The gert big music thread

Jezyboy

TheBigBean said:

Jezyboy said:

kingstongraham said:

TheBigBean said:

Red Hot Chili Peppers have been in gradual decline since the 80s.

I'm more surprised that Def Leppard are playing Wembley Stadium.

I don't think they sold that many tickets...

Re the popularity of older bands, I'd guess for many blur fans (to pick an example) a lot missed them the first time around, and for many others nostalgia is extremely powerful.

I do completely get this and many retired sports stars top up their income in senior events. I just don't understand why the group of people is greater than when the performers were in their prime.

I'd guess in music you only know who is in their prime retrospectively.

TheBigBean

Pross said:

TheBigBean said:

Jezyboy said:

kingstongraham said:

TheBigBean said:

Red Hot Chili Peppers have been in gradual decline since the 80s.

I'm more surprised that Def Leppard are playing Wembley Stadium.

I don't think they sold that many tickets...

Re the popularity of older bands, I'd guess for many blur fans (to pick an example) a lot missed them the first time around, and for many others nostalgia is extremely powerful.

I do completely get this and many retired sports stars top up their income in senior events. I just don't understand why the group of people is greater than when the performers were in their prime.

More disposable income to spend on tickets to gigs? Also, gigs were less popular than recorded music back then whereas now it's all about the event. Stadium gigs where the preserve of the very biggest artists in the world in the 80s / 90s whereas now moderately successful acts will perform at a few stadia and the big bands do multiple nights at several venues. The whole experience is different too, what I thought at the time was a great stage show by Metallica on the Damaged Justice tour in 1988 was very Spinal Tap compared to the gig at the Eithiad in 2019.

Can you translate this for me? Are you saying a better show is put on now?

TheBigBean

Jezyboy said:

TheBigBean said:

Jezyboy said:

kingstongraham said:

TheBigBean said:

Red Hot Chili Peppers have been in gradual decline since the 80s.

I'm more surprised that Def Leppard are playing Wembley Stadium.

I don't think they sold that many tickets...

Re the popularity of older bands, I'd guess for many blur fans (to pick an example) a lot missed them the first time around, and for many others nostalgia is extremely powerful.

I do completely get this and many retired sports stars top up their income in senior events. I just don't understand why the group of people is greater than when the performers were in their prime.

I'd guess in music you only know who is in their prime retrospectively.

Do you think Blur are in their prime?

Pross

TheBigBean said:

Pross said:

TheBigBean said:

Jezyboy said:

kingstongraham said:

TheBigBean said:

Red Hot Chili Peppers have been in gradual decline since the 80s.

I'm more surprised that Def Leppard are playing Wembley Stadium.

I don't think they sold that many tickets...

Re the popularity of older bands, I'd guess for many blur fans (to pick an example) a lot missed them the first time around, and for many others nostalgia is extremely powerful.

I do completely get this and many retired sports stars top up their income in senior events. I just don't understand why the group of people is greater than when the performers were in their prime.

More disposable income to spend on tickets to gigs? Also, gigs were less popular than recorded music back then whereas now it's all about the event. Stadium gigs where the preserve of the very biggest artists in the world in the 80s / 90s whereas now moderately successful acts will perform at a few stadia and the big bands do multiple nights at several venues. The whole experience is different too, what I thought at the time was a great stage show by Metallica on the Damaged Justice tour in 1988 was very Spinal Tap compared to the gig at the Eithiad in 2019.

Can you translate this for me? Are you saying a better show is put on now?

More that concerts are different. People used to pay a relatively small amount to watch the bands they like perform songs in a fairly small venue. Now people expect more than just the music, they want the fireworks and light shows which in turn lead to the need for large, open venues and higher ticket prices. Half the time I get the feeling they aren't even that interested in the music and possibly don't even like the band that much they just want to say they were there. The same seems to be true of sport to an extent, everyone wants a ticket to the big events even if they show little interest in the sport on a weekly basis.

Jezyboy

TheBigBean said:

Jezyboy said:

TheBigBean said:

Jezyboy said:

kingstongraham said:

TheBigBean said:

Red Hot Chili Peppers have been in gradual decline since the 80s.

I'm more surprised that Def Leppard are playing Wembley Stadium.

I don't think they sold that many tickets...

Re the popularity of older bands, I'd guess for many blur fans (to pick an example) a lot missed them the first time around, and for many others nostalgia is extremely powerful.

I do completely get this and many retired sports stars top up their income in senior events. I just don't understand why the group of people is greater than when the performers were in their prime.

I'd guess in music you only know who is in their prime retrospectively.

Do you think Blur are in their prime?

Is there anyone currently performing who you would definitely identify as in their prime?

I kind of feel like the nature of music is such that (for lots of groups) their prime will be before the stage that they are selling out stadiums.

Thinking back to "important" bands from my youth, Slipknot possibly hit their prime around their third album, but weren't "big" enough to get the headline slot at the heavy rock festivals at Donnington until a few years past that.

The Darkness are probably the only band I can think of that managed to align their prime and their biggest tours, but everyone will consider them a joke band.

photonic69

Saw Blur at Bristol Bierkeller in June 1991. Right up close to the stage. Probably 100 people there.
I was less than impressed.

kingstongraham

photonic69 said:

Saw Blur at Bristol Bierkeller in June 1991. Right up close to the stage. Probably 100 people there.
I was less than impressed.

Only one song from that vintage makes it onto this year's set list.

TheBigBean

Pross said:

TheBigBean said:

Pross said:

TheBigBean said:

Jezyboy said:

kingstongraham said:

TheBigBean said:

Red Hot Chili Peppers have been in gradual decline since the 80s.

I'm more surprised that Def Leppard are playing Wembley Stadium.

I don't think they sold that many tickets...

Re the popularity of older bands, I'd guess for many blur fans (to pick an example) a lot missed them the first time around, and for many others nostalgia is extremely powerful.

I do completely get this and many retired sports stars top up their income in senior events. I just don't understand why the group of people is greater than when the performers were in their prime.

More disposable income to spend on tickets to gigs? Also, gigs were less popular than recorded music back then whereas now it's all about the event. Stadium gigs where the preserve of the very biggest artists in the world in the 80s / 90s whereas now moderately successful acts will perform at a few stadia and the big bands do multiple nights at several venues. The whole experience is different too, what I thought at the time was a great stage show by Metallica on the Damaged Justice tour in 1988 was very Spinal Tap compared to the gig at the Eithiad in 2019.

Can you translate this for me? Are you saying a better show is put on now?

More that concerts are different. People used to pay a relatively small amount to watch the bands they like perform songs in a fairly small venue. Now people expect more than just the music, they want the fireworks and light shows which in turn lead to the need for large, open venues and higher ticket prices. Half the time I get the feeling they aren't even that interested in the music and possibly don't even like the band that much they just want to say they were there. The same seems to be true of sport to an extent, everyone wants a ticket to the big events even if they show little interest in the sport on a weekly basis.

Thanks for the explanation. More musical fomo now perhaps.

pblakeney

I've always despised stadium gigs, even the big name tours I went to in order to prove my point to myself. It is the only way to see some acts but give me a small venue any day.

morstar

I think the big gigs have many driving factors.

Some mentioned already but also more economical to do 3-5 stadium gigs than 10 or 12 arena gigs.

Tours are shorter. Bands used to be on the road for a year or more on a world tour whereas most don’t want to do that anymore.

As for who’s in their prime right now. As predominantly men of a certain age, who on earth are we to judge that? Most of what we discuss is old music.

In the last week I have seen James (30 years past prime), Springsteen (Most of the set was 35+ years old) and two door cinema club.

The latter being the only one likely to be near their prime.

rick_chasey

morstar said:

I think the big gigs have many driving factors.

Some mentioned already but also more economical to do 3-5 stadium gigs than 10 or 12 arena gigs.

Tours are shorter. Bands used to be on the road for a year or more on a world tour whereas most don’t want to do that anymore.

As for who’s in their prime right now. As predominantly men of a certain age, who on earth are we to judge that? Most of what we discuss is old music.

In the last week I have seen James (30 years past prime), Springsteen (Most of the set was 35+ years old) and two door cinema club.

The latter being the only one likely to be near their prime.

You say that, but most of the biggest Tours have been older stars. Even the ones in their "prime" have been at it a long time by now.

2022 in order of the highest grossing tours:

1) Bad Bunny (no me neither)
2) Elton John
3) Def Leppard & Motley Crew
4) Harry Styles
5) Kenny Chesney (Country Music, go figure)
6)The Weekend
7) Morgan Wallan (Country Music)
8) Garth Brooks (Country Music)
9) Red Hot Chili Peppers
10) Paul McCartney
11) Coldplay
12) Lady Gaga
13) Eagles
14) Grupo Firme
15) Karol G

So once you strip out the country music and the oldies, there really aren't that many left.

rick_chasey

FWIW, I think the cost of running gigs nowadays is just a lot higher and when before you would gig to generate interest in your stuff, you don't really need to do that anymore.

So you're gonna Tour to make money and then immediately ticket prices are higher (so you're not running it at a loss, which I think used to be the case, because you're generating interest), and then it's a different demographic who can afford it.

Either they're artists who the kids can pester into paying for, and so are usually family friendly (Styles, Swift, Adele, Ed Sheeran etc), or they're older bands who the older crowd can afford to pay.

pblakeney

Neatly summing up the death of quality innovative music.

TheBigBean

rick_chasey said:

morstar said:

I think the big gigs have many driving factors.

Some mentioned already but also more economical to do 3-5 stadium gigs than 10 or 12 arena gigs.

Tours are shorter. Bands used to be on the road for a year or more on a world tour whereas most don’t want to do that anymore.

As for who’s in their prime right now. As predominantly men of a certain age, who on earth are we to judge that? Most of what we discuss is old music.

In the last week I have seen James (30 years past prime), Springsteen (Most of the set was 35+ years old) and two door cinema club.

The latter being the only one likely to be near their prime.

You say that, but most of the biggest Tours have been older stars. Even the ones in their "prime" have been at it a long time by now.

2022 in order of the highest grossing tours:

1) Bad Bunny (no me neither)
2) Elton John
3) Def Leppard & Motley Crew
4) Harry Styles
5) Kenny Chesney (Country Music, go figure)
6)The Weekend
7) Morgan Wallan (Country Music)
8) Garth Brooks (Country Music)
9) Red Hot Chili Peppers
10) Paul McCartney
11) Coldplay
12) Lady Gaga
13) Eagles
14) Grupo Firme
15) Karol G

So once you strip out the country music and the oldies, there really aren't that many left.

Presumably BTS and Blackpink could feature if they bothered?

MidlandsGrimpeur2

FWIW, I think the cost of running gigs nowadays is just a lot higher and when before you would gig to generate interest in your stuff, you don't really need to do that anymore.

I was reading an article the other day which was highlighting this. Many emerging artists (and a fair few who are reasonably well established) were basically saying they cannot afford to tour anymore as they would operate a loss. There were some solo artists at Glastonbury that had to play to a backing track apparently, as they couldn't afford backing musicians.

As has been pointed out above, if you are a big name stadium filler then you are going to make money, anything below that is a risk. I have noticed bands that I would go and see that would normally do 8-10 shows on a UK tour now seem to do 3 or 4 nights and often at smaller venues.

I wonder if part of it is that people go to less gigs. I grew up in the Britpop era, bands would gig loads and tickets were cheap so you would go to a gig every month or so and pay £10-15 a ticket. I think a lot of people now tend to do the one big show a year and pay £80-100 for it. I guess it is supply and demand and changing habits amongst us 'consumers'.

rick_chasey

Also, with social meedja, a sh!t gig can really sink you. It'll be plastered all over tiktok before you've gone to bed.

Why risk it when you can get buzz a different way?

kingstongraham

rick_chasey said:

FWIW, I think the cost of running gigs nowadays is just a lot higher and when before you would gig to generate interest in your stuff, you don't really need to do that anymore.

So you're gonna Tour to make money and then immediately ticket prices are higher (so you're not running it at a loss, which I think used to be the case, because you're generating interest), and then it's a different demographic who can afford it.

Either they're artists who the kids can pester into paying for, and so are usually family friendly (Styles, Swift, Adele, Ed Sheeran etc), or they're older bands who the older crowd can afford to pay.

I think you are getting old if you think Ed Sheeran and Adele are for "the kids".

This year for non kiddie, non "heritage" acts in big spaces in London, there's Beyonce and The Weeknd at stadiums, Lana Del Rey in Hyde Park, The 1975 in Finsbury Park (and Jamie T, but he's probably into heritage territory now), boygenius at Gunnersbury Park.

rick_chasey

Oh for sure. They've all been at it a long time.

morstar

rick_chasey said:

morstar said:

I think the big gigs have many driving factors.

Some mentioned already but also more economical to do 3-5 stadium gigs than 10 or 12 arena gigs.

Tours are shorter. Bands used to be on the road for a year or more on a world tour whereas most don’t want to do that anymore.

As for who’s in their prime right now. As predominantly men of a certain age, who on earth are we to judge that? Most of what we discuss is old music.

In the last week I have seen James (30 years past prime), Springsteen (Most of the set was 35+ years old) and two door cinema club.

The latter being the only one likely to be near their prime.

You say that, but most of the biggest Tours have been older stars. Even the ones in their "prime" have been at it a long time by now.

2022 in order of the highest grossing tours:

1) Bad Bunny (no me neither)
2) Elton John
3) Def Leppard & Motley Crew
4) Harry Styles
5) Kenny Chesney (Country Music, go figure)
6)The Weekend
7) Morgan Wallan (Country Music)
8) Garth Brooks (Country Music)
9) Red Hot Chili Peppers
10) Paul McCartney
11) Coldplay
12) Lady Gaga
13) Eagles
14) Grupo Firme
15) Karol G

So once you strip out the country music and the oldies, there really aren't that many left.

I agree with what you say. Not sure how it counters what I said which was in relation to a band being in their prime.

You can’t sell out a stadium tour without being well established which in most cases means at least a 10 year career already.

By its very nature, the most impactful and original music will often have been created early in an artists career. Ergo, almost all big stadium tours will be artists past their prime as they can keep playing for years to come after the fountain of creativity has ceased.

Who’s in their prime right now and sells big stadiums. Probably Taylor Swift and Harry Styles. Even Beyoncé is old hat. Maybe Bad Bunny too if I had a clue what it is.

carbonclem

I went to Blur on Sunday night. I've seen them a few times, last time was on the 2012 gigs when we got lucky with warm up tickets for Wolverhampton Civic Hall and ended up almost at the stage edge. When these gigs were announced I didn't fancy it much, especially as standing was £100 up. I got the chance of half price tickets, so got them.
I was lucky, for me, with the line up on Sunday with support from Selecter and Weller - both childhood era musicians.
Anyway, Blur. Genuinely one of the best gigs I've been to. Great setlist, engaged and upbeat performance, very emotional from Damon and a decent crowd around us. Superb.

Pross

rick_chasey said:

morstar said:

I think the big gigs have many driving factors.

Some mentioned already but also more economical to do 3-5 stadium gigs than 10 or 12 arena gigs.

Tours are shorter. Bands used to be on the road for a year or more on a world tour whereas most don’t want to do that anymore.

As for who’s in their prime right now. As predominantly men of a certain age, who on earth are we to judge that? Most of what we discuss is old music.

In the last week I have seen James (30 years past prime), Springsteen (Most of the set was 35+ years old) and two door cinema club.

The latter being the only one likely to be near their prime.

You say that, but most of the biggest Tours have been older stars. Even the ones in their "prime" have been at it a long time by now.

2022 in order of the highest grossing tours:

1) Bad Bunny (no me neither)
2) Elton John
3) Def Leppard & Motley Crew
4) Harry Styles
5) Kenny Chesney (Country Music, go figure)
6)The Weekend
7) Morgan Wallan (Country Music)
8) Garth Brooks (Country Music)
9) Red Hot Chili Peppers
10) Paul McCartney
11) Coldplay
12) Lady Gaga
13) Eagles
14) Grupo Firme
15) Karol G

So once you strip out the country music and the oldies, there really aren't that many left.

Seems to contradict the photo posted on the previous page (which I was always a bit dubious of).

thegreatdivide

We got booked to play at Glastonbury three years running. I've done big festivals many times from crusty to corporate e.g. T In The Park. However the first Glastonbury really was a bit of an eye opener and a great gig. The second time was even better. However the third time the blinkers fell and I suddenly had an 'actually this is all too white and sh*t' epiphany and never wanted to go back again. My partner in crime did it for one final time. I went cycling.

Anyway, let's have a look at the most recently added ten tracks to my Spotify 'Liked Songs' folder:

The Home of Happy - This Is It
The Soul Searchers - Ashely's Roachclip
Pigeon - Infinity (Josh's Extended Disco Mix)
Bright & Findlay - Hello In The Dark (Standing)
The S.O.S Band - High Hopes
Olof Dreijer - Hybrid Fruit
Gabriels - Glory
Rock Steady Crew - (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew
Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 2lf
Shriekback - My Spine Is The Bassline

TheBigBean

morstar said:

Who’s in their prime right now and sells big stadiums.

As above, BTS and Blackpink fit that description.

I do recognise that there is a lag between finest music and peak popularity, but I feel like that lag should be a couple of years not decades.

kingstongraham

Pross said:

rick_chasey said:

morstar said:

I think the big gigs have many driving factors.

Some mentioned already but also more economical to do 3-5 stadium gigs than 10 or 12 arena gigs.

Tours are shorter. Bands used to be on the road for a year or more on a world tour whereas most don’t want to do that anymore.

As for who’s in their prime right now. As predominantly men of a certain age, who on earth are we to judge that? Most of what we discuss is old music.

In the last week I have seen James (30 years past prime), Springsteen (Most of the set was 35+ years old) and two door cinema club.

The latter being the only one likely to be near their prime.

You say that, but most of the biggest Tours have been older stars. Even the ones in their "prime" have been at it a long time by now.

2022 in order of the highest grossing tours:

1) Bad Bunny (no me neither)
2) Elton John
3) Def Leppard & Motley Crew
4) Harry Styles
5) Kenny Chesney (Country Music, go figure)
6)The Weekend
7) Morgan Wallan (Country Music)
8) Garth Brooks (Country Music)
9) Red Hot Chili Peppers
10) Paul McCartney
11) Coldplay
12) Lady Gaga
13) Eagles
14) Grupo Firme
15) Karol G

So once you strip out the country music and the oldies, there really aren't that many left.

Seems to contradict the photo posted on the previous page (which I was always a bit dubious of).

They had a really successful stadium tour together in the US.

Here's them on stage at Wembley. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqcmOkRnCtA

They put seats in there in front of the stage that make it look more full which is a weird decision - who's going in there to sit down? And imagine buying seats like the person who filmed that. What a weird view to get.

Pross

kingstongraham said:

Pross said:

rick_chasey said:

morstar said:

I think the big gigs have many driving factors.

Some mentioned already but also more economical to do 3-5 stadium gigs than 10 or 12 arena gigs.

Tours are shorter. Bands used to be on the road for a year or more on a world tour whereas most don’t want to do that anymore.

As for who’s in their prime right now. As predominantly men of a certain age, who on earth are we to judge that? Most of what we discuss is old music.

In the last week I have seen James (30 years past prime), Springsteen (Most of the set was 35+ years old) and two door cinema club.

The latter being the only one likely to be near their prime.

You say that, but most of the biggest Tours have been older stars. Even the ones in their "prime" have been at it a long time by now.

2022 in order of the highest grossing tours:

1) Bad Bunny (no me neither)
2) Elton John
3) Def Leppard & Motley Crew
4) Harry Styles
5) Kenny Chesney (Country Music, go figure)
6)The Weekend
7) Morgan Wallan (Country Music)
8) Garth Brooks (Country Music)
9) Red Hot Chili Peppers
10) Paul McCartney
11) Coldplay
12) Lady Gaga
13) Eagles
14) Grupo Firme
15) Karol G

So once you strip out the country music and the oldies, there really aren't that many left.

Seems to contradict the photo posted on the previous page (which I was always a bit dubious of).

They had a really successful stadium tour together in the US.

Here's them on stage at Wembley. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqcmOkRnCtA

They put seats in there in front of the stage that make it look more full which is a weird decision - who's going in there to sit down? And imagine buying seats like the person who filmed that. What a weird view to get.

Ah, the pitch area being seated gives more contect. I thought it all looked a bit regimented. I'm really surprised they didn't get more in though. Maybe down south isn't the right venue for a northern rock band, hard rock was always more of a working class area thing.

rick_chasey

thegreatdivide said:

We got booked to play at Glastonbury three years running. I've done big festivals many times from crusty to corporate e.g. T In The Park. However the first Glastonbury really was a bit of an eye opener and a great gig. The second time was even better. However the third time the blinkers fell and I suddenly had an 'actually this is all too white and sh*t' epiphany and never wanted to go back again. My partner in crime did it for one final time. I went cycling.

Anyway, let's have a look at the most recently added ten tracks to my Spotify 'Liked Songs' folder:

The Home of Happy - This Is It
The Soul Searchers - Ashely's Roachclip
Pigeon - Infinity (Josh's Extended Disco Mix)
Bright & Findlay - Hello In The Dark (Standing)
The S.O.S Band - High Hopes
Olof Dreijer - Hybrid Fruit
Gabriels - Glory
Rock Steady Crew - (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew
Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 2lf
Shriekback - My Spine Is The Bassline

Aphex Twin, woop woop.

photonic69

Getting into seeing more cover bands at the moment. There are some great ones out there. They play smaller, more intimate venues, are often better (vocally than some older fading lead singers), have more energy and are also still alive, which is a plus.
Next lot are Teenage Werewolves (a Cramps cover band) and She's In Bauhaus (title speaks for itself) at the Fleece in Brizzle. Should be a cracking gig.

laurentian

I think a big factor in "older" musicians touring and filling out venues, stadia, whatever is the fact that new fans are, quite literally, born every day.

To use Blur as an example, the people that liked them in the 90s are likely to go and see them but so are the twenty/thirtysomethings that have got into them since.

As well as the "current crop" my daughters are just as likely to go and see the bands that I regularly saw in the 80s, 90s, 2000s and I would crawl over broken glass for a chance to see for example Hendrix or The Doors even though I was only a few years old when they were in their pomp

pblakeney

Pross said:

rick_chasey said:

morstar said:

I think the big gigs have many driving factors.

Some mentioned already but also more economical to do 3-5 stadium gigs than 10 or 12 arena gigs.

Tours are shorter. Bands used to be on the road for a year or more on a world tour whereas most don’t want to do that anymore.

As for who’s in their prime right now. As predominantly men of a certain age, who on earth are we to judge that? Most of what we discuss is old music.

In the last week I have seen James (30 years past prime), Springsteen (Most of the set was 35+ years old) and two door cinema club.

The latter being the only one likely to be near their prime.

You say that, but most of the biggest Tours have been older stars. Even the ones in their "prime" have been at it a long time by now.

2022 in order of the highest grossing tours:

1) Bad Bunny (no me neither)
2) Elton John
3) Def Leppard & Motley Crew
4) Harry Styles
5) Kenny Chesney (Country Music, go figure)
6)The Weekend
7) Morgan Wallan (Country Music)
8) Garth Brooks (Country Music)
9) Red Hot Chili Peppers
10) Paul McCartney
11) Coldplay
12) Lady Gaga
13) Eagles
14) Grupo Firme
15) Karol G

So once you strip out the country music and the oldies, there really aren't that many left.

Seems to contradict the photo posted on the previous page (which I was always a bit dubious of).

I'm guessing gross worldwide which will include USA and Germany who are into that sort of thing.

pblakeney

thegreatdivide said:

We got booked to play at Glastonbury three years running. I've done big festivals many times from crusty to corporate e.g. T In The Park. However the first Glastonbury really was a bit of an eye opener and a great gig. The second time was even better. However the third time the blinkers fell and I suddenly had an 'actually this is all too white and sh*t' epiphany and never wanted to go back again. My partner in crime did it for one final time. I went cycling.

Anyway, let's have a look at the most recently added ten tracks to my Spotify 'Liked Songs' folder:

The Home of Happy - This Is It
The Soul Searchers - Ashely's Roachclip
Pigeon - Infinity (Josh's Extended Disco Mix)
Bright & Findlay - Hello In The Dark (Standing)
The S.O.S Band - High Hopes
Olof Dreijer - Hybrid Fruit
Gabriels - Glory
Rock Steady Crew - (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew
Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 2lf
Shriekback - My Spine Is The Bassline

Flashback to nearly 40 years ago. 😉