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Worst audience ever


Uncle Mog

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This is becoming more and more of a major problem at gigs. The venues should seriously consider having some form of policy of disruption involved with folk talking too loud over a live act and ruining everyone elses night.

Problem is, if the venues started enforcing the rule strictly, they might piss off a lot of casual gig goers who don't want to be treated like they're back at school.

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Guest Craig C
Problem is' date=' if the venues started enforcing the rule strictly, they might piss off a lot of casual gig goers who don't want to be treated like they're back at school.[/quote']

Casual gig goers should know better.

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Problem is' date=' if the venues started enforcing the rule strictly, they might piss off a lot of casual gig goers who don't want to be treated like they're back at school.[/quote']

If people don't want to be treated like they're back at school, then they shouldn't act like they're back at school. If people respect performers, then venues will respect them. If people talk and make noise all the way through gigs, why should they be treated with respect?

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If people don't want to be treated like they're back at school' date=' then they shouldn't act like they're back at school. If people respect performers, then venues will respect them. If people talk and make noise all the way through gigs, why should they be treated with respect?[/quote']

Well, straight away, ejecting lots of people for making a noise would be incredibly bad PR wise. Word gets around - say you eject 5 people one night for talking at a gig. They then tell their mates how they got kicked out for merely talking at the bar - so say they've got 5 mates each. That's 25 people right there who might be discouraged from gong back - who could potentially tell 5 other people, so that's 125 people thinking that the Lemon Tree has a ridiculously strict policy concerning noise. Before you know it, all gig attendances are down because of heavy handed stewarding - as gigs become more about the music and less about the social aspect. You might get some music snobs attracted by it, but would they come in enough numbers to make up for it?

Being heavy handed is fine and well when you can afford to do it - but can the Lemon Tree and other venues really afford to do it?

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Guest Craig C
Well' date=' straight away, ejecting lots of people for making a noise would be incredibly bad PR wise. Word gets around - say you eject 5 people one night for talking at a gig. They then tell their mates how they got kicked out for merely talking at the bar - so say they've got 5 mates each. That's 25 people right there who might be discouraged from gong back - who could potentially tell 5 other people, so that's 125 people thinking that the Lemon Tree has a ridiculously strict policy concerning noise. Before you know it, all gig attendances are down because of heavy handed stewarding - as gigs become more about the music and less about the social aspect. You might get some music snobs attracted by it, but would they come in enough numbers to make up for it?

Being heavy handed is fine and well when you can afford to do it - but can the Lemon Tree and other venues really afford to do it?[/quote']

You don't need to be heavy-handed. A quiet word to the noise-makers would probably do the trick. If not, then fair enough ask them to leave.

As I say, casual gig goers should know better.

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But on the other hand I know plenty people who avoid going to gigs now because of the incessant chatter. Gigs are first and foremost about the music' date=' and if the atmosphere is one of a school cafeteria then that won't be conducive to anyone's enjoyment of the music on offer.[/quote']

It's a tough one, I guess. As I see it, it should be perfectly possible to go to any gig and have a conversation that doesn't annoy others - but isn't part of the problem that people's perceptions vary? After all, talking doesn't bother me, but tall people standing at the front annoys me something chronically.

There's something strange about that statement.

Maybe people might just get the the message to shut the fuck up. It wasn't much better at Arab Strap either!

Looking at it, it really is a strange statement.

What's sad is that the Lemon Tree could be groundbreaking in having the guts to go for a proper enforced policy on the matter. I'd love to know what the management's thoughts were on the matter, though.

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I don't reckon Aberdeen is any worse than anywhere else for noise at quiet gigs. I've been to some rather too rowdy ones but also quite a few where I've been really impressed with how respectful audiences have been. I suppose sometimes that's because only very keen people have been there (e.g. the recent Mahar Shalal Hash Baz show at the Lemon Tree) or because somone like Chilli is on top shushing form, but folks often seem to be quite well behaved. There's definitely nothing new about people jabbering during quiet shows and if anything I reckon it's getting to be a less frequent problem. The Lemon Tree was a bit frustrating at times last night, especially with folks constantly and noisily wandering in and out during Tape's set upstairs, but could have been a lot worse.

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If it bothers you approach the cunt and politely ask them keep the noise down.

If not lay down the law glass the fuckers.****

**** = Do this at risk of either arse gettting kicked or/

Risk getting arrested and having your arse shagged or/

Both

I realise this is not going to help but if you feel fruity or drunk it may.

