Young audiences

[Jason]

I think encouraging young people to become aware of local bands and the local scene is the best thing a band can do. I went to my first gig when i was about 14 to see a friends band and continued to go to pretty much only their gigs for a few months until they started playing with bands who i took an interest in. Since I was 14, I have loved bands like Quik and then progressed onto bands like Deadloss and now at the tender age of 19, having grown up with the ever changing scene, I have discovered more and more bands as well as continuing to take an interest in what the older bands are doing, whilest starting my own band, playing the music I love and also in a way - trying to return the favour to Aberdeen.

I think that people have to remember the time when they started going to gigs and how old THEY were and why they started going to gigs in the first place. You have to start somewhere...

We were all kids once (well... with the odd exception I guess)

It's easy to look at younger people and think "Fucking hell they are really annoying" but how were you acting when you were their age?

[bladeola]

I think encouraging young people to become aware of local bands and the local scene is the best thing a band can do. I went to my first gig when i was about 14 to see a friends band and continued to go to pretty much only their gigs for a few months until they started playing with bands who i took an interest in. Since I was 14' date=' I have loved bands like Quik and then progressed onto bands like Deadloss and now at the tender age of 19, having grown up with the ever changing scene, I have discovered more and more bands as well as continuing to take an interest in what the older bands are doing, whilest starting my own band, playing the music I love and also in a way - trying to return the favour to Aberdeen.

I think that people have to remember the time when they started going to gigs and how old THEY were and why they started going to gigs in the first place. You have to start somewhere...

We were all kids once (well... with the odd exception I guess)

It's easy to look at younger people and think "Fucking hell they are really annoying" but how were you acting when you were their age?[/quote']

and there you have it.

[Frosty Jack]

and there you have it.

Seconded.

I love going to a gig and seeing the kids going nuts down the front. You just know they're going to keep doing it for years to come. Once you get into going to gigs you never grow out of it (or is that just me?) so the younger the better I say. Even the ones who are just mucking about with their mates at the back, at least they're there, far better that than wandering the streets kicking off wing mirrors...And sooner or later they will gravitate down the front, start looking out for other gigs and other bands - maybe even start their own band, and so it continues. A healthy scene.

Every young kid I see at his first gig, I think "Fantastic. Another one of 'us', and one less of 'them'"...

[The Milner]

i dont do that

[bladeola]

nah...me neither.

[Spoonie]

alright, i did it once, but only cos the emos were doing it!

/x

[Cloud]

I'm one of those "stand with your arms folded" types... and the whole experience reminds me of visiting a school playground. I just find it difficult to enjoy and perhaps that's where a lot of the critisism stems from - anyone in the same boat at me. It's like a kids party and when the band interact with the kids (which I'm sure they enjoy greatly) getting them to clap their hands and all that shit... it just makes me cringe.

Doesn't the same thing apply to impromptu pits, often frequented by far older people? I guess the same applies to hardcore dancing and the like too - but at the end of the day, it's easier to ignore it rather than let it ruin my enjoyment. It just depends on the music - but as Frosty said, it's better that they're there. If the music was mindblowing to them, they'd be down the front, same as anyone else really.

I think the band interacting with the crowd is a good thing though - it might come off really cheesy at this level, but imo, it's a sign of confidence with the crowd and your material. Again though, depends on the music.

[Guest bluesxman]

I don't care if there are youngsters there enjoying themselves at the front or just generally paying attention to what is happening onstage, good on them for getting into music. But as i've recently realised, it's not just young kids who spend gigs f**king about with mobile phones and chatting and giggling loudly to each other during a gig, recent visits to Half Man Half Biscuit and The Kills gigs has seen people in their late teens/early twenties and men/women in their forties or beyond behaving the same way.

I am one of these people who are of the opinion 'why go to a gig to pay no attention and gossip and spoil it for others when you could sit in a pub and do it?'

[Guest pop-notmyface]

surely this is a good thing getting younger people involved in going to see bands.

12 year-old groupies? why not.

no, i think there is time and place for everything. i was listening Steps and Jamiroquai when i was twelve. wait...i still am.

[Guest MDP]

For anyone out there that knows the guy who runs The Tunnels' date=' you'll know that music is pretty much his life! The guy knows his stuff.[/quote']

i presume you mean hen?

[jester1470]

i presume you mean hen?

Mike.

Cheers

Stuart

[trippinoneastereggs]

Mike.

Cheers

Stuart

um you know that none of the above run the Tunnels?

[Guest Bob]

Alot of people seem to try and belittle bands when they have a lot of young folk at their gigs

It's pure laziness. By pointing out the band has a young audience, the critic attempts to connote an inferiority in the music, without ever discussing it. Such glib observations and truisms are the foundation stones of the cowards argument.

[Guest MDP]

um you know that none of the above run the Tunnels?

as far as i am aware, mike is just a barman

hen is the inhouse promoter

so technically jim the owner runs the place.

ace man...

[Stripey]

It's pure laziness. By pointing out the band has a young audience' date=' the critic attempts to connote an inferiority in the music, without ever discussing it. Such glib observations and truisms are the foundation stones of the cowards argument.[/quote']

Actually, what you have just said qualifies as a "glib observation", and makes no sense except in the context of a response to a specific existing criticism, which you ought to have posted in order to qualify your statement.

