OT: worst concert you attended
- Thread starter rutger80
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Really? If so, it breaks my heart a littte.
S&TFS are one of the bands I would have loved to have seen in concert. When did you see them and why were you unimpressed? I'm sure it was the Garden State Arts Center when you saw them.
I was at that same show, lawn seats. I was a little - uhhh - fried that night so can't totally recall the quality of the music. I remember having fun though.
Unfortunately, he has lost his once superb voice. I saw him at an 80s show at the State Theatre last year and he was awful. He couldn't carry a tune in an attache case. With the exception of Young, everyone was impressed with the other acts (Howard Jones, Modern English, English Beat, Katrina) on the bill.
I have to admit it, I felt sorry for Young. It was like watching Nolan Ryan no longer being able to throw a fastball. I saw Young (with Nik Kershaw opening) on the pier in NYC in the mid-80s. His voice was outstanding. It was a particularly memorable show because Daryl Hall joined him on stage in the encore and I saw Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley as they made their way to their seats.
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Wow, I had a completely different reaction. I've been to over a dozen Bruce shows, the Seeger session show at the GSAC was in my top 2. Crowd was great, refreshing to the hear different songs in a smaller venue (I don't need to hear Badlands again for the nth time), Bruce was clearly having fun. Granted, I liked the album more than most, we weened our three young kids onto Bruce with those songs, great memories.
The Cars; Saw them at the Garden and it was awful; Went a few years later thinking it had to be better and it was not; They just came out and played their albums barely spoke to the audience and goodbye!!
I have a particular friend who pretty much lives in agreement with whoever Rolling Stone magazine says is hip and happening or WAS hip and happening who has talked me into going to see some real crap over the years. Dylan at MSG (who I enjoy on record) and Elvis Costello someplace I can't remember, were both pretty bad.
The worst though was when he talked me into going to The Stone Pony to see The Strokes (who I utterly and completely despise on record) just as they were breaking out. What an amazing borefest he had discovered. Not only was their musical ability that of a 3rd grade special ed. student (which was confirmation for me to see it up close) and the singing into tin can sound ON EVERY SONG annoying as all hell but to top it off they just stood in one spot cemented to the floor. Their opening acts blew them away and one of those bands consisted of about a dozen guys dressed in super hero costumes. The other was Longwave.
The worst though was when he talked me into going to The Stone Pony to see The Strokes (who I utterly and completely despise on record) just as they were breaking out. What an amazing borefest he had discovered. Not only was their musical ability that of a 3rd grade special ed. student (which was confirmation for me to see it up close) and the singing into tin can sound ON EVERY SONG annoying as all hell but to top it off they just stood in one spot cemented to the floor. Their opening acts blew them away and one of those bands consisted of about a dozen guys dressed in super hero costumes. The other was Longwave.
Scott wyland at Irving plaza. My buddies nand was the opener. Whyland came out super late. Was drunk and sang flat and out of key the whole time.
I usually pick great concerts. Most boring was clapton in the early 2000s at MSG. Snooze fest. Suprisingly one of the best I saw was lady Gaga on her monster ball tour. Very entertaining and she sang her ass off. Best concert any allmans at the beacon or phish for the millennium in Florida.
I usually pick great concerts. Most boring was clapton in the early 2000s at MSG. Snooze fest. Suprisingly one of the best I saw was lady Gaga on her monster ball tour. Very entertaining and she sang her ass off. Best concert any allmans at the beacon or phish for the millennium in Florida.
I had a similar thought - this is one of those threads that remind me how much older a lot of the people on here are.
A lot of different ways to judge this: Worst band? worst performance? worst venue? worst sound set-up?
Worst performance: June 2002 K-Rock Dyfunctional Family Picnic at Jones Beach.
Alot of the bands put on great shows.
However, one band was terrible. I believe it was The Strokes. Terrible stage performance. Just stood around playing the songs. Good songs but very very boring show.
Worst sound set-up: An opening band for Trust Company at Rutgers in 2002/2003 - freshman year. College Ave. Student Center.
The sound was just terrible and gambled. Couldn't understand them at all.
Luckily they handed out free demo cd's with 3 tracks on it. Listened to it afterwards - loved the band and bought their album.
I didn't see your post before I posted mine but it confirms my experience.
The Strokes were terrible. Could have been sitting in chairs the whole time. I saw them at an all day K-Rock concert and they were blown away by every other band there.
You were not doing enough drugs. Seeing the Dead sober is BORING. On acid or shrooms and they seem great
I saw Dylan once (about 30? years ago?) and would never pay to see him again, even though I consider him to be one of the best songwriters ever
When I saw Bromberg, I was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining he is, but then again, smoking was prohibited when I saw him
I guess I've been lucky. I only go to shows that I enjoy the performer. When I was younger, a girlfriend agreed to see Peter Gabriel with me if I went with her to see Men At Work at the then Garden States Art Center. That was a chore to get through, but they only played 40 minutes. Red Rockers opened and were horrible.
