Yeah, pretty much, though sometimes even loud gigs have quiet moments, and not all artists who play acoustically invoke a humorless po-faced atmosphere, theres no hard and fast rules, it just requires a bit of basic cop on and consideration, which some people lack, but you get that in all aspects of life, like people who park in disabled spaces or shout into their mobiles on public transport.

or fart on packed trains

I was at Sigor Ros' first Irish gig in the Music Centre - at the time, they'd an additional small bar in the same room as the stage & the volume was so low, you could hear people ordering drinks & the "ka-ching" of the cash register, even during the louder moments... my self & my brother were commenting on this fact, when the dude in front of me turned round & "shushed" us. I was NOT impressed.. I mean, there's incessant annoying chatting (which can be really annoying), but to expect people to not talk AT ALL during a gig is ridiculous.

Anyhow, the bro recognised him as the bass player from Red Neck Minifesto, so we started talking about his band - well slagging them off - until he moved off to another spot.. as Aidan put it, the "the over-serious, reverential, Mass-like ones" can be worse than the chatters.

(I wouldn't have minded so much, only the band's performance, though it was OK in general , was ruined by the drummer who - though he's improved these days - couldn't keep a beat & kept tryin the most ridiculously overcomplicated rolls which he f**ked up every single time).

It's essentially about manners as some have said and as an incidental character on The Simpson's once said "some people are just assholes."

On a completely extreme end of the scale a mate of mine went to see Bonnie Prince Billy in Vicar St. ages and ages ago. He was driving and wasn't drinking. He bought a 7-Up, poured it into his glass back at this seat and the amount of scorpy looks and "ssshhhs" he got was mental. That's f**ked up.

Jesus, extreme end of the scale indeed.That's Seriously f**ked up. That wouldn't annoy me in the slightest. In fact, people speaking between songs is fine also as long as they shut the f**k up once the next song starts. Even the odd heckle - once it's genuinely funny and/or original (sadly, very rare in this country)- is ok too. The problem is the groups of idiots having conversations throughout the gig who are completely oblivious to the music. I found this on an NME.com article with fans giving feedback of the first Radiohead gig of the world tour in Florida. Looks like gig-chatter is not just an Irish thing.....



''Blogger Richard Rap was more conservative in his assessment of the show, however. "For an opening night, it was a very good set," he wrote. "Pacing needs a little reconsideration, however, with a disproportionate number of slower, quieter songs bunched together in the middle. But the sonics were very good considering the venue and the light show was cool, too.

"The beer-swilling audience talked throughout the set, and in the quieter portions of the show the babble was overpowering," he continued. "I'm an old fart, but I don't get it - it's one thing to make occasional comments but it's another to have an ongoing conversation during the performance."

http://www.nme.com/news/radiohead/36442


I don't get it either, Richard.

Definately.. There is a happy medium! It doesn't have to be a choice between either an oppressive Mass-like atmophere of reverential silence on one hand (which nobody should expect or desire at a rock/pop event), and between incessant high-volume chatter throughout the entire gig, oblivious to how much you're ruining somebody elses' evening. If you really have to keep up a conversation the whole way through the show, it's possible to do it in a considerate way.

Video camera phones are up there too. Take a picture, if you must, not a video.
Absolute idocy.
No Excuses.
I will soon starting throwing them skyward, I can handle being punched if it means starting a trend that damages personal property that will end a trend that ruins gigs.

Whats wrong with video phones? I never bother with them, but what's the problem?

how do they ruin gigs? is it not the same as bootleg recording years ago no?

Was at the Mark Knopfler gig last night and I seriously gotta wonder about people who would pay €55 to see one of modern rock's greatest guitarists and then proceed to talk while he's soloing.

Similarly, when Lou Barlow was playing his acoustic set at the Dinosaur Jr. gig the other week he finished one song and as the applause died down noted with amusement, "Now you're not talking".

It's almost as if people want to talk about the good time they're having rather than actually have it. Same goes for the video camera brigade; they want to record the experience rather than experience the experience.

I seriously gotta wonder about people who would pay to see Mark Knopfler.

Gee, I guess we can't all be as edgy as you starbelgrade.

Next time I'm at a gig I'll try kicking the sh*t out of someone, I promise.

You missed your chance at the Knopfler gig... old men are easy targets!

Aye, but he had a whole security team with him.

Don't worry though. Next time Linkin Park are touring I'll give those emo kids something to blog about.

LOL!

I totally agree with you. Was at a band comp not so long ago with various acts preforming and it completly bugged me, when 1 act finished all their possie just blabbed on talking s**t while other acts were trying to preform.now the other acts were s**t but thats not the point, ignorience i tell ya. and for kickin some poor young fella in the head " while we were ultra cool down at the sound desk" that s**ts not cool

you have a s**t average of 3 per post, hope you havent peaked too early

PQ

This one time, at band camp, I stuck a flute in my pussy.

Though I must clarify that despite the perception brought about by American Pie, that not all band camps are merely staging grounds for sexual activity.

Typical band camp activities may include: Marching, standing in the hot sun for hours, getting eaten alive by bugs, marching, playing instruments, getting weird tan lines, marching, choking down partially edible food, coming up with strange inside jokes nobody outside of band will ever understand, getting soaked, getting lost in nearby woods at night, sleeping, pulling off pranks, and oh yeah, more marching.