Gig Motivation

[ace_jase]

After the last weekend and seeing a few gigs, reading the forum in regard to crowd surfers etc, as well as having a weird interest in human behaviour and response. I now pose the question, what is your motivation to go to a gig?

Last thursday night, I went to see Something For Kate out Frankston way (a suburb with a dodge reputation for those of you not from Melbourne). I think there actually a pretty good live band and play some good songs, but can understand how some people are bored by them. Anywho, I stood behind a guy all night who seemed obsessed with capturing the gig by camera. Not pro level or anything, just a normal digi camera. That captured 100s of photos any many videos across the night. This guy would have watched more of the gig through the view finder, than normally. Not once did the poor guy even have time to applaud the band, far too busy holding the camera.

So that leads me to the many kinds of people who go to see gigs.

The Memory Capturer
The kind of people thats memory of a gig lies in the photo they take, or the video clip they captured.

The PissPot
Some people tend to think going to see a band is all about getting tanked, why not go to a pub with cheaps drinks and a good pool table.

The BecauseItsCool
Weve all seen them at recent living end concerts, those who seem to attend cause its cool at the moment. They were there at Simple Plan, and now theve moved on.

The Obscure Song Fan
That annoying guy who constantly screams for the band to play the obscure B side demo accoustic cover song. Despite the fact they call it out between every song, the band cant hear, nor will they play it.

The Smartass
After the first chord, there telling all their mates what song it is. What i love most is when there wrong.

The Music Fan
The kind of person that would love to sit down and watch and hear a band in all their glory. Who could watch a band stand motionless, and still be in awe be there 5 or 5000 other people in the audience.



I guess im much of a music fan, i dont see the point of getting all wankerish, just enjoy the band while you have the chance, yet enjoy feeding off the other people around. I also love being able to hear a song and think to myself f**k yeah i know what that is. Too me thats one of those things that makes you a fan.

Which fans of the above or (other stereotypical fans), do you love/hate/are/want to be?
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[Caity]

I consider myself, going by your descriptions, The Music Fan who also likes to take photos occasionally :p but not enough that I miss the band.
I take a few at the start, a few at the end, a few if something awesome is happening, and then put the camera away in order to enjoy it.

[cdejonge]

I'm pretty much with ace_jase, except I saw Simple Plan twice last year because I actually like them, not just following crowd *embarrassed*

I guess with some Memory Capturers, they may have seen the band many times before or doing it as a job. But I agree, I prefer to watch. I used to take photos a bit, but my camera is basic so I only bother at outdoor gigs now. And then you have to worry when they get the hose out on the crowd!

I particulalry hate The PissPot. ace_jase summed up why perfectly.

I'm sometimes like The Obscure Song Fan, because I love to hear old songs that not all the crowd may know.

[Aaron]

Nice thread, but you might want to edit the choices to make it seem less biased, so we actually have people owning up truthfully :p

Lately I've been the music fan. I went through a stage of being the memory capturer, but then I lost my camera at Homebake :rolleyes:. The obscure songs are always good to hear, and I'll barrack for them when it seems like it'll be effective (at small shows for encores, on the forums). The smartarse is a little harsh a description - haven't we all had a playful wager with mates as to who thinks the next song is going to be X?

I like jumping up and down in the mosh, but despise the violent jerks who ruin the atmoshere of common enjoyment. There's something cathartic about throwing your body around to the beat of the music, grinning like an idiot, and knowing that everybody is doing the same, and doesn't care how stupid it would seem in isolation. :)

[ace_jase]

was more thinking of Green Day, but I decided Simple Plan would also do.

reading your posts mate, im thinking you wanna hear FHOI, however do you think that if you keep on calling it out, the band will just change the set list and play it?
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[alkaline-kiwi]

I guess some people would see me as the Memory Capturer as I do take a lot of photos at concerts but I'm not there just to take a photo and I don't look through the viewfinder, just the display.
I put the camera in my pocket once I've finished taking photos.

Oh and there's also the 'Angry Bring It On' person who will try to pick a fight with you if you acciedntly bump into them. Usually kinda drunk.

[cdejonge]

I like jumping up and down in the mosh, but despise the violent jerks who ruin the atmoshere of common enjoyment. There's something cathartic about throwing your body around to the beat of the music, grinning like an idiot, and knowing that everybody is doing the same, and doesn't care how stupid it would seem in isolation. :)Agreed. People who know me will know that I rarely relax and enjoy myself. When I'm jumping around to bands like Green Day, The Living End or Unwritten Law, I can find a little world that suits me.

