Worst Concert Experience (Reddit)

[Amir]

oldGNR and nuGNR make appearances :/

http://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/24lyst/whats_your_worst_concert_experience_worst_crowd/

[Zint]

Personal worst experience was getting food poisoning at a Who concert in 1980.
I started to feel really sick, we were up in the stands and I thought I'd better get to the washroom fast.
At the end of our row was typical too cool for everyone else guy, who had his legs up on the seat in front of him.

I said excuse me, and he wouldn't move his legs.

He gave me a what are you going to do about it look.
I gave him one fair warning...
"Hey man, I'm not feeling well and I really need to get to the washroom".

He didn't move his legs.

"If you don't let me by I'm going to have no choice but to puke right here".

He didn't move his legs.

I puked all over him, I couldn't hold it any longer.

He moved his legs.

I spent about an hour in the washroom heaving (note: don't eat a sandwich that's been sitting in the back window of a car for hours while you drive to a concert)

I felt ragged after but at least I didn't miss any of the bands.

[Facekicker]

I was there, he looked exactly like Keith lemon!

[chevelle]

Walking through New York last Thursday during that torrential rain and waiting outside for an hour in it was pretty awful last week. Still a great show, at least.

[Zint]

Worst concert experience was getting talked in to seeing Bon Jovi.

I did it moreso for a family member who wanted someone to go with her.

I think that's the only live music gig I walked out early on.

When the atmosphere would start to wane, Jon would dramatically reach his arm out towards the audience and 1,000's of middle aged women would squeal.
After about an hour and a half I couldn't stand it anymore, fortunately for me neither could the person who talked me in to going.
We got the fuck out of there.

In the hallways heading to the exit, the women squealed, we both cracked up laughing "he just reached his arm out again".

[Powerage5]

Bob Dylan gets my nod for worst headliner I've seen.

But the worst ever including openers was a band called Black Tide. They were just

[Conor]

Dublin 2010.

[Amir]

Zbigniew Preisner at the Barbican back in October. I like his music for the Three Colours films but this concert was just mindnumbingly boring and trite, some new music he was working on based on the Holocaust. I would have left in the intermission if there was one, but it was over after about 80 minutes. I couldn't believe people were clapping, it was so shit.

I started swearing in Farsi to my aunt about how crap it was, got looks from bourgeois couple next to us, who my aunt later told me were Iranian.

[ZoSoRose]

I almost got beaten and mugged at a Buckethead concert. Luckily that did not happen

[Amir]

I almost got beaten and mugged at a Buckethead concert. Luckily that did not happen

What happened?

[Nosaj Thing]

Axl's band in Palma de Mallorca, Spain 2012.

Axl sounded terrible. Thank God, tickets were free.

[GivenToFly]

My personal worst was Iron Maiden in Cluj in 2010. Sound was fucked on the right half, so it was like listening to two hours of white noise with a bit proper sound getting through.

Also GNR live is kind of an acquired taste anyway, not for everybody, so even without the lateness issues I can understand how many wouldn't like it.

[RocketQueen1985]

Probably Iron Maiden. I don't like their music so that might have something to do with how bored I was during that concert. It's one of those bands where I just don't get the hype. We ended up leaving before the concert ended.

[gunsfanoldie]

I've seen few bad concerts, but the ones that were bad were terrible. There are 3 that my friends and I pinpoint as the worst:

1. Bad Company: Saw them probably in like 2009 or 2010. They were only doing like 10 shows on the East Coast and it seemed like it would be cool. $100 tickets and it was the most lackluster show I've ever seen. Paul Rodgers (or Paul asshole Rodgers as we have referred to him since) had the crowd sing most of the lyrics and the band didn't seem into it at all. They also played for a little over an hour and skipped playing some incredible songs that were typically being played at those shows. The whole thing was a complete mess.

2. Kiss: Saw them in 2009 and they were really just bad. They were playing all of Alive, so I had pretty much nothin' to lose (no pun intented) since thats my favorite album by them. The whole performance was by the numbers and seemed so incredibly perfunctory. Their stage show by today's standards is nothing to brag about, which is not what I love about them but it was noticeably poor that I couldn't ignore it. Also played a very short show. It was a homecoming gig in New York at MSG and I was very disappointed. I remember Paul Stanley said they would play their longest encore ever and they played like 4 or 5 songs. Saw Ace Frehley 5 months later in a small club for 1/5th of the price and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen (thats an overstatement but it was really good).

3. Whitesnake: People may laugh at them but their current albums are very good and their early work is excellent. Was dying to see them for years and they finally came around. To a small club in New York, but at least it was something. The problem here wasn't really the band, but the setlist. They were touring their second "new" album, which was good but not as good as the one before it. So the set was filled with those songs when I wish it was filled with the previous album's songs (since they didn't tour the US for that previous and superior album). And then everything else in the set was their cheesy 80s stuff. Was really hoping to see Vintage Whitesnake from the 70s and early 80s. The concert was fine for what it was, and the band played very well, but the setlist was majorly disappointing.

