Live music

[USDHead]

I am still a regular gig goer even though I now find it quite painful to be on my feet for several hours. (Yeah, I know, I could do with losing some weight...!!)

I was wondering how many of you who are Ken's customers here at TLE are, like me, still frequently going to gigs and seeing bands playing original (often "prog") music...

For instance, last night I saw Tinyfish (acoustic) and Pallas

On 03/29 I am seeing TSO on their first appearance here in the UK

From 04/01 - 04/03 I am attending a new festival called "Fused" and will be seeing Vanden Plas / Winter In Eden / Threshold / To-Mera / Toxic Smile /
After-Math / Hookah The Fuzz / Kingfisher Sky / Day Six / Hanging Doll / Haken / Loreweaver.

On 04/09 it will be Credo

On 04/29 it is Delain and Serenity

and finally (for now) on 05/15 I will be seeing Riverside....

Paul

 

[lasercd]

When I lived in the NYC area I used to go to about 40-50 shows a year. Now my show going time has been cut down severely. On 5/18 and 5/19 I will be in Cologne and will see Riverside followed by Delain the next night. Thinking about going up to NYC to see Eddie Jobson's new edition of UK.

 

[DeepestPurple]

My experience has been the opposite of Ken's. I went to shows constantly when I lived in the 'burbs and had a car. Now that I'm studying in the big city, tickets/merch etc cost a LOT more, and public transportation can be a crapshoot (a pricey one at that).
Considering that UK tour as well, seeing Marco Minnemann on drums is always a treat.

 

[USDHead]

....continuing this theme....

The shows I have coming up are in six different locations, and I am fortunate in having pals to go along with me too. I have been to gigs alone, but for me part of the pleasure is to be able to discuss what has been seen/heard afterwards.

The size of venue is important to me, as I will NOT go to large auditoria (the super-sized or arena-sized offerings) because it is impossible to have any sort of interaction with the musicians. I have made an exception with TSO, and will be going to London to see them at the Hammersmith Apollo theater - which although large is not massive!!

For anyone who would like to see what a gig at the Classic Rock Society is like, catch the new Twelfth Night DVD. It was recorded at their CRS show last summer. (Not sure whether you are planning to stock this, Ken?)

Please share your thoughts about live music...

Paul

 

[chrisg]

Due to my hearing problems (constant ringing in the ears), I rarely go to live music events any more. I think last year I only went to 2 shows. Besides, with the cost of tickets, I'd rather buy live DVD's.

 

[Mullmuzzler]

I'll be going to TU (Gunn and Mastelotto) sometime in April

I do tend to go to concerts. Last year I saw Katatonia and Epica on a small venue called The Trees here at Dallas. Was great seeing Epica (and Simone) front row!! \m/

I haven't checked out who else is coming to town. I won't be able to make it to Symphony X though in May

 

[lasercd]

....continuing this theme....

The shows I have coming up are in six different locations, and I am fortunate in having pals to go along with me too. I have been to gigs alone, but for me part of the pleasure is to be able to discuss what has been seen/heard afterwards.

The size of venue is important to me, as I will NOT go to large auditoria (the super-sized or arena-sized offerings) because it is impossible to have any sort of interaction with the musicians. I have made an exception with TSO, and will be going to London to see them at the Hammersmith Apollo theater - which although large is not massive!!

For anyone who would like to see what a gig at the Classic Rock Society is like, catch the new Twelfth Night DVD. It was recorded at their CRS show last summer. (Not sure whether you are planning to stock this, Ken?)

Please share your thoughts about live music...

Paul

When I was a younger man, living in NYC, I used to go to shows constantly - at least once a week. Lots of friends to go with. I'm with you - I don't really like going alone. Part of the experience is going with someone and discussing the performance afterwards.

There are lots of shows in Philadelphia - enough to keep me busy if I wanted. The problem is I don't have anyone to go with on a regular basis (my wife isn't that interested) and then there are other issues like parking that come into play. Most of all as I get older I get lazier. If there is a band I feel strongly about seeing I'll get off my ass. Its the marginal bands, that in the past I would have gone to see, that now I'll take a pass on.

Also I'm swimming in music all day long. Sometimes its nice to just sit in front of the TV at night or read a book.

Yes - I have the Twelfth Night DVD in transit. Dopes made it PAL format.

 

[USDHead]

Ken, you wrote:

"Dopes made it PAL format"...

Now, I'm far as far from being a technical wizard as cheese is from a pomegranite! I'm not really au fait with these different formats (PAL, NTSC, etc) as I just buy whatever DVD there is and play it. Perhaps you can explain to this dimwit what difference it makes, please.

