The Worse Band(s) You've Ever Seen in a Live Environment

[DuchessOfDork]

But dude, you're really living in a perfect dream world if you think a band can tour as opener for a big band AND MAKE MONEY or even break even on that tour

This has unfortunately been the reality, but maybe this dude is just a really bad-ass promoter. I know that whenever I need to do a show, I sell tickets. I sell the SHIT out of tickets, and we always get paid in the end because we get a percentage of those ticket sales, plus any merchandise we sell at the show.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

Eh Claus, I don't agree with alot of that, but to be fair, tours are largely constructed differently with different terms and conditions. 2 band tours have different terms than 6 band tours, etc. They hinge on the demands and terms of the headlining band, so (on my fault as well) it's kind of difficult to generalize these things when you can have two tour offers from the same agent with completely different terms.

Oh I'll hug you

yey!

 

[AeonicSlumber]

This has unfortunately been the reality, but maybe this dude is just a really bad-ass promoter..

haha like I said, I have zero $$$ so I would never make an investment like promoting shows with money I don't have!

 

[nomisofsiman]

Apparently, Jorn was being difficult on that tour if I recall. Yep. Here's Yngwie's take on it:

http://house-o-rock.com/HouseofShred/interviews/ymresponse.htm

Umm...did I miss something? My quote that you quoted was about Moonspell, not Malmsteen. Regardless, interesting post.

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Umm...did I miss something? My quote that you quoted was about Moonspell, not Malmsteen. Regardless, interesting post.

Yep. An iPad error

 

[Bryant]

I take it this happened in Europe? I had no clue they had ever even played together. When was this? I can't say I'm surprised it was bad though. I like both, but it definitely seems like a duo that wouldn't sound good together.

The show was in Atlanta Ga. It was Dio/Yngwie/Doro. I think Ronnie was probably promoting the Magica release...... It was probably in 2000. It was horrible. As I said, I still respect both tremendously, but they were not a good team to say the least.


Bryant

 

[Bryant]

I can totally see why people would not like Opeth live. They don't move around much at all. But for me a great live band is not someone who necessarily jumps around or bangs their head a lot, but a band that has a certain vibe and energy and emotion that comes across when they play. When I say energy I don't mean physical movement either. To me Opeth epitomizes all these qualities which is why I think they're one of the best bands of any genre out there.

I have to disagree with you. There are a couple of prog bands that have played PPUSA, whose names I will not mention.......... who are absolutely incredibly boring on stage. They are excellent musicians mind you, but their audience interaction is close to nil. If you are playing progressive music that is not super energetic, it would look silly to headbang and stage dive, spit beer spray into the air, play the guitar behind your back etc. etc. but do SOMETHING !! A live show is a show. If I simply wanted musicianship, very few bands can achieve close to a studio quality sound anyway, so if the band members are simply standing there, I might as well be listening to the CD.
Having said that, just because you play technical music doesn't mean you HAVE to be stoic. DGM guitarist, Simone Mularoni (sp?) was really feeding off the crowd and giving it back as well. He also had a huge task of technical chops to pull off while doing it as well. I wasn't big on DGM before last year's PPUSA, but he sold me on them.
If you are not having fun on stage, why in the hell are you playing music for a living anyway ? Typically, the pay is not so good, the hours are terrible and the fringe benefits are often tolerating a bunch of drunk/drugged out people.


Bryant

 

[skyrefuge]

I don't care who it is or what kind of music you play, 3 guitars looks ridiculous on stage.

I dunno, I thought Caspian looked pretty cool. Look at all those pedals!!

That was actually a crazy show, since all three bands playing had three guitars. G3^3! Red Sparowes and Fang Island were the other two. While the three guitars are pretty much just texture and depth for Red Sparowes and Caspian, Fang Island actually makes really good use of them, playing plenty of three-part harmonies and all that.

I could barely pay any attention to them during Finnish Metal.

Add me to the list of live Finntroll haters! Of the 69 headliners I saw last year, and I think they were the worst. They play frickin' polka music! You have to try REALLY hard to suck all the life and fun out of that! But somehow they managed to do it. Probably aided by the fact that their drummer is a zombie, and a terrible one at that. The result is that I'm exactly like you. I wouldn't mind seeing Ensiferum and Barren Earth, but Finntroll headlining again just undercuts any interest in seeing "Finnish Metal" again.

Neil

 

[Andy Laudano]

As much as I love his albums, Ozzy was the worst for me. Jake E Lee was new in the band, Ozzy was mentally in another dimension, and he had taken his vocals with him.

