Rock concerts

Orruar · #1 11-01-2013, 10:54 PM

So I went to my first big rock concert in years last night, and was shocked at how different they have become. It was Nine Inch Nails (in Orlando) and I paid good money to get onto the floor, expecting to lose a fair amount of blood and sweat.

First let me say that the music and light show was fucking amazing. Best show I've ever been to, hands down.

However, as good as the band was, the crowd was the exact opposite. Probably half of them had their phones out at some point, some had them out the entire concert. I'm guessing Lron was among them. Hardly anyone was moving around, most just stood still, not even bobbing their heads or anything. You could hardly tell if they were hearing the music or not. 0 mosh pits, 0 crowd surfing, 0 rowdiness. Now I'm all for letting people enjoy things the way they want, but what the hell happened in the last decade? It's tough to really get lost in the experience of it when everyone else seems to be so disconnected. I had ankles swollen to the size of grapefruit due to a run in with fire ants and yet I had more intensity than 99% of the people there. If I had it to over, I'd probably just take some acid and sit up in the stands and enjoy the lights.

My question: Is this pretty much normal for rock concerts these days? Or is it just this city that sucks? Either way, why do you think it's like this?

Here's a couple video from the event, and you can see the motionless floor with shitloads of cell phone screens blocking everyone's view. Looks more like a wedding than a NIN concert.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duwiTeVC0d8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZKkksuTyCo

Lron · #2 11-01-2013, 11:04 PM

First of all, i wasn't there.

Second off, NiN were huge in thie early 90s...we are getting old.

Third off, NiN isnt really a band you "mosh" to.

fourth off, Maybe everyone was on acid and just enjoying the light show

and last but not least, I was not one of the douchebags that just holds the camera watching the concert through a 5 inch screen the whole time, i hate those fags.

Orruar · #3 11-02-2013, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lron [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Third off, NiN isnt really a band you "mosh" to.

You were kidding about this one, right?

Aenor · #4 11-02-2013, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orruar [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You were kidding about this one, right?

Not kidding... NiN kinda elevator music. Also, venue matters a great deal. Flew out to Denver to see Incubus at Red Rocks two summers ago and it was the best concert experience of my life. Saw them 6 months later at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Alpharetta, GA, and it was a total letdown.

Orruar · #5 11-03-2013, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aenor [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Not kidding... NiN kinda elevator music. Also, venue matters a great deal. Flew out to Denver to see Incubus at Red Rocks two summers ago and it was the best concert experience of my life. Saw them 6 months later at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Alpharetta, GA, and it was a total letdown.

Not really. I mean they do have a few songs that are slow. I don't expect moshing during Hurt. But when you whip out Terrible Lie or Head Like a Hole, you kinda expect people to show a little energy. The music and lights were most certainly high intensity during about 2/3 of the show.

Also, I really don't think it's all about the music. I mean, people can get rowdy to some relatively tame shit. I remember getting wrecked by mosh pits at a Candlebox concert back in 96, lol.

pharmakos · #6 11-01-2013, 11:05 PM

it's 2013. NIN is mom rock now.

Orruar · #7 11-01-2013, 11:07 PM

The average age there was certainly under 30, probably under 25. Only one or two silver foxes there, and they were rocking harder than most.

pharmakos · #8 11-01-2013, 11:10 PM

i know plenty of moms that are under 30 =p

a lot of them listened to NIN in high school

Orruar · #9 11-01-2013, 11:16 PM

That's true. I'd say ratio was probably about 4:1, which is a little higher than most rock concerts I went to back in the day. Still, can't totally blame this on women can we? I mean, we've gone from unmitigated chaos to what would appear to a deaf person as a church sing-a-long. There's gotta be more to it.

pharmakos · #10 11-01-2013, 11:18 PM

"dad rock" would also be an appropriate term. "mom rock" is just the more commonly used variant.

also, it might have something to do with the last few NIN albums sucking.

trent used to spend like 3+ years working on each album. now he just shits out music.