Aging Concerts

Ghostman

Ghostman

Ambassador of the SuperNatural
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My work took me to a local show this past Friday to see Night Ranger perform live. I am working with a client here in the Seattle area hoping to fix some of their video issues they are having with their LED video boards in the venue. Their current video streams are delayed to the point that the video showing on the LED screens in the venue are about 2-3 seconds behind what is happening live. Major issues when watching a live performance and especially any type of sporting event.

Anyways, outside of that, we were invited to view a show to see the issues in person and that show happened to be Night Ranger. On the one hand it was great to see Brad Gillis do his thing, as I've always thought he was a Monster of a player that didn't really get his place in the Rock God lineup. On the other, it always saddens me to see an old band that, while they are having a great time, and so are many fans, they just can't bring it like they used to. In this case, the worst part was the drummer who sings a few ballads had some serious issues with his voice and it was so bad. I think he may have had a stroke recently and he's working through it.

Point being, for me it's a conflict of seeing old bands perform because it's good to see those bands you might never have been able to see, but on the other hand it's a hard watch to see a band that far falls flat from those "prime of life" performances.
 
Ghostman said:
My work took me to a local show this past Friday to see Night Ranger perform live. I am working with a client here in the Seattle area hoping to fix some of their video issues they are having with their LED video boards in the venue. Their current video streams are delayed to the point that the video showing on the LED screens in the venue are about 2-3 seconds behind what is happening live. Major issues when watching a live performance and especially any type of sporting event.

Anyways, outside of that, we were invited to view a show to see the issues in person and that show happened to be Night Ranger. On the one hand it was great to see Brad Gillis do his thing, as I've always thought he was a Monster of a player that didn't really get his place in the Rock God lineup. On the other, it always saddens me to see an old band that, while they are having a great time, and so are many fans, they just can't bring it like they used to. In this case, the worst part was the drummer who sings a few ballads had some serious issues with his voice and it was so bad. I think he may have had a stroke recently and he's working through it.

Point being, for me it's a conflict of seeing old bands perform because it's good to see those bands you might never have been able to see, but on the other hand it's a hard watch to see a band that far falls flat from those "prime of life" performances.
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I got to see them probably 24 years ago, so they were still "younger" and had the full lineup. I guess health and age hadn't began to crack at them yet. But yeah, unfortunately MANY bands from 30-40 years ago just don't hold it together like a few can and it shows live.

It's sad honestly, but then again, I guess that's what separates icons from era-leaders: some of these bands can go out decades later and sound as tight as they did the day they hit the scene while others tragically fall off the cliff.

Iron Maiden is a rare example of a band that still performs at a high level with the main, original personnel ( though there are noticable, subtle shifts in their sound to adjust for the aging if you pay close attention). But meanwhile, a band like Guns N Roses substituted a lot of personnel and it's hit or miss depending on what night you see them. There's footage I've seen where Axl sounds great and other times he's struggling beyond belief
 
As a certified old guy it pains me to say this but I have ZERO interest in seeing nostalgia acts. There are too many fantastic new bands out there to experience for me to want to go get reminded of my own mortality by seeing a bunch of budding geriatrics on stage.
 
Ghostman said:
My work took me to a local show this past Friday to see Night Ranger perform live. I am working with a client here in the Seattle area hoping to fix some of their video issues they are having with their LED video boards in the venue. Their current video streams are delayed to the point that the video showing on the LED screens in the venue are about 2-3 seconds behind what is happening live. Major issues when watching a live performance and especially any type of sporting event.

Anyways, outside of that, we were invited to view a show to see the issues in person and that show happened to be Night Ranger. On the one hand it was great to see Brad Gillis do his thing, as I've always thought he was a Monster of a player that didn't really get his place in the Rock God lineup. On the other, it always saddens me to see an old band that, while they are having a great time, and so are many fans, they just can't bring it like they used to. In this case, the worst part was the drummer who sings a few ballads had some serious issues with his voice and it was so bad. I think he may have had a stroke recently and he's working through it.

