Category: CONCERTS
Pimps and whores?
Okay, well I’m not quite done bitchin’ yet…! :P
So the Black Sabbath tickets went on sale this morning. I went from happy and excited to pissed off and disappointed.
That “Early Entry“-package shit is probably the worst idea promoters have EVER come up with. Thanks for being total assholes, LiveNation!
The development is pretty sad, the way I look at it. It’s like squeezing the last penny out of fans – to the point where it’s gone way beyond tasteless.
Back in the day, fans used to wait for their idols to show up at the stage door – in rain or snow, any kind of weather, for hours, sometimes days. I know, cause I used to be one of them. But it was FREE. And your autograph was precious just cause you knew what you had to go through to GET it.
Now fans have to pay for that “privilege”. If you’ve got a REALLY fat wallet and nothing better to do with your hard earned bucks, you can PAY to get that autograph and breathe the same air as Ozzy for a few minutes. How much is that worth to ya?
I love Ozzy, don’t get me wrong.This is a general thing that somebody (and I hope that the fucker gets rolled in tar and feathers!) came up with a few years ago, that’s escalated to enormous and ridiculous proportions.
Those who charge stupid crazy amounts of money for very little, have no shame whatsoever.
I wish that fans would just collectively go on strike and say enough is enough.
Fuck you! We’re not playing along with this shit.
I’ve been so angry for the past two days. And I’m even one of those “privileged” ones who CAN pull some strings and get in on the guest list if I want to. People even ask me howcome I don’t just do that. But to me, a concert experience is the greatest thing in the world, if it meets certain criteria.
That criteria, usually, is getting in the front row, get that closeness where you can see every expression on the artists’ faces, every little detail and just be a part of the indescribable energy that goes between the crowd and the band.
Being as short as I am, I could never do that if I was ANYWHERE else in the arena than right at the barricades.
If I’m on the guest list I can usually forget that for concerts of this size.
The second the door opens – it’s the law of the jungle. You have ONE thought in mind: RUN!
Get to barricades asap. Nothing else exists for those two minutes until you get to your front spot. (Then you’ll have to spend two hours fighting to KEEP it, but that’s a different story. I’m used to it, it’s fine).
So, by the time they’ve found my name on the guest list, the front row is fully populated already, and that was that. There is just no TIME for any guest lists.
I’m not into standing way in the back looking cool. Well, I am if it’s a band I don’t really care about too much, but for bands that I REALLY want to see (Priest, Whitesnake, Sabbath…) I’m not taking any risks. I’m buying a ticket just like everybody else.
But now, even THAT option has been taken away. Because paying a fucking FORTUNE for that front row spot is NOT an option.
I’d rather not go at ALL. Screw that.
I COULD pay for it, I’m travelling all over the globe for concerts so yeah, I guess I could afford it, but I’m just NOT doing it. Just out of pure principle. They can take that “Early entry experience” and shove it up their greedy asses.
[Forget about THIS if you haven’t won the lottery recently]
The whole thing pisses me off. Concerts are supposed to be fun, it’s supposed to be an experience for everybody. The standing crowd are usually those who can’t afford the expensive VIP seats – or those who, just like me, are the hardcore fans who WANT to experience the show. The kind of people who are making the superstars who they ARE.
And let’s face it, Black Sabbath is, or at least WAS before they became rich, WORKING CLASS. Their FANS are working class, mostly. Charging these fucking fees is the same as getting the rich assholes in the front and the less financially fortunate fans, way in the back. What is that doing to the fan-hierarchy and the experience for the BAND? Or has it gone to the sad point where they just don’t care, as long as they get their fat check?
When I looked at the so called “VIP Early Entry package” – what they are charging for is just the plain fact that they are opening the doors a bit earlier for the rich people and keeping them closed for the other fans! That’s IT. And that DOOR is the difference between a “regular” ticket for 700 DKK and the VIP crap for 1500 DKK! That’s a pretty damn expensive door.
Cause all that other shit that they are trying to market as something “special” is just junk.