Otherwise, I've actually been pretty lucky that none of my other concerts have been "bad" and I've seen a lot. Guns N Roses in 2011 sits comfortably at neutral. Wasn't bad, and I was finally seeing Axl live, but I don't think there was one aspect that really wowed me. Unlike Slash who I've seen about 7 times or so and continues to impress.

[rock4eva]

I almost got beaten and mugged at a Buckethead concert. Luckily that did not happen

If I had been with you I would have beaten you when he walked on stage, I have a fear of men in masks & would have been terrified of him. For that reason I am glad he's not in gnr as even on videos I don't look at him.

Not my experience but someone on a forum said they went to a Kenny Rogers concert. Halfway through a song he stopped the band and told the audience " I am here to sing to you, not the other way around". She was dumbfounded and said he was only on stage for an hour. Usually a singer will go crook at the audience if they don't sing along so this was unusual.

[Powerage5]

My personal worst was Iron Maiden in Cluj in 2010. Sound was fucked on the right half, so it was like listening to two hours of white noise with a bit proper sound getting through.

Also GNR live is kind of an acquired taste anyway, not for everybody, so even without the lateness issues I can understand how many wouldn't like it.

Cluj was a complete clusterfuck by all accounts. Everyone I know who went said it was just an absolutely fucked gig.

Luckily the gig I saw in Romania (Bucharest) was better, but I've seen my share of shit Maiden gigs too

P.S. - if you have one of the Transylvania event shirts from that gig, and you'd ever be willing to part with it, I'd be willing to pay disgusting amounts of money for it

Probably Iron Maiden. I don't like their music so that might have something to do with how bored I was during that concert. It's one of those bands where I just don't get the hype. We ended up leaving before the concert ended.

When did you see them? I get that Maiden's music isn't really for everyone, but with the energy in their stage show, I don't get how you can be bored at a gig

I've seen few bad concerts, but the ones that were bad were terrible. There are 3 that my friends and I pinpoint as the worst:

1. Bad Company: Saw them probably in like 2009 or 2010. They were only doing like 10 shows on the East Coast and it seemed like it would be cool. $100 tickets and it was the most lackluster show I've ever seen. Paul Rodgers (or Paul asshole Rodgers as we have referred to him since) had the crowd sing most of the lyrics and the band didn't seem into it at all. They also played for a little over an hour and skipped playing some incredible songs that were typically being played at those shows. The whole thing was a complete mess.

2. Kiss: Saw them in 2009 and they were really just bad. They were playing all of Alive, so I had pretty much nothin' to lose (no pun intented) since thats my favorite album by them. The whole performance was by the numbers and seemed so incredibly perfunctory. Their stage show by today's standards is nothing to brag about, which is not what I love about them but it was noticeably poor that I couldn't ignore it. Also played a very short show. It was a homecoming gig in New York at MSG and I was very disappointed. I remember Paul Stanley said they would play their longest encore ever and they played like 4 or 5 songs. Saw Ace Frehley 5 months later in a small club for 1/5th of the price and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen (thats an overstatement but it was really good).

3. Whitesnake: People may laugh at them but their current albums are very good and their early work is excellent. Was dying to see them for years and they finally came around. To a small club in New York, but at least it was something. The problem here wasn't really the band, but the setlist. They were touring their second "new" album, which was good but not as good as the one before it. So the set was filled with those songs when I wish it was filled with the previous album's songs (since they didn't tour the US for that previous and superior album). And then everything else in the set was their cheesy 80s stuff. Was really hoping to see Vintage Whitesnake from the 70s and early 80s. The concert was fine for what it was, and the band played very well, but the setlist was majorly disappointing.

Otherwise, I've actually been pretty lucky that none of my other concerts have been "bad" and I've seen a lot. Guns N Roses in 2011 sits comfortably at neutral. Wasn't bad, and I was finally seeing Axl live, but I don't think there was one aspect that really wowed me. Unlike Slash who I've seen about 7 times or so and continues to impress.

I saw Bad Company in 2009 and loved it, maybe you just saw a bad gig?

[ZoSoRose]

I almost got beaten and mugged at a Buckethead concert. Luckily that did not happen

What happened?

I almost got beaten and mugged at a Buckethead concert. Luckily that did not happen

If I had been with you I would have beaten you when he walked on stage, I have a fear of men in masks & would have been terrified of him. For that reason I am glad he's not in gnr as even on videos I don't look at him.

Not my experience but someone on a forum said they went to a Kenny Rogers concert. Halfway through a song he stopped the band and told the audience " I am here to sing to you, not the other way around". She was dumbfounded and said he was only on stage for an hour. Usually a singer will go crook at the audience if they don't sing along so this was unusual.

It was at his show in the Majestic Theater in Detroit in like 2011. The wait was wayyyy worse than any GNR gig. 2 hours with the most horrifying opener imaginable, a guy named wolff who just yelled and "played" tuba.