Point being, for me it's a conflict of seeing old bands perform because it's good to see those bands you might never have been able to see, but on the other hand it's a hard watch to see a band that far falls flat from those "prime of life" performances.
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I feel that way about REO. Saw them at their best in early 80s. They need to quit.
 
mcblink said:
That's exactly why I can't bring myself to go to a Metallica show at this point. I missed the boat when it comes to seeing those guys at their best. And now? Yeah, I'm fine with skipping that one, unfortunately.
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I saw several great bands back in their prime that I wouldn't want to see again because it could never live up to what they were back then. Metallica being at the top of that list, I saw them 4 times between '88 and '93, I'm good.
 
I've seen the Stones and Floyd, both well past best before date, and I paid too much too,IMO. But the shows were major spectacles and having the memories are quite powerful. I think if one sees a "nostalgia" act, the best money spent is on tippy-top tier artists. The rest? Meh.
 
TVvoodoo said:
I've seen the Stones and Floyd, both well past best before date, and I paid too much too,IMO. But the shows were major spectacles and having the memories are quite powerful. I think if one sees a "nostalgia" act, the best money spent is on tippy-top tier artists. The rest? Meh.
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I could agree with that. I saw the Stones in 2015. High ticket but worth the ride I guess because it was entertaining, lovely and something I could carry with me and say " hey I got to see them!". AC/DC has been that way for a while now too: still get the live show gimmicks like the cannons, inflatables, the bell etc but it's become a bit nostalgic more than anything, though still worth it to see
 
Neil Peart wrote a song that was inspired by the aging artist. "Losing it" I don't want to see Metallica again either. I did see them for the 3rd time in 2017. Mostly because my son never got to see them. We also went to
G n R.

I got to see both bands on the same stage in the early 90's , That was a show.
 
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ibmorjamn said:
Neil Pert wrote a song that was inspired by the aging artist. "Losing it" I don't want to see Metallica again either. I did see them for the 3rd time in 2017. Mostly because my son never got to see them. We also went to
G n R.

I got to see both bands on the same stage in the early 90's , That was a show.
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I've seen both ELP and Yes twice each. Both in the 90s. Both put on good shows.

Yes in a 12,000 seat civic center and once at Chicago House of Blues. The civic center was the full band. HofB was more a combo..... with Squire, Howe and Anderson. Don't know who the drummer was and Rick Wakeman's son Oliver was on keyboards. House of Blues was standing room only. The civic center that could seat 12K.... Maybe had 5000 people there.

ELP was in small theaters both times. First time was this little 2600 seat auditorium in Davenport IA. Show was awesome. Second time they were officially the opener for Jethro Tull.... but circumstances had them reverse the order. Tull opened. ELP closed it. Both were good. But as the opener isn't supposed to "show up" the headliner, Tull did their normal main liner show and ELP did their more subdued opener show. Music was still great by both bands, But compared to the previous ELP concert where they were the only act, it was a little disappointing.

Both bands used to sell out stadiums and now were playing small/tiny venues. Both pretty much the end of their existence as bands. Not sure if Yes is still doing anything, but I know ELP pretty much ended when Keith Emerson passed away.... and then Steve Lake.

Still really happy I got to see both.
 
This was our grand 3 day event out in the desert in 2016. We took the RV and camped on a Polo field. Dylan was way past his prime, was like fingers on a caulk board. Waters was a political event, never listened to him again. The Who were OK. Stones were great, McCartney was by far the best and Neil the close second.



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Don O said:
This was our grand 3 day event out in the desert in 2016. We took the RV and camped on a Polo field. Dylan was way past his prime, was like fingers on a caulk board. Waters was a political event, never listened to him again. The Who were OK. Stones were great, McCartney was by far the best and Neil the close second.



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Did that show cost as much as a vacation to the Bahamas ?
 
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