Why Do People at Concerts Do This?
I went to see Clare Teal and the BBC Big Band last night at the Spa Scarborough, for the opening of Scarborough Jazz Festival. (Sounds better than it reads). The packed hall was full, admirable for a jazz gig, but it was no surprise to see that approx 75% of the crowd was over forty.
It makes you wonder, how are jazz audiences ever going to grown and appeal to the younger generation?
I know jazz isn't for everyone, it's a bit of a marmite musical genre;you either love it or you hate it I suppose. But as all jazz lovers know, there's many riches to be discovered, if younger people would give it a chance, if they wanted too. It's so easy to remark that jazz is just "lots of people playing the wrong notes fast at the wrong time!"
Last night's concert was lovely, Clare Teal looked in heaven and the Big Band were outstanding, but one think irritated me and has done for a while now; I thought the younger generation were the only culprits who walked out about 15 mins before the concert finished, but last night about twenty older punters left as the band played their final Gershwin number.
Why bother forking out for a ticket if you're not going to watch it all, it's just to walk out mid number. I thought this just happened at rock/indie gigs, but it seems it seems to be a common ailment these days.
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Not just a music related thing this ...
... happens at the football all the time (not just when the home side is getting well beaten either).
I always assumed it was some mad desire to "beat the traffic". Then again, you could beat the traffic by staying at home.
Maybe
Maybe people leave before the end in order to catch the last bus/train whatever back home.
The Barrowlands in Glasgow has an 11 o'clock curfew and my last train is 11.15pm. I've sprinted many, many times down Argyle Street to Central Station, gig sweat freezing on my neck and a wheeze coming on from all the running. I've only left a concert early once, and that was The Wonderstuff at the Barrowlands around 1989. That was because they came on so late, there was no way they'd be finished before me, my friends and half the audience had to go. I hate bands who keep you waiting all night before deeming you worthy enough of their presence. Jumped up little shits. On the contrary, Bob Dylan starts every show at 7.30. You've time for a 3 course meal and a nice bottle of wine before catching the last train back from a Bob show. Which is just how I like it these days.
People have to get home
and sometimes with British public transport the only way you can do so is by leaving early.
The Pro-car Encore
Stupidly I never considered people leaving early due to public transport (and I don't drive!).
It does make me think that, as mentioned by Mr Spector, starting your set late doesn't really seem a great way to keep yer fans happy (not just because of the sheer arrogance of keeping fans waiting).
Also the tradition of saving your biggest and best to the encore at the end of the set is similarly quite harsh on the public transport brigade - come by car and hear the hits, come by train/bus/tube and hear the new stuff.
I live in Norwich and the
I live in Norwich and the only way to get home by train from London is sometimes to leave a few minutes before the end. It's tough - we're not all pampered London types you know. They should be grateful I traipse all the way down there in the first place.
Shitty British public transport, as already said.
Same Difference
Me: "we're not all pampered London types you know"
Of course, what I meant to say was "pampered Scarborough types", obviously....
Bus
There is no public bus home in Scarborough afer 7pm, so I wouldn't say we are "pampered" in Scarborough!
it annoys the shit
out of me transport problem or no transport problem. As someone else said it happens at football matches too - is there a transport problem at 5pm? I think not. It's insulting to the artist and irritating to other audience members particularly if you have to stand to let them past. I find that generally the ones that leave early also arrive late ie. after the gig has started. makes you wonder why they bother coming at all.
It's not just the 3 pm kick offs
I've been at lunchtime kick off games and been amazed at people getting up to leave early. What's the problem - there's only 3 hours left before the shops shut?
I often leave a few minutes early
at both football matches and gigs. Sometimes it's to beat the traffic, sometimes to get the train, sometimes because I just don't feel like getting caught up in a crush.
I mean, I wouldn't do it if were seated front row centre and had to get the whole row to stand up, but other than that, well, why not? Can't see why it's a big deal to some people.
As for it being disrespectful, well, I reckon the artist should consider why people don't mind leaving early. I was at the Neil Young gig at Hammersmith earlier this year, and wild horses wouldn't have dragged me away early. But I've left loads of other gigs early where what's on stage just wasn't compelling enough to make me stay.
Arsenal
Take a match at the Emirates as an example. If I leave after 85 minutes I can be on the tube and home nice and quickly. If I stay till the bitter end it can add 30-45 minutes to the trip.
I bet
you were home nice and early today. Ouch!
Didn't go,
thankfully!
I did
I did, and I left at 6 minutes before the end (because my 6-year-old son was getting tired). But I'm a Hull fan and it was probably the best game I've ever seen!
When I saw Big Audio Dynamite
They came on two hours late and I had to leave after about 6 songs because I lived outside of London, work next day, and needed to get the last train home. Never really forgave them for that.
The big venues
* cough (Arenas) * have a policy where the doors have to be opened by a certain time to ensure they maintain a ratio of overpriced gnats piss sold per punter. They don't give a toss about when the band comes on unless it affects the merchandise sales at the end of the entertainment. That's showbiz.
Transport
That is a poor re showing re B.A.D. For people who have to leave early re public transport it's fair enough, I had to do it myself last year for a gig in Glasgow. It's when people leave early for no reason that I can't understand.
I'm sure
they have a reason. Not always a sensible one though.
A couple behind me at a Jethro Tull concert walked out after the first number. I have left before the end of a Verve gig. Same reason. The bands were crap.
I used to stay until the end...
I saw a folk guitar extravaganza at Blackheath Concert Hall many years ago featuring Bert Jansch, John Renbourn and Davey Graham. It finished very late, I had no money left and walked from Blackheath to Camden Town. Took bloody ages... but I wouldn't have missed a single note of that gig.
I went to see Andrew Bird
a couple of years ago at the Lumiaire on a Sunday. Didn't come on until 11. Had to leave after three songs or face financially crippling taxi back to Surrey and a disgruntled babysitter. Who can think it's a good idea to come onstage at 11 on a Sunday?