Unless of course you are suggesting that anyone who points out the fact that a band has a young audience, regardless of context, is automatically implying that the bands music is inferior, which is simply ridiculous.

You should stick to writing tacky teenage pop lyrics Bob, at least you can do that with some authenticity, unlike your attempts at pretending to be truly literate.

[Camie]

You should stick to writing tacky teenage pop lyrics Bob' date=' at least you can do that with some authenticity, unlike your attempts at pretending to be truly literate.[/quote']

Way to try and ruin a good thread.

[The Milner]

stripey would you like 20p??

[jester1470]

um you know that none of the above run the Tunnels?

Damn I meant Jim,

Cheers

Stuart

[Bobby]

as far as i am aware' date=' mike is just a barman

hen is the inhouse promoter

so technically jim the owner runs the place.

ace man...[/quote']

mike does barwork and works in the cavern.

hen is the inhouse promoter

jim and terry own the tunnels.

[TR!ΔNGL€ T€€TH]

Stripey: Cheeriest member of Aberdeen Music.

[vide infra]

I would rather have a bunch of 15-18 year olds down the front going absolutely tits than a bunch of scenesters standing up the back with a pint of blackcurrant cordial and a look on their face like 'i can't wait to get home and talk pretentiously on Ab-Mus about how amateur this band was and how the 'kids' down the front prevented me from standing at the front conducting myself like i'm at a wake rather than a gig'.

[Flash@TMB]

From a venue perspective' date=' I'd be very interested to know if a bar makes more money through kids or through adults - especially considering the mark up on soft drinks is absolutely ridiculous.[/quote']

Our Saturday takings have increased by ~50% since we stopped admitting people under 18.

Our takings for the rest of the week are also up.

We make the same profit margin on soft drinks as we do alcoholic ones, although we are an exception. The reason a lot of places apply silly markup to soft drinks, is that it is unusual for someone drink 6 pints of cola at one sitting (and God help them if they do).

There are several drivers for places not admit under 18s, here's my stab at them:

1) Admitting underagers place a considerable strain on the barstaff. They have to ID people constantly. This slows down service, pisses off the older customers, and makes the bar staff unhappy. The older customers will also complain to the bar staff.

2) If someone does serve an underager, then there is a possibility that the place would lose it license. It might be forced to close (for a period), people might lose their jobs, bookings would be cancelled... you get the picture. While some people consider this unlikely, it is in fact something that happens on a regular basis, and gievn what's at stake, not really a chance worth taking.

3) Even if you don't (accidentally) serve them any alcohol, then some of them will still turn up drunk, and some of them will succeed in smuggling drink inside. Unfortunately you are still held legally responsible for them, and there is still a risk of closure. In the event that someone dies, then you may end up charged with manslaughter.

4) A sizeable portion of valuable drinking customers are discouraged by underagers. In our case these people were slowly being eroded away during the time that we admitted underagers. Many adults go to bars to drink and behave more like children. It's a means of escape. Underagers on the other hand try to behave very adult and mature, also a form of escape. It's not unusual to see a 14 year old staring dissapprovingly at a drunken 35 year old. Unfortunately this type of role reversal makes the real adults feel very uncomfortable. So they take their custom somewhere else. Pretty soon everyone in the bar is aged 14-19 or *SHUDDER* younger (see point 5).

5) Underagers are often accompanied by friends aged under 14, under age underagers if you will. Some of them attempt to gain entry... others just hang around outside. Some of the 14 plus crowd will then nip in and out continually pissing everyone off. In out in out in out in out, like a fuckin jack in the box.

So in our case, the reason we're doing better with an 18 plus policy, is that most of our adult drinkers have drifted back. And these people come through the week too, not just when there's a gig on.

***

To answer Milner's original question... IMHO there is nothing wrong with having a younger audience. I liked music when I was under 18, and would hope that didn't reflect badly on those bands, many of whom I still listen to.

I think the best option are these early evening kids nights that some clubs run, where they admit people aged 14-21 and only serve soft drinks. That's probably a good solution as far as live music is concerned. Unfortunately being a bar, that's not a viable option for us.

Stayover's music appeals to me aged 35, and I'm sure it appeals to many other older people too. We hope to have them back for a gig real soon, and I'm confident that they will still pack the place out with people aged 18 plus.

Bands that appeal to younger people serve a valuable purpose - they introduce the next generation to rock 'n roll. The Stayover fans that were 16 two years ago are 18 now. And the same will happen again next year, and the year after etc.

[Sam 45]

Very very good reply Flash....even if it does mean i can't go to the moorings till may 28th

[Flash@TMB]

Very very good reply Flash....even if it does mean i can't go to the moorings till may 28th

OK see you then. You'll even qualify for a birthday drink!

I should add that the majority of the young people were in fact well behaved, and it was only a small minority that attempted to get intoxicated.

However it does appear that most adults prefer bars to be over 18s. In fact some would even prefer a 21 plus policy!!! Back in the late 80s and early 90s both The Satelite Bar and The Moorings Bar were 'officially' 21 plus for a while.

These days we are quite happy with 18 plus.

[Alan Cynic]

Bands that appeal to younger people serve a valuable purpose - they introduce the next generation to rock 'n roll. The Stayover fans that were 16 two years ago are 18 now. And the same will happen again next year' date=' and the year after etc.[/quote']

Quite true! Kitchen Cynics fans who were 40 in the early 80s are now dead:up: