US touring halted?

I think it depends who those additional 1,500 people are. If they're similar to the first 500, that's cool. If they're the type of folks who think you should mosh at a Symphony X show, than yeah, I kind of want to set those people on fire.

This is a great point too.........

The first time Sonata headlined House of Blues in Chicago, the main floor was a huge pit. Completely blows when people show up to a metal show just to be at a metal show without knowing the band or how most people appreciate their live setting. This can definitely ruin the enjoyment of seeing a band you love play to bigger crowds, unfortunately.
 
That is the key point here. What makes up the "For whatever reason"?

It could be that the fan had a preconceived notion that viking or pagan metal is evil and it all sucks. Then if said band (IE - Elvenking is one prime example I can think of) plays, people's minds open up to the band or genre.

You can take it as me calling people mindless. It was simply a statement that experiencing a band live can change perceptions (IE - that's where YOU have to take credit).

As Bob said above, people go apeshit for GHOST live. I have never experienced them live, but have seen enough videos to know they are a riot live and something to see. Lots of people here have shown their dislike for the band. Just saying that if they did play the fest (assuming you wanted them, which based on your thinking they blow I guess not), people might think differently. That's all. Nothing more. Nothing less.

this is where you come across condescending. You made asumptions that everyone at the Ghost show was just hipsters. In actuality I was surprised myself to see really none there. Granted Devils Blood and In Solitude were playing the same night in an area more infested with hipsters. but you generally made the claim about the show and reception without facts or being there.

Same goes for talking about a bands draw or how popular they are. You are selective with what shows and albums you buy. Go to more shows and you will see who people are talking about or wearing shirts by or talking about hoping a certain band comes to town. It is easy to sit at home and read a few forums and think you know stuff but meeting and talking to people at shows is where I learned a lot about what people like.

I agree though with some of your points about people not just here but in general that they will jump on bandwagons. It drives me nuts but if it exposes people to a good band who deserves attention.....what is wrong with that?
 
Granted Devils Blood and In Solitude were playing the same night in an area more infested with hipsters. but you generally made the claim about the show and reception without facts or being there.
Can someone explain how the Hipster math works? I can understand them liking Ghost. The music is accessible and fun, and their brand of "Satanism" is tragically ironic. But Alcest? Agalloch? I don't get it.

I'm going to see Gojira in NYC tonight. I suspect the Hipster to Metalhead ratio will be unfortunate.
 
To kind of nudge the conversation back to what the Ghost reference was originally about (bands becoming "popular" and losing support with the self-professed "underground"), I think that's definitely a very real phenomena. I've been posting on metal forums for 12 years, and I've seen it happen over and over again. Of course, nobody actually says "Now that everybody likes them, I can't like them anymore", but the pattern has happened so many times that it's difficult to deny that it's there. I remember 10 years ago Opeth were GODS on the internet. The epitome of everything that was awesome and amazing and why metal was the best form of music on the planet. Now in those same circles few people will admit to even liking their early stuff. It's not just "their new stuff sucks", I'm even on board with their later albums not measuring up, but many people will now say they've ALWAYS sucked. The same thing happened with Nightwish. Not just "they suck now that Tarja is gone", but "they were always lame to begin with".

Ghost is a different case, I think, because of how fast their rise was. It's not as easy to pick out the kind of seismic shift in sentiment because it went from underground phenomena to major label in less than a year. But I think that the original point is valid in that, sadly, metalheads are just as vulnerable to hipsterism as any other subculture.
 
To kind of nudge the conversation back to what the Ghost reference was originally about (bands becoming "popular" and losing support with the self-professed "underground"), I think that's definitely a very real phenomena. I've been posting on metal forums for 12 years, and I've seen it happen over and over again.
Have you considered it has nothing to do with these bands becoming "popular"?

Ghost: Ghost is an awful example. They have one album. As far as I'm concerned, they have always been popular.

Nightwish: They changed their vocalist. People like the old singer... they don't like the old singer. It's not that hard to fathom.

