Is it just me or is Aberdeen a bit 'pish' for music?

[Ian_Brown]

I like to consider my music tastes to be pretty varied but rarely does anything announced interest me. Whenever decent bands come to Scotland they generally seem to bypass Aberdeen, at least ones I like.

I think I've been to about 2 gigs in the last year if being perfectly honest. I know glasgow and Edinburgh are much bigger but I could probably find a decent band to see pretty much every week there. Even Inverness, Dundee and Motherwell have been getting some quality acts in the past 12 months. 65daysofstatic for example are playing in Inverness soon, I know for a fact they'd get plenty tickets sold in Aberdeen.

[Guest Giles Walker]

I don't really see how these sort of posts help anything.

If you really feel that passionately about this problem then you could start your own night somewhere, play the music you like and book the bands you want to see.

I can understand where you are coming from though.

[RF Scott]

65daysofstatic have played in Aberdeen in the last year, is that one of your two gigs?

[Graeme]

65daysofstatic have played in Aberdeen in the last year, is that one of your two gigs?

Almost exactly one year ago. And it did sell tickets.

[stuartmaxwell]

65 have only played aberdeen about 7 times like

dundee more touring acts than aberdeen??!?!? hmmmmm

[Guest idol_wild]

I don't really see how these sort of posts help anything.

If you really feel that passionately about this problem then you could start your own night somewhere, play the music you like and book the bands you want to see.

I can understand where you are coming from though.

Giles, you are well and truly on the money here. Bravo.

Positive musical action is where it's at.

[Swingin' Ryan]

The reason I assume big bands just tend to do Glasgow and Edinburgh is that Scotland is simply that they generally don't have the time/funds/backing to play more than a couple of gigs in Scotland and they're obviously going to go for the two biggest cities. It could be much worse, we could live on the Western Isles or something. At least it's only like 2 hours on a train to Glasgow.

[Elizabeth]

The 'bands going to Inverness' thing seems weird to me, but that's only 'cause I live here.

I guess it makes more sense in the grand scheme of things, really.

I have no qualms with the gigs Aberdeen gets, but it might be different if I couldn't get to Glasgow/Edinburgh so easily.

[Chris]

I think I've been to about 2 gigs in the last year if being perfectly honest.

You're not perfectly honest. A quick search of your posts since october indicates you've been to many more than 2.

I dunno, I've been thinking that we're actually doing much better now for touring bands than we have at any point in the last 10 years. You're never going to get every tour by every band but we're getting a shitload of stuff that would never have came this way in the past.

Just look at the acts the AECC has had in the last year or so, it's never been as good as it is now for big acts. The Tunnels and Moshulu have been booking their socks of for a couple of years now as well and I can only assume that now the booking power of Barfly is at Moshulu it will only get more acts, not less. Then there's the Music Hall and Lemon Tree (once it re-opens) as well which always get a few solid acts.

[Jarvis]

True. Aberdeen's never had it so good for touring bands.

Take a look at the old (and current!) threads in 'Gig & Event Announcements' and dare try to say Aberdeen never has a diverse selection of bands playing.

[Inkster]

The originator of this thread is speaking tripe! Like other people have said already, Aberdeen is doing very well for itself these days.Whether you're into pop, indie or metal, there's something on for everyone at least once a week.Rihanna, Arctic Monkeys(ONLY SCOTTISH SHOWS OF THAT TOUR),As I Lay Dying...the list goes on.

[davewarden]

Maybe it just shows the attitude of some so called music "fans" in aberdeen who cant be bothered going to shows and thern turn round and moan when thier favourite band doesnae come up because their last show was empty.

[Guest Tam o' Shantie]

Whether you're into pop, indie or metal, there's something on for everyone

as long as your tastes belong to one of the above genres?

[framheim]

as long as your tastes belong to one of the above genres?

now now tom, you know as well as i do that those are the only musical forms in existence. got pop, indie and metal you don't need anything else right?

[Inkster]

as long as your tastes belong to one of the above genres?

It was clearly a generalisation. Of course you get other stuff whether it be jazz, classical or folk.