Anyways, my bud and I had a good spot and we were waiting for hours. This GIGANTIC douchebag started shoving people to get to the front. I yelled something like "ya fuckin' whale" or something like that thinking he didn't hear me. Anyways, Bucket is about to come on and I feel this hand squeeze my neck. It was the giant and he said something like "Don't think I am going to let what you said slide, I am going to kill you." Now I am in a shady area of Detroit with this giant creep about to kill me, I was pretty scared. He then asked how much money I had on me and I just felt fucked. My friend was scared shitless too. I knew i couldn't fight this guy, and security was horrible at the show so I did the only sensible thing. I laughed and apologized. saying I was dehydrated and tired from waiting, and hoped he would understand. I then put my arm around him and offered a high five. He was confused as fuck and I guess just let it go. Later that night the giant's friend beat up some guy right beside me.

I had one eye over my shoulder that whole night and my friend and I booked it out of there during the encore. Bucket was amazing live, and I highly recommend seeing him. Just make sure it is in a safer area as he attracts a lot of creeps!

[Johnny Drama]

"GN'R" 2013. Couldn't hear any guitars even though I was right next to Axl's teleprompter, him fucking off whenever he wasn't singing, the solo spots, Frank's drumming, Catcher boring the shit of me and everyone around me within a 10 mile radius, bitches talking during Estranged (audible guitars would have helped), having to sing Happy fucking Birthday to Vanessa or one those hacks, Dizzy Reed. Axl's voice didn't even register as a concern within a live setting, fondly enough.

[Estranged Reality]

"GN'R" 2013. Couldn't hear any guitars even though I was right next to Axl's teleprompter, him fucking off whenever he wasn't singing, the solo spots, Frank's drumming, Catcher boring the shit of me and everyone around me within a 10 mile radius, bitches talking during Estranged (audible guitars would have helped), having to sing Happy fucking Birthday to Vanessa or one those hacks, Dizzy Reed. Axl's voice didn't even register as a concern within a live setting, fondly enough.

tell us how you REALLY feel.

[DR DOOM]

I just skimmed/cherry picked that whole Reddit thing

RHCP, Tool, Smashing Pumpkins and (of course) Bob Dylan get a fuckload of mentions, I'm surprised GNR didn't get more than they did.

I've been pretty lucky with concerts I've seen, not many bad ones.

I saw the Smashing Pumpkins on the Ava Adore tour, I only went because my girlfriend wanted me to but that's probably the worst big name concert I've seen.

By the sounds of it I was lucky because Corgan (from what little I remember, anyway) wasn't in a bad mood, I remember him taking a bow early on.

I saw Motorhead be met with crickets after every song (except Ace Of Spades) while opening for Motley Crue, Lemmy even asked if they were in the right place- it was sad.

They kicked ass though, made my ears hurt more than any other band I've seen.

[bran]

getting a spinning backfist by some asshole at a skeletonwitch concert.

[RocketQueen1985]

Probably Iron Maiden. I don't like their music so that might have something to do with how bored I was during that concert. It's one of those bands where I just don't get the hype. We ended up leaving before the concert ended.

When did you see them? I get that Maiden's music isn't really for everyone, but with the energy in their stage show, I don't get how you can be bored at a gig

I saw them at Sonisphere in Stockholm in 2010.

The weather was extremely bad, I was soaked through to my skin and freezing by the time Maiden come on so that probably didn't help matters. But I've just never liked them and if I don't like the music the stage show doesn't really do much for me.

I saw Iggy Pop earlier in the day and it was just him prancing around on a stage singing. No big stage show or anything. I was way more impressed with that performance than I was with Maiden. I saw Maiden because the friend I went with liked them and of course she should see them when she likes them. But at some point during the show she turned to me and said "Let's just leave." I don't know if it was just the weather for her or what it was but despite her liking them she still wanted to leave their show early.

[Broskirose]

Maiden are Ok, but there's only so much you can take. Riffs, solos, riffs, solos. That's all there is. No atmosphere. History book lyrics, bass gallops, riffs and solos. Bruce runs back and forth and does his annoying "scream for me" gimmick while a zombie occasionally walks around the stage.

That has to be a major bore at festivals.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Broskirose

[GivenToFly]

My personal worst was Iron Maiden in Cluj in 2010. Sound was fucked on the right half, so it was like listening to two hours of white noise with a bit proper sound getting through.

Also GNR live is kind of an acquired taste anyway, not for everybody, so even without the lateness issues I can understand how many wouldn't like it.

Cluj was a complete clusterfuck by all accounts. Everyone I know who went said it was just an absolutely fucked gig.

Luckily the gig I saw in Romania (Bucharest) was better, but I've seen my share of shit Maiden gigs too

P.S. - if you have one of the Transylvania event shirts from that gig, and you'd ever be willing to part with it, I'd be willing to pay disgusting amounts of money for it

No, the only pieces of official merch I've ever bought at shows have been a Rolling Stones poster in 2007, a Guns N Roses t-shirt in 2010 and my dad bought me a Roger Waters flag in 2011.

[Zeppelin]

Maiden are Ok, but there's only so much you can take. Riffs, solos, riffs, solos. That's all there is. No atmosphere. History book lyrics, bass gallops, riffs and solos. Bruce runs back and forth and does his annoying "scream for me" gimmick while a zombie occasionally walks around the stage.

That has to be a major bore at festivals.

lol