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Problem is' date=' if the venues started enforcing the rule strictly, they might piss off a lot of casual gig goers who don't want to be treated like they're back at school.[/quote']

Well if you are going to a gig to hear the music, then it wouldn't be such a problem to shut up while the bands are playing, because you will be wanting to hear them. It is usually casual gig goers that ruin it for everyone rather than fans of the band(s) that are playing, apart from a few exceptions (ie. Stranded). Just because they don't like the band that are playing, it doesn't give them the right to yap through their entire set and spoil it for those who are there to enjoy it.

This is getting extremely common with the same folk that come to a gig for one band, talk through every other band playing before that particular band come on, and then fuck off afterwards. This was the case when Cyklics played at the Underflow night last month and were disrupted for the whole 45-minute set by a wall of loud and annoying colonopenbracket fans (this is not a generalisation, as not one of them stuck around for Viva Stereo).

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I've already moaned on a couple of other threads about the noise at Arab Strap last night. Sometimes you can forgive it, as friendly banter between crowd and band, but During Arab Strap I saw some people standing in a circle, some with their backs to the band screaming at the top of their voices about something stupid. They were right at the front as well.

The people arriving/leaving during tape was fucking annoying, especially when someones phone went off towards the beginning. Although the bouncer sitting by the entrance began talking to people as they came in from about halfway through the set, I assume to warn them to be quiet. Although I did think it was funny when he did the routine to Keiron Hebden.

Although, to be fair, I dont think this is soley an aberdeen problem, at Mogwai in Edinburgh the other night I was getting well pissed off with the groups of people standing in front of me talking through the whole thing.

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I don't think it has anything to do with if people who go to gigs are 'casual' gig goers or not, it's that some people have no respect or consideration for the artist on stage or the people around them. It's the same everywhere. The folk talking at gigs are the same people who shout into their mobiles in resturants and trains and will probably allow their kids to run riot in public in a few years time. The general public fuck me off no end most of the time.

Did anyone in the audience on Friday actually approach a member of staff about the noise? I know you shouldn't have to, but it's often the best way to avoid a confrontation and to get the problem solved. Come up to the bar or speak to a member of the security staff in the Lemon Tree, we're not going to think you're being pedantic, if it annoys you then it probably annoys us just as much.

Damn I miss Marj, she'd tell the noisy folk exactly where to go!

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It's a tough one' date=' I guess. As I see it, it should be perfectly possible to go to any gig and have a conversation that doesn't annoy others - but isn't part of the problem that people's perceptions vary? After all, talking doesn't bother me, but tall people standing at the front annoys me something chronically. [/quote']

Talking doesnt really bother me either. Sometimes its nice to say a couple of things during the band, but if I do I usually say it as quiet as possible into the person i'm speaking to's ear. The problem is, what we are talking about here, is people talking so loud that they disrupt everyone elses experience of the gig, and in the case of King Creosote, the performer's experience of the gig.

Its a case of respect, dont be a fucking knob and ruin it for everyone else. Speak quietly or keep your fucking yap shut.

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Guest bluesxman
I tend to find people shouting "Sssssshhhhhh" and "Shut the Fuck Up" brings out the worst in me. Especially if it's a free gig. (ie. Just another night in the pub but there happens to be a band on. )

Yeah but a free gig in a pub is a different thing, if people have chosen to pay money to get into a venue they should be allowed to enjoy what they have paid to see without some twat yapping loudly, who for reasons known only to themselves want to pay money to talk through the entertainment.

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Wasn't there' date=' but it sounds like it was the same mob who frequent the local cinemas in Aberdeen.

These c***s don't go to the cinema/gigs to watch a movie or listen to a band, they go there to: -

[list']

[*]eat as much junk food as they can get theire pigs snouts round - and as noisily as possible

[*]chat on or fanny about with mobile phones

[*]yap loudly and incessantly to the chav/chavette sitting next to them

[*]rumble about contantly, kicking the back of the seat in front/blocking someone's view/getting up for more trough or endless pishes

C***S :swearing:

Sorry the gig was ruined for you - I wasn't there, but I know just how you feel.

Who fancies starting a gig/concert/cinema vigilante squad who have the authority and power to takes these pigs outside and baseball-bat them to death ????

DZL

I'm with you on that one. Fuckin ignorant bastards need their heads mashed in like a potato :)

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I was also dissapointed by the ammount of people who left as soon as King Creosote had

finished leaving Akron Family with not a great deal of people to play to, shame as they

were very very good.

Yes the talking thing was an issue, happened the next night at Odetta with a guy who clearly knew a bit about her, but there was no need to talk about it while she is talking and everyone is (trying) to listen!

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If you want to take some kind of vigilante action against ringing mobile fones in gigs that you go to, buy a handheld GSM jammer. They are fairly expensive, but models under 200 quid are available and pretty effective.

I'm surprised venues themselves don't use them for situations like live acoustic gigs. (edit: oh yeah, probably because they are illegal in the UK)

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