were me, I wouldn’t want to showcase my ignorance. OK, I’ll admit that I don’t know every word to every Interpol song either (hell, I don’t even know most of the titles, no matter how many times I study the CDs I can never remember which song is which, it’s some weird Interpol mental block), but I wasn’t trying to scream over Paul Banks either.
So yet again my fantastic view of a fantastic band playing a fantastic gig was overshadowed by some socially-challenged uber-fan who thought that their own love of the band was far more important than actually being aware of how their behavior affected those around them.
To that end, I’m going to start making a list of rules of gig etiquette, feel free to add your own, that people should really try and adhere to, please. Today we get 1 and 2:
1) Don’t bring large bags to gigs and if you do, stand at the back. They’re annoying to those around you, they hurt people when you dance while wearing them and they take up space that someone small who is having difficulty seeing could occupy near the front.
2) Be aware of short people. Don’t push your way in front of someone a head smaller than you because you somehow feel your night will be ruined if you can’t get 3″ closer to the band to take photos, shout or try and touch the lead singer. That small person you’ve pushed out of the way can’t see from behind you, but you can see from behind them.
Having given my tongue-lashing and public service broadcast for the week, I shall happily defer to the Ledge who will hopefully be posting a proper review of Friday night’s festivities in the next 24 hours or so.
July 13th, 2005 at 9:06 pm
talking during songs. The old ” I saw these five years ago in my mates front room” doesn’t mean a lot to anyone else you cock. Also , using the barriers / fencing as a “dry rooting” oppurtunity. Watching Morrisey singing “Suedehead” whilst you and your boy/girlfriend groinally thrust each other in a Gladiator style Pelvis-off just doesn’t cut it,
July 16th, 2005 at 3:28 pm
Oh the clothed simulating of sexual acts thing at gigs is baaaad. At a Pulp gig about 6 years ago a couple were using a friend of mine as a backrest while they went at it with their clothes on. After subjecting her to this repulsive indignity, the male half told the female half that he would “get her to the barrier” by removing my friend using brute force if neccessary. Needless to say, that was NEVER going to happen…as he soon discovered.
July 28th, 2012 at 4:59 am
But wanna comment on few general things, The website layout is perfect, the subject material is very excellent. “Some for renown, on scraps of learning dote, And think they grow immortal as they quote.” by Edward Young.