[cdejonge]

reading your posts mate, im thinking you wanna hear FHOI, however do you think that if you keep on calling it out, the band will just change the set list and play it?Yeah, I meant requesting it before the gig. I know during the gig, the setlist is already set. I have yelled out "Play Monday!" a few times however ...

[ace_jase]

I guess the intention of the thread, was to promote discussion, about going to gigs etc. The intention wasnt to make it seem like negatives, but they were the stereotypes that first came to mind.

Others could be:
The fan since 19XX, before they were famous

I too love being a smartarse, something strangely satifying with hearing that first intro bit to Prisoner and knowing its coming, then waiting another 30 seconds and watching the entire crowd go nuts.
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[Marv From NZ]

Totally. It depends what mood i'm in aye. If i'm really into the vibe of the gig, then i'll be fully moshing and dancing while in regards to others safety, because i've been to a shit load of gigs in my time and i've seen some stupid xHARDCOREx people bodyslam and intentionally hurt smaller people, just because they're APARENTLY tough i.e Circlepits and Deathpits. If i'm feeling chilaxed, then i'll be the observer on the sides, wooing the band on. That's basically me. One or the other.

[cdejonge]

I too love being a smartarse, something strangely satifying with hearing that first intro bit to Prisoner and knowing its coming, then waiting another 30 seconds and watching the entire crowd go nuts.I love that too. On Friday night when the Intro started, my friend turned to me and said "Prisoner" and I nodded. :D

[Kylie eats dugong for tea]

im the smartarse at TLE gigs, but mainly with the little extra bits they put into songs, I've memorised them all which is kind of dissapointing, they probably need changing. I groan at the POS one because I hate that song.

Anyway, I mostly go to local gigs and most people are awesome there anyway. Some of them are pisspots but the good kind.

[mel_bound]

I guess I'd be a 'music fan'.. sometimes during the recent TLE gigs I found myself not waving or screaming or doing anything, while everyone around me was going mental. It only happened a few times, I was screaming heaps too.. but just listening to the band rather than yourself screaming is so good.

I do have a hint of smartarse though :p

[Crystal]

just a hint? :p

yeah, i'd say i'm a 'music fan'... mainly because i dont think i fit into the other categories...haha and i'm not really the type who goes crazy. well generally i'm not... i tend to let those around me do that :D

[alkaline-kiwi]

Here's my list of concert goers (very stereotyped and tongue-in-cheek like) that I've encountered from all ages gigs in my town.

The girls with fairy wings and halos I encountered a few of these at rockquest this year and my first thought was 'Huh?'. Yeah I can understand wanting to dress up but I think a rock concert isn't exactly where you'd expect to see people dressed as angels. Plus the halos kinda got in the way of some of my photos so there'd be a white fuzzy thing in the corner of the photo.

The Goth/Punk/Emo whatever girls (and sometimes guys) All in black with spiked jewellery and panda makeup and sometimes a tie. Actually a lot of the people I am sorta friends with at these all ages shows fit into this catergory. I once got hooked up against one of their mesh type shirts.

The Freebie Free-For-All Now at Rockquest the MC has lots of merch etc to give away and the kids go fucking nuts for it. I remember one year a guy got kicked in the throat during a mad grab for a tshirt. I try and stay out of their way, I'm not aggressive enough in my dive for the prizes plus most of the clothes wouldn't fit me

The Really Young - The primary school kids who I'm afraid I might accidently step on. They're kinda cute I wish I was into gigs at their age. What's worse is their aggro parents who threaten the older kids with violence if they even so much as bump their pride and joy.

The Aggro Drunks - Mostly guys but sometimes girls these are the ones who will charge into you and laugh when you fall down. Or run up and punch you in the back.

The Smoochy Couple - Have their arms around each other, staring into each others eyes and sometimes making out while people mosh around them or stare.

The Worshipper - OK I only encounter them at the gigs at the Trinity Centre (Church Hall) but they're the ones who close their eyes, reach up to the heavens and sing. I look around and see that I'm in the minority that isn't.

The Screamers - Screaming, shreiking, crying. Only happens with the really popular bands that tour here.