The single worst concert I was forced to sit through was the Wiggles at The Theater at MSG, but seeing the joy on my kids faces made it worth it.
The single worst concert I was forced to sit through was the Wiggles at The Theater at MSG, but seeing the joy on my kids faces made it worth it.
Wiggles early stuff was great, then they sold out and of course the drugs and groupies took over.
Best Concerts-
- Who in the Capital Theater Passiac 1979
- Springteen- many places Capital theater 1978 best of the best
- Southside Johnny & Asbury Jukes New Years eve early 80's Bruce showed up and forgot the words to Born to Run
- Jethro Tull -MSG (when he still had a voice)
- Chicago and Beach Boy in MSG mid 70s
- Meatloaf - 5th concert ever- Morristown stage- Open act the "Shakes". The Marque read Shakes and Meatloaf
- Boston MSG singer sick 40 minute concert
- Disappoints- Bands that the singer lost there voice- Jethro Tull, Eagles,
My friend and I went with a bunch of guys to Vegas for a long weekend. As we were coming into town I saw on a billboard that Neil Young was playing. My friend was a big Neil Young fan, and I am not, so I tried to distract him from seeing the sign. Too late....."Neil Young...no way... Awesome" he said. The rest of the crew were older and wanted to go to see Frank Sinatra (snooze). Now I was stuck between choosing from 2 "lousy" acts so I went to Neil Young. On the radio beforehand we heard "Tonight at the MGM, Neil Young solo and live and acoustic". Acoustic, solo.....WTF, this is worse than I imagined. No band??? Anyway we get there and it is just him and he proceeds to come out with his guitar and sits in a chair for the entire concert all by his lonesome. "Old Man", one of his hit songs is what I watched on stage.
A few years ago my wife and I flew to Vegas to see Celine Dion. Concert was on Saturday night and we arrived on Thursday so we schedule a few other shows, Chris Angel, Penn & Teller for the other nights. Saturday night we decided to have dinner at Caesars before the show so that we'd be there. Had a nice dinner at an Italian Restaurant and as we were paying the bill I mentioned to the waiter we were going to see Celine. It was then that he announced to us the Celine was sick and would not be performing that night. So this was the Worst Concert that we NEVER attended.
PS. We got our money refunded and returned to see her last year.
PS. We got our money refunded and returned to see her last year.
My band in the summer of '70. Magilla and the Nomads
Absolutely hideous. We played the east Brunswick Grange .Thank God they were way too stoned to end us.
Absolutely hideous. We played the east Brunswick Grange .Thank God they were way too stoned to end us.
Guess you weren’t at the one I was at...there was a delay before they took the stage. Apparently long enough that a lot of young ladies got so restless they took turns taking off their clothes.
That happened to me at the Garden. I was stone cold sober and they were awful.
The late Paul Cilinski at the Norwood in Avon was pretty bad too. He was very wasted and it wasn’t a good look.
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I will nominate 3 shows, all of which have asterisks for a redeeming factor
1) Late 80's Paul McCartney and Wings at Giants Stadium. Maybe it was the shitty seats we had at the top of the upper deck, maybe it was Linda McCartney being onstage. I just could not get into the show and thought Paul was lousy on stage. Redeeming factor: After several years of hearing from others how good his recent tours have been, the wife and I saw him at The Prudential Center back in September. An absolutely fantastic show,Paul was great, talkative, really connected to the audience. The band was terrific and we had a great time. ranks as one of my favorite concerts ever.
2) Kenny G and Michael Bolton at Garden State Arts Center., early 90's? Nothing more really needs to be said other than I swear my then girlfriend, now wife, dragged me kicking and screaming to this one. Redeeming factor: This was the year that Sinead O'Conner refused to have (or complained about) the Star Spangled Banner played before her show started. Well before the Michael Kenny show, when it was time for the national anthem, the two of them came out and did it together. The place went nuts. Made me hate the show a little less.
30 Ian Hunter at the Barn '80 or '81. Ian Hunter had several real good solo albums at that time - "You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic" and "Short Back and Sides
, if memory serves. One was produced by Mick Jones of the Clash ands that was the tour for this concert. Well Ian really mailed it in that night. Boring show which I now describe as an hour of crap the "all the Young Dudes". I did see him open for the J Geils Band a couple years ago at the Bracon and he did a nice job that night.
1) Late 80's Paul McCartney and Wings at Giants Stadium. Maybe it was the shitty seats we had at the top of the upper deck, maybe it was Linda McCartney being onstage. I just could not get into the show and thought Paul was lousy on stage. Redeeming factor: After several years of hearing from others how good his recent tours have been, the wife and I saw him at The Prudential Center back in September. An absolutely fantastic show,Paul was great, talkative, really connected to the audience. The band was terrific and we had a great time. ranks as one of my favorite concerts ever.