A “tour laminate“. What the fuck is that?! It’s not good for anything. It’s not good for backstage entry, it’s not good for anything other than just plain decoration. And that piece of plastic doesn’t cost them a whole lot. You can do it yourself in any office with a laminating machine and a color-printer!
Then there’s some “tour gift” whatever that is. Unless it’s a leather jacket with custom artwork on the back, it’s sure as hell not worth 1500 DKK! And the last thing you get is “event management staff present“. Uh, wtf?! Isn’t there ALWAYS “staff” present? What are they good for (other than being gatekeepers)?
Seriously, people are expected to scoop up the cash for basically NOTHING! For something that has been a normal part of going to a show since the fifties. The doors open and people get in! End of story. Who gets in first is up to the fans themselves.
But now we are made to feel like absolute bitches – OWNED by the Live Nation PIMPS. It’s become simple prostitution.
The prostitutes are the artists. The whoremongers are the fans who are paying for the “special services”. And the pimp is the promoter. Nice.
So this is where we’re at now. It’s just so frikkin’ SAD.
Black Sabbath – to VIP or not to VIP?!
Two words: BLACK SABBATH!! The European tour dates were announced today – let’s hope that it happens this time and that Tony Iommi is feeling better and stronger than ever! :))
Tickets go on sale later this week, beginning of next, depending on which show you’re going to, but I went to check out the ticket-options for the shows in Copenhagen and Stockholm…
And there it was again. That thing that has been so common in the States for years, but that we here in Europe luckily have been spared from: Who gets closest to the stage and why.
Here in Europe, it’s simply on a first come-first served basis. Some fans will sleep outside the arena for days, and believe me, if they are such huge fans of a band that they are willing to do that, I don’t have a problem with them being in the front row. It’s only fair.
I’m also pretty much okay with all the various ideas that managements come up with to cash in extra bucks – the VIP packages where you have to pay two months worth of RENT to meet your idol for three minutes and then be thrown out. Very precious minutes, to say the least…
If people are willing to cough up that dough and if they feel it’s worth it, it’s none of my business. It’s their money and it doesn’t affect me in any way.
Some want to buy packages with food or with limited edition merch of all sorts, parking spaces, yadayada…. All good. Doesn’t affect me negatively, whatever people wanna do.
But there is ONE thing that PISSES ME OFF.
When people are being forced to PAY to get in the front row! THAT is NOT okay in my book.
And I discovered that that’s what they’re gonna do for the Sabbath-shows.
“Package 2: You get to come in before the regular ticket holders, and choose your spot (standing).
And for THAT – you pay TWICE as much as the regular price! Instead of 695 SEK, which is very expensive already – you have to cough up over 1500 SEK to get in “first”. What the fuck…???
What it means is that basically, you will have rich people waltzing right in because they CAN, while the real fans who might not have that kind of money, end up behind the wealthy ones. It’s sickening – I can’t find any other expression for it. It’s like John Lennon’s classic comment:
For those of you in the cheap seats I’d like ya to clap your hands to this one. The rest of you can just rattle your jewelry!
Sell expensive seats for all I care – and all that other shit – but leave the STANDING crowd out of it.
I got just as upset in Manchester last year when I went to see Steel Panther. There were two lines opposite eachother, one to the left and one to the right. I didn’t know why, until I saw them open the door on the OTHER side letting in a shitload of people, while the rest of us were stuck where we were.
The shitty part of it? The people in “my” line – the “poor man’s line”, had been standing there for hours freezing their asses off, while that OTHER line had people showing up in the last minute like they just didn’t really give a crap.
I learned that those other people were “VIP members“. You bought some sort of yearly membership and they let you in before everybody else at specific events.
It’s not okay – it just isn’t.
Of all the things bands come up with to make a buck or two nowadays, THAT one thing should be SACRED. Leave the standing front row people out of the greed, please. Give them a fair chance.
Even the “Golden Circle”-thing is okay. You still get to come in at the same time, you’ve just bought the right to be closer to the stage and it wasn’t twice as expensive, it was just a few extra bucks. I can live with that. It’s when it gets extreme and greedy that I feel like I’m gonna throw up.