The Perves - The ones who oggle up who they think is the best looking person in the band and beg me to take close up photos of them. Often the same ones who will try and give a band member their phone number etc

Yeah I can think of plenty more. And remember this is just me being a dick and I've got plenty of complimentry things to say about the kids who go to gigs here in Greymouth.

[cdejonge]

haha, that was entertaining to read and very true alkaline-kiwi.

[Aaron]

The Screaming Tween needs to be added to the category list :p

[EDIT: ...or I could totally fail to notice Alkaline Kiwi's entire post. Wups.]

[ace_jase]

Thats hilarious alkaline-kiwi

How did i miss all of those
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[alkaline-kiwi]

Thanks. I thought people might of misinterpreted my list as me being a bitch but it was meant in good fun.
I've thought of a couple more too

The Girls Drunk on Alco-pop type drinks - The girls who gathered at one place before the gig and drank their fave RTDs that their parents/older siblings/their older friends had bought for them. Often end up staggering around and puking on the floor/in the toilets or crying about something that got blown out of proportion.

The Texter - The person you see standing around, sometimes in the mosh (and they get aggrivated if you knock them) who are constal\ntly texting throughout the gig.

[alkaline-kiwi]

My family thinks I'm obsessed with a lot of things. Mum doesn't even bother asking me about music stuff anymore coz I could talk forever about it.

[*M!]

wow - can you be multiple?

i'm a cross between the smartarse (we've all done it) the screamer, the worshipper (rare but does occasionally get pulled out for special moment - i often feel like i need a lighter in my hand to fully get into this) and of course, the music fan!

ahhh...

this is a fun thread!

*M!

[graverobbin'bastard]

I'm the music fan I go see a band and I just stand there and watch and listen. I try to take some pictures though to have to look back at. I just love seeing the band on stage enjoying themselves and feeling the energy of a live gig and with the living end in particular all the little tihngs that change from recorded versions of songs like intros and shit

[Disease]

I'm the music fan. I don't do photos. I like to be up the front if it's not too dangerous. I hate being pushed around.

[NowhereTown]

Im mostly a music fan BUT i do take a few photos during the show. Mainly at the start.

on to add to the list could be the gropers- basicly guys who think concerts are a great chance to get into a mosh and try and feel up chicks.

[Steph Format]

not gonna lie, I'm more inspired to be a 'memory capturer' when there's hot dudes in the band :p

[Julian]

I don't do photos for that exact reason. I always know someone reliable like Glenn will end up posting some here anyway so I just have fun and don't bring anything to worry about. I don't fit into one of those categories fully but i'm in a few at times.

[Caity]

Considering I'm the only one on here nowadays in Cairns, I like taking photos because there ain't much of a chance of getting them otherwise :p

[ace_jase]

I dont mean that taking photos is bad, just commenting on those who watch most of the gig in the viewfinder
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[hillaas]

I'ma music fan althought i dod take photos during the first few songs. I also take 1 or 2 videos if there is one songg that i have been hanging out to hear for the last few weeks. I'm not the 'Smartarse" but i do get a bit of a buzz when i can pick the song before they play it or a bar in etc. and i don't think thats a bad thing because recognising a song by a band that you pay to see is a good thing usually.

[Thommo]

I am definatly the photographer. I mean i goto a gig a week and prob 90% of them i am taking photos.

Also shooting the living end in canberra :P

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[Caity]

After the other night, I have to say a I'm a bit of everything.

I texted - to find out where my mates were in the gig.
I used my phone to call James so he could hear.
I took photos.
I screamed and yelled (no crying though!)
I picked POS, E-boogie and ATD before anyone else.
I stood back and just enjoyed it.


So what does that make me? :p

[Erin]

an all rounder :D

[Caity]

New category!

All Rounder:
Goes to a gig with the sole intention of not only having a great time, but milking every second for what it's worth.
Will most likely take a few photos to remember the night by, as well as ringing a few mates to let them share the moment. Potentially will get separated from friends and will text in order to reunite.
Makes friends with people around them, loves sharing the spirit.
Overall, doesn't care what people think of them, just goes along to enjoy!

[Erin]

ooooooooooohh yeah :D

[*M!]

you didn't mention anything about picking songs before anyone else! :p

All Rounder (also known as the Caity Method)

nice!

:p

*M!

[Erin]

yay i knda contributed :D