I quite understand your comment about swimming in music all day and therefore it is good to just watch TV or read a book. That's precisely why I have two very different hobbies: music and peridromophily. (Go on, look it up - it started in Boston, Mass - I think!!)

Anyway, when I was married, over time I went to fewer and fewer shows. (I think it was only the Strawbs that my ex would eventually go to with me!) Now I am going to nearly as many live music shows as I did in my teens and twenties!

I was just looking at a thread on another forum about ticket prices. Well, there certainly are some stupid prices being touted around, and more fool the dumb asses who would pay those prices. TSO is about $40 but most of the gigs I go to see are in the region of $20 - $30 for the ticket - so still quite a reasonable night out when you add in food, libations and transport costs.

Paul

 

[lasercd]

Two different TV standards (now archaic due to HD format being one standard): PAL and NTSC. PAL is the European standard and a handful of other parts of the world. NTSC is North and South America, Japan, Hong Kong, etc. They are not compatible...however in Europe most DVD players will convert from NTSC to PAL format so for you Brits its all pretty transparent. Here few DVD players convert PAL to NTSC. Yes there are machines that do it and you can find them cheaply but as a percentage its smaller ie. more do not than do. So when I import a PAL format DVD the customer base is limited to people that have multi-region DVD players or guys that are willing to sit in front of their computer to watch.

Inside Out figured out some years ago that it made more sense to release DVDs in NTSC format because there was more compatibility around the world. Twelfth Night released it in PAL - essentially shooting themselves in the foot.

Yes - ticket prices have gotten out of hand....

 

[USDHead]

I'm still a wee bit perplexed about these two different "standards". I don't think you are talking about DVDs and different "regions" (1, 2 or 0 etc, where zero = all regions) are you?

So you are saying that not only do purchasers have to contend with DVDs that may or may not play depending upon the "region" but also may or may not play depending upon the "format" (PAL or NTSC).

Sounds like the manufacturers had us all sown up as suckers by their restrictive practices!

Well, I seem to be able to watch all regions and all codes (thank you Panasonic)....I haven't gone down the HD route yet!

But I can just about understand your concern, Ken. But if more and more people are getting HD (and with 3-D the next "big thing" to part people from their hard earned moolah), from what you have said, surely it won't matter??!!

Paul

 

[lasercd]

It does matter. While there is one video standard for high definition video there is also region encoding just like DVD. The different is that instead of carving up the world into 6 regions as they do for DVD, they only define 3 regions for Blu-Ray: A, B, or C.

As I said previously - in Europe most DVD players will convert NTSC to PAL so as long as it is region 0, 1 or 2 you are able to watch it. That isn't the case here.

 

[USDHead]

Ah righty!!

The human race has a lot to answer for, methinks!!

Goodnight!

Paul

 

[johan68]

I still go to quite a few live shows these days. Latest was Eluveite 2 weeks ago and Johnny Winter the week before that. Coming up is Iron Maiden early April and then the Symphony X / Nevermore show. I don't hit as many shows as I used to though. The often very late ending time kills me these days. I went to a Circle II Circle show last year that ended at 4 AM... It ended about an hour before I normally get up in the morning .

Top show last year for me was Ian Anderson. I was in the second row at Ruth Eckerd Hall (excellent venue), and it was absolutely incredible.
I am also a regular at Prog Power and the Marillion Conventions.

 

[USDHead]

No problem with late finishes here. Typical curfew is between 2200 and 2300 hrs - as some of the venues then have "kiddy" fun afterwards!

Paul

 

[USDHead]

I know it is not really etiquette to reply to ones own post, but I really feel drawn to saying what a really fantastic gig by The Enid I attended tonight. Two hours of absolutely sublime music, starting with the whole of their latest album 'Season's End' before focusing on some old favourites including 'Something Wicked..', 'Salome' and 'Sheets Of Blue' plus an encore that included 'The Dambuster's March' and 'Land Of Hope & Glory'.

Magnificent!!

BTW, those of you who have albums by The Enid may not be familiar with 'Sheets Of Blue'....It was certainly new to me, but what an absolutely amazing piece (seguing from the end of 'Salome') to bring the show to a climax.

Paul :Smokin:

 

[lasercd]

They went over pretty well at Nearfest last year. I had a strange interaction with Robert John Godfrey. Interesting fellow...

 

[USDHead]

Although I had interviewed him (by e-mail) for Fireworks Magazine, I had not previously met the guy. Last night he came over as a very friendly, avuncular guy and he and the rest of the band spent ages after the show mingling and talking with the audience.

He certainly seemed to be at peace with himself....

How was your "strange interaction" with him, Ken?

Paul