Bon Jovi charged people 20 000 SEK for the “honor” to sit on the side of the stage for a few minutes – of course being totally ignored by the band, and then get thrown out. Sure, it’s a choice these people made to pay that kind of money, but 20 000?! That is about 8 months worth of RENT for me. It’s pocket change for mr Bongiovi, no doubt, but it sure as fuck isn’t for his FANS.
I’m just grumpy I guess. I can’t stand injustice.
I was super excited about the news that Black Sabbath are going to give it another try, and that I’ll get to see the legendary, ultimate heavy metal band this year.
But it just kills the joy to realize that I will only have two choices: To pay 700 SEK and not see shit (cause I’m too short – if I’m not in the front, I can’t see a thing), or pay up twice as much to get in “before everybody else” (which honestly wouldn’t feel right anyway).
Just ruins the whole experience right there already. It’s not even a sport.
And don’t even get me started on how bad things CAN be with all the “pre-sales” and shit… (see previous Van Halen ticket hell-blog below….).
Guess I’ll just have to smile and cough up the bucks to get the experience. But at least getting angry about it is still FREE….!
ASSHOLE FANS
Heavy metal is often said to be an outlet for aggression and frustration. That’s spot on, especially if you’re talking about going to live shows. Cause the main thing you need to know about live gigs is that it’s the law of the jungle – survival of the fittest.
And metalheads have definitely embraced the idea of gender equality too – because they don’t give a fuck if you’re a girl, they will gladly punch you, kick you, try to climb on you – whatever it takes to get you to move. Don’t expect being treated like a lady at a rock concert, you’re gonna get the same shit as any guy, if not worse. Take it or leave it.
But having been a rocker all my life, it’s not like I haven’t learned how to deal with these things. Bring it on.
A friend of mine told me about her experience at a Pretty Maids concert in Copenhagen the other night.
[Axl Rose gets pissed at random crowd-assholes: “You’re fucking up other people’s show!”]
“Their fans seem to consist of giant six-foot guys who haven’t been taught by their mothers to behave nicely. I tried to stay upright but the stage was just two inches high and the dude was hanging with his entire weight on me. I know he was aiming for the “little blonde slender lady” at the front cause he thought it would be a piece of cake to get her to move. Well – wrong bitch!
He tried every trick in the book to get me to move and when I fought back he gave me the kind of look that said “if you can’t take the pressure, get the fuck out”. So at some point while he was hung over me, I took the opportunity to lean on the monitor for support, then I reached back, streched and grabbed his family jewels – and TWISTED for all I was worth!
When I turned around his cocky face had vanished and he was staring at me with astonishment and probably pain – and what do you know. He left to find somebody else to bother!
I can accept those who are there to jump, scream and have a good time, but these assholes who are consciously trying to hurt others to give up their spot – THAT I will NOT accept!”
I know the feeling. Things that you would never do in any other situation, you will find yourself doing at a rock concert. And it feels good, because you don’t have to feel bad about it – those assholes are asking for it. I’m sure we’ve all been there. There’s always one or a few of those airheads at every show. To quote Dave Mustaine at a Megadeth concert at the Hard Rock Caf’e in Las Vegas, who pointed at a fan and said: “There is an asshole in every crowd. Guess you just volonteered!”
[Another yell-at-fashole fan incident: Megadeth-Mustaine vs The Laser Kid]
Brings me back to a W.A.S.P concert a few years ago when me and my friend Henny were standing in the front and some drunken tool decided that we had taken “his” spot. He was doing everything to get us to move and he just wouldn’t stop. Henny got pissed off and stomped on his toes with her high heel boots for all she was worth (man, it hurt just to SEE it, I can only imagine how it felt when that this pierced the dude’s toes!).
But he was too high on something to let that stop him, so I found myself doing something I’d never done before (and probably won’t try again) – I thrusted back my head, full force and hit him right in the face. Nice headbutt, it even ached in MY head, I honestly didn’t dare to turn around to see what that did to the dude. Must have broken his nose or kicked out a few teeth, I don’t know. All I know is that after that – the torture stopped!
[Dave Grohl: Hey, you motherfucker in the striped shirt! Get the fuck out of my show right now!]
It’s not like you would EVER do anything like that in ANY other situation. But sometimes it just feels like you have the right to do it.
Some bands have asshole crowds, more than others. Motley Crue is one of those bands. Their audience isn’t exactly the civilized kind – and by that I mean that eventhough there is always pressure in every front-row situation, some people are easier to deal with than others.
Even the Slayer-fans were nicer. It was HELL standing in the Slayer-crowd at Graspop, but two guys actually let me come between them so I could lean on the barricade. Would NEVER happen with any Nikki Sixx-fanatic, that’s for sure.
[Henry Rollins beats up a fan who’s being a pain in the ass]
Whitesnake-fans are great, mostly people who are there to have a good time, sing along, jump or headbang to their favorite songs, whatever, but basically, it’s a cool crowd. You don’t have to worry about being beaten up. The worst assholes don’t listen to Whitesnake. Thank god.
It can be annoying, cause fans who are in the front row have been standing somewhere for hours just to be first in line to secure that front row spot. So when some smelly idiot, who just got in (cause he was busy getting drunk somewhere), starts making trouble, it’s simply not something you are willing to put up with.
I don’t have a problem with fans going wild and crazy at a concert because they love the music. That goes with the territory, go ahead, go nuts, it’s what we’re all here for! But THOSE types whose mission in life is to create trouble, deserve whatever they get!
And just cause I’m a girl doesn’t mean that I don’t have a few tricks up my sleeve. Just TRY to move me..:! In the 27 years I’ve been going to gigs, that has never happened. And believe me – it never will. I don’t care if you’re 6 foot tall and weigh a ton. I ain’t moving.
When I got back from the W.A.S.P shows on the Helldorado tour, I had bruises all over my body. I was green, yellow, purple, black, blue….. At every show there was “one of those” types trying to get me to move. Over my dead body! And well, it wasn’t far from it! :)
[Carries on playing, like a boss…]
Another annoying thing, while I’m at it, is people who are trying to tell you what rock’n’roll is. I’m sorry, but I feel that at this point in my life, I certainly don’t need some little dweeb telling ME what rock’n’roll is!
Like pretty recently, when H.E.A.T played in Malmo, I was in the front taking pics, filming a bit, minding my own business. Suddenly somebody behind me started pulling my hair (wtf?!?!).
When I turned around, there was some chick with a bad “trendy” haircut, glasses and a ruffled blouse (!) yelling: “Come on! Dance! It’s rock’n’roll”.
Oh please. That wasn’t even worth a response. Some chick who is at her first concert this year, is trying to educate me in what to do at a concert?! I overheard her yelling to her friend with her screechy annoying voice “why are they in the front?”. BECAUSE WE GOT HERE BEFORE YOU, bitch!
Nobody was stopping miss Ruffle to get in the front row, stop whining.
[“You just fuckin’ pushed my grump-button!”]
Besides, what people do at a show is nobody’s business, as long as they aren’t hurting anyone else. I was a bit surprised at Bruce Dickinson’s reaction to some fan in the crowd who was texting throughout the whole gig. I mean, yeah okay, might not be overly “rock’n’roll” but the dude paid for his ticket!
Even if he wants to go in there and take a fucking NAP it’s still his business. Paying for a concert ticket doesn’t mean that you are obliged to act a certain way. Again – do whatever you want as long as you’re not bothering somebody else. Pretty much the same rules that apply outside a concert arena.
[“Oh, for fuck’s sake, the man the white shirt, you’ve been texting for the last fucking three songs! You’re a wanker!”]
I’ve been asked a few times how I can experience a show “properly” if I’m standing with a camera in my hands. Well, first of all, I see the show even BETTER through the camera because I can zoom up close with it – kind of like using binoculars at the opera.
Secondly, if I like a band, I want good footage of them as it’s a PR-thing for the band as well to have good quality videos on YouTube as opposed to the awful, crappy cellphone versions with bad audio. Thirdly, I can always go back and re-live my memories anytime I want by watching those videos.
Also, it depends what kind of band it is. If it’s AC/DC it’s just a party and I might want to jump and go wild for a few songs and THEN do the photo-thing. Other bands are more the kind where I’m STUDYING and listening carefully. It’s nedy but after thousands of shows, you just get a little less nuts at gigs, as you’ve seen so much already.