WOW! I saw that tour too, Ultimate Sin (Metallica w/Cliff Burton RIP blew Ozzy off the stage!) but I thought Jake was the problem. The set was mostly Randy Rhoades material but he was so bad I couldnt even recognize most of the songs until Ozzy started singing.

One of the worst shows ever was Van Halen w/Gary Cherone. My friend scored free tickets and I still felt like I got ripped off! Van Halen III wasnt horrible, so I figured even if he had no shot at pulling off Dave's material, at least he could do a decent job with Sammy's stuff and nail his own. Nope! He couldnt even sing his own songs decently. To make matters worse he was channeling Michael Jackson, prancing around and grabbing his crotch. He just didnt fit in that band at all.

 

[Bryant]

Worst bands live:

Fuel - they opened for Aerosmith however long ago and it sounded like white noise with lots of bass. Nothing was clear, no energy and I kinda dug some of their radio stuff..

I hate to hear that. I REALLY dig their albums (with their first singer, Brett Scallions) and I can't say that of many modern radio rock bands at all. Sounds like some of the problem may have been soundman though......


Bryant

 

[J-Dubya 777]

I've seen LOTS of bad stuff at the club level, but possibly the worst opening act I ever saw on a national tour is a tie:

Starpeople (don't know if it's 1 word or 2, don't care-lol) opening for Dream Theater, can't remember if it was the scenes tour or not....

Monster Magnet - opening for Iron Maiden on the 1st Bruce reunion tour. never liked em' on record, and they were even worse live...IMHFO, of course...

 

[nomisofsiman]

Monster Magnet - opening for Iron Maiden on the 1st Bruce reunion tour. never liked em' on record, and they were even worse live...IMHFO, of course...

Wow! I like them a lot, though I've never seen them live; however, I've heard they're a great live band. Maybe it's just not your thing? It may also be that opening for Maiden wasn't the best for them. For one, it's Maiden and they're damn near impossible to open for. Secondly, Monster Magnet isn't a band I'm guessing that would be that great in an arena. They're more of a club-level type band.

 

[Jasonic]

Simon - Monster Magnet opening for maiden in Chicago was at the Aragon (Not an arena).
This was supporting Ed Hunter, so before Brave New World was even recorded.
So many long time fans had no clue he was even back.

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

Weapons of Mass Destruction @ PPV

I am genuinely curious here. They were one of the BEST sets I've ever seen at PP. Why didn't you like them?

 

[Diabolik]

Simon - Monster Magnet opening for maiden in Chicago was at the Aragon (Not an arena).
This was supporting Ed Hunter, so before Brave New World was even recorded.
So many long time fans had no clue he was even back.

that was an amazing show too. It was so damn hot in there people were passing out. I remember that one fat guy passed out and someone yelled "get this guy some hamburger helper"

 

[nomisofsiman]

Simon - Monster Magnet opening for maiden in Chicago was at the Aragon (Not an arena).
This was supporting Ed Hunter, so before Brave New World was even recorded.
So many long time fans had no clue he was even back.

Gotcha. Still though, opening for Maiden is no easy task and the thing with MM is I wouldn't really even call them a metal band. Probably one of those things where it just was too much of a mish-mash? I can't say though obviously since I wasn't there.

 

[Metalmilitia2000]

=Diabolik;9599443
Pagan's Mind - musically dull and they followed it up perfectly live. The longest hour that year. It just seemed like one long song that never ended.

You've gotta be fucking kidding me... :zombie:

 

[Corsair]

You've gotta be fucking kidding me... :zombie:

I dunno man. I've seen 'em live before and it was pretty uninspiring.

 

[JenniferLynn]

I hate to hear that. I REALLY dig their albums (with their first singer, Brett Scallions) and I can't say that of many modern radio rock bands at all. Sounds like some of the problem may have been soundman though......


Bryant

I've spoken to a few folks who have seen them in other venues and sone who saw the same show I did too.. No one said anything positive about them live... sorry :/

But I do agree, the sound guy wasn't doing them any favors..

 

[Pellaz]

Monster Magnet can apparently suck live. Two friends of mine, both huge MM fans, drove down here from Tennessee to see them, all happy about it.....and then they left the show, almost in tears, about halfway through MM's set because they were dreadfully loose and painful to watch.

As for Star People.....well, the "Star Girl" was kinda cute. (Still one of the oddest opening bands I've ever seen on a rock bill. They were better-received when they opened for Ozric Tentacles on tour and were cool to hang out with backstage, too.)