Aberdeen caters for everyone imo

[Didz]

I think its improved vastly in the last two years, i'll have been to 4 gigs in a week come Thurs....Frightened Rabbit, We Are Scientists, iForwardRussia! and Blood Red Shoes. I can't remember having that sort of opportunity a few years ago. They keep coming as well. Its a bit disrespectful to all those working their asses off to put on these shows.

[The Trade]

Coming from just outside Dundee, I can say that Aberdeen get more touring bands than we do and have done for many years, although the gap has closed a wee bit with the Fat Sams Live makeover.

Dundee has loads of venues now, for local bands, (of which there are a great many) but are there enough punters to go round them all ???????????????????????

However, We only have Fatties for bigger bands, The Doghouse for decent sized touring bands, plus sometimes The Westport bar and Dexters.

The Rest are pubs that put bands on. although the Bar Esco (old Rendevous nightclub, if anyone knows Dundee) is now a music venue and the owner gives bands a good deal, if you want to put your own nights on.

IMHO Dundee has way more half decent venues than Aberdeen but Aberdeen gets the bigger bands to it's top 5 venues than Dundee's top 5.

The Tunnels for example, have had some cracking bands on recently.

Oh and we have The Caird Hall of courseo_O

[Lemonade]

Maybe we should change the title of the thread to "Is it just me or is Dundee a bit 'pish' for music?"

[davewarden]

Maybe we should change the title of the thread to "Is it just me or is Dundee a bit 'pish' for music?"

But its nae!

[The Trade]

Maybe we should change the title of the thread to "Is it just me or is Dundee a bit 'pish' for music?"

1 - No Dundee's no "a bit pish for Music", we have some excellent bands of all kinds and top Venues,which wasn't the case 5 or 6 years ago.

2- So does Aberdeen

3- I though the Thread was about Aberdeen being bypassed by bigger bands for other Scottish cities, my point was, compared to Dundee (which is the city I know most about) IMHO no it doesn't.

Plus throwing in a bit of info about Dundee venues, for any Aberdeen bands in need of such things:popcorn:

[Lemonade]

I'm not passing judgement on Dundee, in fact short of stopping at a burger van outside Toys R Us for a portion of chips and cheese* once on the way home from Glasgow, I've never actually set foot in Dundee. What I was meaning is that the thread began as a critique of Aberdeen's music scene but had suddenly become a critique of Dundee's music scene.

* Incidentally, when I opened my chips and cheese there was a great big curly pubic hair sitting right on the top. I didn't eat them.

[Alan Cynic]

My problem is affording to go to all the gigs I'd like to see. This week....Tuesday (tonight) loads of good local stuff at theTunnels (eg No Pasaran), Thursday night - Pete King at the Lampie (jazz), Friday - the Fudge awards (mentalness and eventual hangover), Sunday - Michael Marra/Jo Foster at the Lampie (off- kilter folk).

[Jeanette]

I think it pretty much depends on what you want to see. If it's massive touring bands that you're wanting and they're not coming to Aberdeen then I understand people moaning a little. But if you like them enough and you can you'd travel. There some bands I wouldn't mind going to Glasgow every time just to see.

I think Aberdeen has greatly improved even in the 3 and a half years I've been here for uni. It's looking promising.

[Lunik]

People in Aberdeen love to complain - it's like a tradition or something.

God forbid they should actually do something that would eat into their valuable complaining time.

Zoikes it's infectious - now I'm doing it

[stuartmaxwell]

Coming from just outside Dundee, I can say that Aberdeen get more touring bands than we do and have done for many years, although the gap has closed a wee bit with the Fat Sams Live makeover.

Dundee has loads of venues now, for local bands, (of which there are a great many) but are there enough punters to go round them all ???????????????????????

However, We only have Fatties for bigger bands, The Doghouse for decent sized touring bands, plus sometimes The Westport bar and Dexters.

The Rest are pubs that put bands on. although the Bar Esco (old Rendevous nightclub, if anyone knows Dundee) is now a music venue and the owner gives bands a good deal, if you want to put your own nights on.

yer forgetting the balcony and drouthies, which are easily my two favourite venues. westie is nae bad too i suppose

Id rather not play than play at the doghouse. its a rotten, cavernous affair full of tossers