It’s harder to get the same kind of kicks that you did back when you were a teen. I experience live gigs differently. Firewind for instance, that I’ve seen a million times now – I still find little bits and pieces in their music that I haven’t noticed before and it’s just a cool feeling to “suddenly” discover that eventhough you’ve heard the songs so many times before.
Live and let live. Go to shows, get wild, have a good time, sing along, do your headbanging or your jumping, whatever makes you feel good – or be a nerd and be just a spectator (even if you want to text people or update your Twitter or Facebook-status during the show) go the fuck ahead! It’s 2013 and the rules for how to behave at a rock concert have changed. And if you’re one of those “complimentary assholes”, you’re only going to get what you deserve….!
Steve Harris’ British Lion @ KB, Malmö
Steve Harris’ British Lion visited Malmö last night. I’m guessing they arrived the day before – I passed the club KB (Kulturbolaget) on my way home from work and saw the usual “Beat The Street” buses outside. So, their day off was possibly spent in ice-cold Sweden. What a drag. :)
Met up with my friends Mari and Henrik outside KB pretty early, basically cause I didn’t want to go home and get all drowsy – it’s better hang outside the club and yap a bit until the doors open. And you never know with these things – there could either be two people in line – or there would be one of those “around the block“-type of lines.
For the record – it was NOT the latter….
It was embarrassing to see the lack of people. It was cold as fuck and it was a freaking Tuesday, but if there is ANY rock’n’roll in people, they should have been there when they got this once in a lifetime opportunity to see the godfather of metal bassists, a living legend, STEVE HARRIS – IN A SMALL CLUB IN MALMOE. That’s never going to happen again. How anyone would want to miss that is beyond me. I’m guilty of almost bailing myself, until it dawned on me what I would be missing.
It’s a bit fashionable right now to dislike what Steve does outside of Maiden with British Lion. Nobody dares to say that they like anything about his new project, but honestly… it’s definitely not that bad.
I think that the problem is pretty much what Gary Moore experienced when he tried something very different from what he was known for. Critics loved “Still Got The Blues” – fans absolutely hated it. Metalheads don’t like change. It’s like you’re a traitor, like you’re leaving your group, the place where you belong.
And the problem is to “reprogram” yourself to think of Steve Harris as a brilliant musician who can and wants to do something different, something that doesn’t sound like Iron Maiden. But it’s hard. The man IS Iron Maiden, so I totally understand why he’s having a tough time winning people over.
I’ve always been more of a Priest-fan anyway, I’m not the typical Maidenhead. So, unlike many others (maybe) I went to the gig with an open mind, not expecting anything at all.
I was just curious what he would do with this new thing and on a small club stage. The scenario was just weird – I’ve only seen Steve on the greatest stages of the world, never anywhere remotely as small as this.
I didn’t know the songs, I didn’t know the band, I didn’t know anything – and sometimes I actually want it that way. You tend to experience stuff differently when you are just there as a curious spectator with no expectations whatsoever.
And I have to say – I don’t care how much shit Steve has had to take from reviewers and fans, British Lion put on a great show. I had a freaking great time and I loved seeing the band just playing because they enjoyed it, totally unpretentious, regardless what anyone thinks.
The songs? I think that if this had been performed by a new, unknown “rock band” and not Steve Harris & co, it would have been easier for people to take it for what it is, and appreciate it. Cause the songs were not THAT horrible. My god, I’ve read so much crap online since he released this album, and the only Swedish review I’ve read today pretty much pissed on it as well, but I truly believe it’s mostly a matter of psychology.
I was in the front row, because I wanted to experience Steve Harris doing his thing up close when I had this unique chance. I don’t regret it for one second, and the band gave it their best – I don’t know if you’re missing those small details if you’re way in the back (eye contact and seeing the slighest change in their facial expression) but the point is – they managed to entertain me eventhough I hadn’t heard the songs before. And as we all know, that’s not an easy thing to do.
I very well know I’m going totally against the stream here, but …sometimes somebody has to.