2) Kenny G and Michael Bolton at Garden State Arts Center., early 90's? Nothing more really needs to be said other than I swear my then girlfriend, now wife, dragged me kicking and screaming to this one. Redeeming factor: This was the year that Sinead O'Conner refused to have (or complained about) the Star Spangled Banner played before her show started. Well before the Michael Kenny show, when it was time for the national anthem, the two of them came out and did it together. The place went nuts. Made me hate the show a little less.
30 Ian Hunter at the Barn '80 or '81. Ian Hunter had several real good solo albums at that time - "You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic" and "Short Back and Sides
, if memory serves. One was produced by Mick Jones of the Clash ands that was the tour for this concert. Well Ian really mailed it in that night. Boring show which I now describe as an hour of crap the "all the Young Dudes". I did see him open for the J Geils Band a couple years ago at the Bracon and he did a nice job that night.
Interesting thread.
Worst concert for me would be either (1) Flock of Seagulls and Billy Idol at the Barn sometime in the early 80s. They were WAY too loud for that space, the volume might have been appropriate for a stadium. (2) Dire Straits in Albany sometime late 80s. No emotion, they just went through the motions. May as well have put a record on (for all I know they may have been faking it...technically proficient but boring)
Worst concert for me would be either (1) Flock of Seagulls and Billy Idol at the Barn sometime in the early 80s. They were WAY too loud for that space, the volume might have been appropriate for a stadium. (2) Dire Straits in Albany sometime late 80s. No emotion, they just went through the motions. May as well have put a record on (for all I know they may have been faking it...technically proficient but boring)
Harry Connick Jr - Garden State Art Center sometime in early 90's.
I never much cared for the guy. But, hot on the heals of his quasi-Sinatra, lounge singer crooning-Harrry-Met-Sally fame, my then girlfriend (now wife) heard he was on tour and asked if we could go........ Well (unknown to me), the tour was for his new "experimental" funk-rhythm-rock album (which IMHO sucked balls)....
he didn't sing a single "good" song... not one....... People we literally yelling "Harry, please, sing a good song" from the audience (and the heckler got a bigger round of applause from the crowd then any song did)...... After 1.5 hours, I gave up....... only concert I've ever walked out on.... What always irked me was all he needed to do was take 15 mins and sing 2-3 of his more popular songs (the reason 99% of the crowd showed up in the first place)..but, he was too much of an "artist" to do that....... Not that it matters - but I never listened to another HCjr song since....
I never much cared for the guy. But, hot on the heals of his quasi-Sinatra, lounge singer crooning-Harrry-Met-Sally fame, my then girlfriend (now wife) heard he was on tour and asked if we could go........ Well (unknown to me), the tour was for his new "experimental" funk-rhythm-rock album (which IMHO sucked balls)....
he didn't sing a single "good" song... not one....... People we literally yelling "Harry, please, sing a good song" from the audience (and the heckler got a bigger round of applause from the crowd then any song did)...... After 1.5 hours, I gave up....... only concert I've ever walked out on.... What always irked me was all he needed to do was take 15 mins and sing 2-3 of his more popular songs (the reason 99% of the crowd showed up in the first place)..but, he was too much of an "artist" to do that....... Not that it matters - but I never listened to another HCjr song since....
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I saw him a few years back at the Count Basie in Red Bank and it was a great show. It was where he used a spinning wheel to select songs
Is that type of jazz not your thing, because I saw them and they are extremely talented.
That man could drink, God rest his soul. From 1991 through 1993 we used to go see him every weekend at the Norwood, which BTW was torn down last week. http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ss...jersey_shore_inn_meets_the_wrecking_ball.html
They had a nice "going away" party for all the regular staff a few weeks ago. End of an era.
Agree. Around the same time I saw The Cars at MSG. It was my first concert and worst. My young teenage brain couldn't understand why everyone said a live concert was so great to see!!
Took my little girl to see Barney live. 19 years later we just saw Disturbed/Breaking Benjamin/Sainnt Astonia at PNC. Nice that her tastes changed
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One of my proudest moments came about 8 years ago when my then 17 year-old daughter came banging on my bedroom door at 1 in the morning yelling "Crosby, Stills and Nash are playing PNC and tickets just went on sale - buy us some now!"
I voted Meatloaf, however I completely agree with CC also. Saw them a few summers ago at PNC, horrible. Hootie and the Blowfish at MSG in 1996 was also up there.
Elvis Costello at Dylan Gym in the late 70s/ early 80s. He played one or two songs and stormed off stage.
Seems to be a common theme here about the Cars live. They probably should have stuck to the studio.
My bad. My memory failed me. It was actually Earth, Wind and Fire.