Opeth: Opeth is a completely different band now then they were. When people were falling all over themselves in praise of Opeth, how many of those same Death Metal and Black Metal fans were also fans of 70s Prog Rock? Probably not many. So why is it surprising to anyone that Opeth's fanbase has changed solely for musical reasons?
 
WHAT???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
I think you will have a harder time finding death and DM fans who AREN'T fans of 70s prog...
You need to come to Chicago more.
70's prog is absolutely king here (as much king, as it is hipster and KVLT).
It's REALLY REALLY REALLY weird, but its happening.
 
this is where you come across condescending. You made asumptions that everyone at the Ghost show was just hipsters.

You just PROVED my point.
The hipsters have moved on from GHOST already because of their popularity.
They were a hit with hipsters even before their current popularity.

You were not there, but from those who were, the hipsters were out in full force when they did their headlining show.
 
Funny how the word "poser" has become "hipster" these days because in my book if someone is listening to metal or buying it that is a good thing. Whether they jump on or off the boat quickly doesn't matter, but i am sure there could have a ton of hipsters at that show, but considering this thread is about attendance dropping off and they attend shows......doesn't seem that being "hip" is a bad thing, because i am sure there were plenty of "non poser" metalheads who didn't go to the show at all, thus not supporting the scene or live music. just some 2 cents.

I guess i am old and tired of the "that dude is such a poser" shit now that i am in my late 30's.
 
Funny how the word "poser" has become "hipster" these days because in my book if someone is listening to metal or buying it that is a good thing. Whether they jump on or off the boat quickly doesn't matter, but i am sure there could have a ton of hipsters at that show, but considering this thread is about attendance dropping off and they attend shows......doesn't seem that being "hip" is a bad thing, because i am sure there were plenty of "non poser" metalheads who didn't go to the show at all, thus not supporting the scene or live music. just some 2 cents.

I guess i am old and tired of the "that dude is such a poser" shit now that i am in my late 30's.

no...both are different.

hipster....the guess who wear the dark rimmed glasses and goofy hair. Tight jeans and drinks PBR and goes to shows and acts like a clown thinking he is being metal.

poser....the guy who listens to anything others are listening to and dresses "metal" and usually more so than they should in hopes of fitting in with a group. These are also the types who will be heavily into it for a year and then vanish.

this is just my take.
 
I agree with you Bob, but my guess is this differs by region......

Yeah, I agree it is certainly good when anyone attends a show.

I mean, I can't give anyone a hard time who goes to a show, buys a ticket, buys merch, etc...
I am at a point in my life where I can't go to multiple shows a month or anything.
I certainly spend a lot less $$$ in support of metal than a "hipster" does.

Though as Bob said, many hipsters like metal because Pitchfork said there is this amazing black metal supergroup called TWILIGHT (and hey it has to be good since its the same name as a great movie) LOL
 
Nightwish: They changed their vocalist. People like the old singer... they don't like the old singer. It's not that hard to fathom.

They also changed their musical style dramatically. I doubt that you will ever hear "Wishmaster" or "She is my Sin" live again, as those songs, sadly, no longer fit in with what they are doing. Sadly, as much as I like "Imaginaerum", I have been listening more to the Tarja-era stuff in recent months knowing that it will never return.
 
I agree with you Bob, but my guess is this differs by region......

Yeah, I agree it is certainly good when anyone attends a show.

I mean, I can't give anyone a hard time who goes to a show, buys a ticket, buys merch, etc...
I am at a point in my life where I can't go to multiple shows a month or anything.
I certainly spend a lot less $$$ in support of metal than a "hipster" does.

Though as Bob said, many hipsters like metal because Pitchfork said there is this amazing black metal supergroup called TWILIGHT (and hey it has to be good since its the same name as a great movie) LOL



Twilight actually announced a new member to their ranks last week....
Everyone welcome Thurston Moore to his first black metal band.