It wasn’t Iron Maiden, but I wasn’t there to see Iron Maiden (I’m seeing Maiden this summer, so I’ll get my fair share of Run to the hills in a few months anyway…) I was there to see something different and I did.
Happy belated birthday mr Harris and thank you guys for a good evening at KB!
BAD BLOOD (opening) NIGHT with Crucified Barbara
A new rock club in town opened last night – Bad Blood Night. On stage: Godass and Crucified Barbara. As it was the international women’s day the day before, that was the theme of the evening – rocking, wild, headbanging women!
Quite honestly, I wasn’t in the mood to go out at all. It was cold as fuck too so I would have just wanted to stay at home and work on an article.
But when somebody makes an effort to keep the live music scene alive, I’m sure as hell dragging my ass over there to support it!
Besides, Crucified Barbara is a kickass live band. Might not be my type of band to listen to at home – but LIVE they put on quite a show and rock people’s butts off! :)
Spoke to Pontus, the promotor of the Swedish metal convention, earlier in the evening and he was going to the premiere too. The only difference was that he WAS in a party mood so I was probably the worst person to deal with as I just pretty much wanted to see the gigs and leave. :)
Anyhoo…. Going to rock clubs in my home town means that get to see many familiar faces – people who I’ve seen hanging in the bar, holding on to their beer, for the past 20 years, people who know who I am, who I have no idea who they are – or people that I HAVE met, but don’t recognize. That’s quite embarrassing actually. I’m so bad with names and faces, I just don’t remember.
It’s not that I’m a stuck up bitch for not remembering people, it’s just something I’ve always had a problem with. So a lot of times I don’t know if I’m supposed to know the person who so happily greets me, or not.
With a few exceptions of course.
The club was at Moriskan, centrally located, in the “Mirror hall”. Pretty good stage for a small club too. When I walked in, Godass were onstage. I think I’ve seen them before but I don’t remember where. Good band – it’s good when someone who doesn’t know the band’s songs still wants to stick around and see their whole set. :)
After a short changeover, it was time for the kickass girls of Crucified Barbara to take over the stage. You get the “One-two-three-FOUR!!” and GO!-type of show with that band. A few guys who had just walked in, asked me before the show who was playing, and when I told them that they sounded kinda like Motorhead they stayed. I saw them briefly after the show – they loved it! :)
My paths have crossed with Crucified Barbara a few times. They toured with Jon Oliva’s Pain, then me and a photographer from Sweden Rock Magazine followed the band the whole day for a long “hour by hour” report when they were recording a TV-show. It was a long day but these girls are fun to be around.
Singer/guitarist Mia also showed up at my birthday-bash a couple of years ago. And guitarist Klara Force and I were both DJ’s one evening at Club Distortion. It’s just the type of band that shows up when you least expect it. :)
The crowd loved them, some of them even worshipped them. I’d call it a successful gig, for sure!
And the music that was playing from the DJ booth was great too, cause they didn’t play the most obvious songs from the bigger bands – but well known, yet “obscure” songs. I like that.
I’m sure that it was a great club evening after the gig, but I didn’t stay to find out. I was just so tired and wanted to just call it a night…
The band Grand Slam‘s Ivana had been standing there in the front right next to me, and she went: “You’re like a ghost, you show up somewhere when you least expect it!”
In a way, I guess she’s right. :) I don’t go out too much in Malmo anymore, just focusing on travelling out of the country for gigs most of the time.
The last thing I heard before I left was a guy who walked up to me and asked if I was Daniela P from such-and-such newspaper, and I said yes. He fucking STILL remembered a review I once wrote about Black Sabbath (w. Tony Martin) in Copenhagen 1989!! Holy shit.
I rushed out the door after the show like Cinderella, and thank god I did. I was so tired that I passed out on the couch with makeup on, the TV, lights and computer on… Woke up this morning looking like Alice Cooper with that horrible “I didn’t get to brush my teeth last night“-feeling. The worst! Yuck.
I liked the vibe, if people support this club it will be great. A club without live music is not interesting to me. But as soon as there is a band – I’m there!
Looking forward to next time, it’s about time, Malmo needs more gigs..!
IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR 