Stadium bands

[squirt1]

We all know that the Beatles,Led Zep, Aerosmith,Eagles,JOURNEY,& Queen could draw HUGE crowds.Really stadium crowds is the correct word. What is the future? 90's & 2,000+ music has been bleak.

[Don]

Queen did a show in 2006 in front of 350,000. The Led Zeppelin Show was a stadium filler too. I think in America we feel we've outgrown it. Quite a pity really.

[wastingbeerz]

Queen did a show in 2006 in front of 350,000. The Led Zeppelin Show was a stadium filler too. I think in America we feel we've outgrown it. Quite a pity really.

We seem to be too much of self-serving pricks over here to bother with the really cool shit anymore... it really is a fucking pity. The only stadium shows that seem to come around here anymore are crappy watered-down modern pop-country acts that everyone around here (Pittsburgh) seems to be jumping on the bandwagon for.

[ProgRocker53]

We all know that the Beatles,Led Zep, Aerosmith,Eagles,JOURNEY,& Queen could draw HUGE crowds.Really stadium crowds is the correct word. What is the future? 90's & 2,000+ music has been bleak.

There have been tons of great bands since the early 90s. Rock and roll ain't dead.. just because there aren't many huge stadium shows any more, doesn't necessarily mean the bands aren't still creating good music. In fact, I've enjoyed shows in small clubs and such far more than a few certain arena shows.

Just gotta know where to find the music you'd like, and go from there.. ignore the mainstream, make Rolling Stone irrelevant.

[Ehwmatt]

We all know that the Beatles,Led Zep, Aerosmith,Eagles,JOURNEY,& Queen could draw HUGE crowds.Really stadium crowds is the correct word. What is the future? 90's & 2,000+ music has been bleak.

There have been tons of great bands since the early 90s. Rock and roll ain't dead.. just because there aren't many huge stadium shows any more, doesn't necessarily mean the bands aren't still creating good music. In fact, I've enjoyed shows in small clubs and such far more than a few certain arena shows.

Just gotta know where to find the music you'd like, and go from there.. ignore the mainstream, make Rolling Stone irrelevant.

Yep.

[ProgRocker53]

I think it's more a sign of the times than anything. There are hundreds more music acts out there today touring, than there were back in 1975 or even 1985. Just like the population balloons, so will the amount of rock bands.... and thus decreases the demand for giant stadium shows.

[Arkansas]

A promoter friend of mine once said that stadium shows have become way too expensive to run. From venue rental, to dealing with labor unions, to show insurance, to vendors, to parking attendants, to local ordinances (noise, traffic, trash, etc), it's just hardly not worth it. He said you might can scrape out a decent profit if you can do some sort of all day or two day thing, but even then, the expenses can get exponential...not to mention, the promoter's staff & headaches.

When I compared it to football games, he said those are easier simply because most people are more accomodating toward a state university, or a pro team. And the major difference is that schools & pro franchises lock in to 3-5 occurence per year deal, so there are various cost breaks. Also, minimum attendance estimates are usually fairly accurate. With rock shows it's completely hit-n-miss.


later~

[Ehwmatt]

A promoter friend of mine once said that stadium shows have become way too expensive to run. From venue rental, to dealing with labor unions, to show insurance, to vendors, to parking attendants, to local ordinances (noise, traffic, trash, etc), it's just hardly not worth it. He said you might can scrape out a decent profit if you can do some sort of all day or two day thing, but even then, the expenses can get exponential...not to mention, the promoter's staff & headaches.

When I compared it to football games, he said those are easier simply because most people are more accomodating toward a state university, or a pro team. And the major difference is that schools & pro franchises lock in to 3-5 occurence per year deal, so there are various cost breaks. Also, minimum attendance estimates are usually fairly accurate. With rock shows it's completely hit-n-miss.


later~

That makes a lot of sense - but it still seems a little crazy to me. I'd guess that concert ticket price increases have FAR eclipsed inflation since the stadium tour's heyday - doesn't this help, particularly for big-selling acts?

I think the concert industry suffers a bit like the movie theater industry: Technology's gotten so good that for many, especially casual fans, you can get a damn good experience on a great home theater system cranking out a well-produced concert DVD that you pay $15-20 for rather than $45-300 for. Take drunk fans, $8 beer, being crowded in your seat etc. out of the equation and for many, going to the concert just isn't worth it anymore.

In short, there's really no simple cause for the demise of the stadium show

[annpea]

A promoter friend of mine once said that stadium shows have become way too expensive to run. From venue rental, to dealing with labor unions, to show insurance, to vendors, to parking attendants, to local ordinances (noise, traffic, trash, etc), it's just hardly not worth it. He said you might can scrape out a decent profit if you can do some sort of all day or two day thing, but even then, the expenses can get exponential...not to mention, the promoter's staff & headaches.

That's a shame; I miss those supersize parties.

When I compared it to football games, he said those are easier simply because most people are more accomodating toward a state university, or a pro team. And the major difference is that schools & pro franchises lock in to 3-5 occurence per year deal, so there are various cost breaks. Also, minimum attendance estimates are usually fairly accurate. With rock shows it's completely hit-n-miss.


later~

[Matthew]

Queen did a show in 2006 in front of 350,000. The Led Zeppelin Show was a stadium filler too. I think in America we feel we've outgrown it. Quite a pity really.

We seem to be too much of self-serving pricks over here to bother with the really cool shit anymore... it really is a fucking pity. The only stadium shows that seem to come around here anymore are crappy watered-down modern pop-country acts that everyone around here (Pittsburgh) seems to be jumping on the bandwagon for.

What about Metallica...U2...Red Hot Chilli Peppers...etc?

[MCM]

Queen did a show in 2006 in front of 350,000. The Led Zeppelin Show was a stadium filler too. I think in America we feel we've outgrown it. Quite a pity really.

We seem to be too much of self-serving pricks over here to bother with the really cool shit anymore... it really is a fucking pity. The only stadium shows that seem to come around here anymore are crappy watered-down modern pop-country acts that everyone around here (Pittsburgh) seems to be jumping on the bandwagon for.

Correct, almost everyone I know was on board for the all day country fest they had during the summer. (I forget the headliner as I didn't care) Meanwhile you have to drive to Hershey or Philadelphia to see Journey or Metallica. Not to mention of the four large venues we have available in Pgh three of them are outdoor, one of them a pain in the ass to get to. A good part of the year we only have one venue that can hold a large crowd. I don't know if this is the case in other cities but it sucks here in the northeast.

[ProgRocker53]

Queen did a show in 2006 in front of 350,000. The Led Zeppelin Show was a stadium filler too. I think in America we feel we've outgrown it. Quite a pity really.

We seem to be too much of self-serving pricks over here to bother with the really cool shit anymore... it really is a fucking pity. The only stadium shows that seem to come around here anymore are crappy watered-down modern pop-country acts that everyone around here (Pittsburgh) seems to be jumping on the bandwagon for.

What about Metallica...U2...Red Hot Chilli Peppers...etc?

The Metallica show I went to was in an 18,000 seat basketball arena.

[Matthew]

Queen did a show in 2006 in front of 350,000. The Led Zeppelin Show was a stadium filler too. I think in America we feel we've outgrown it. Quite a pity really.

We seem to be too much of self-serving pricks over here to bother with the really cool shit anymore... it really is a fucking pity. The only stadium shows that seem to come around here anymore are crappy watered-down modern pop-country acts that everyone around here (Pittsburgh) seems to be jumping on the bandwagon for.

Correct, almost everyone I know was on board for the all day country fest they had during the summer. (I forget the headliner as I didn't care) Meanwhile you have to drive to Hershey or Philadelphia to see Journey or Metallica. Not to mention of the four large venues we have available in Pgh three of them are outdoor, one of them a pain in the ass to get to. A good part of the year we only have one venue that can hold a large crowd. I don't know if this is the case in other cities but it sucks here in the northeast.

With respect to Pittsburgh...if you live in a small city then it isn't unusual to have to drive elsewhere to see big shows. I'm not sure having to do that is a 'sign of the times'.

[ProgRocker53]

Queen did a show in 2006 in front of 350,000. The Led Zeppelin Show was a stadium filler too. I think in America we feel we've outgrown it. Quite a pity really.

We seem to be too much of self-serving pricks over here to bother with the really cool shit anymore... it really is a fucking pity. The only stadium shows that seem to come around here anymore are crappy watered-down modern pop-country acts that everyone around here (Pittsburgh) seems to be jumping on the bandwagon for.

Correct, almost everyone I know was on board for the all day country fest they had during the summer. (I forget the headliner as I didn't care) Meanwhile you have to drive to Hershey or Philadelphia to see Journey or Metallica. Not to mention of the four large venues we have available in Pgh three of them are outdoor, one of them a pain in the ass to get to. A good part of the year we only have one venue that can hold a large crowd. I don't know if this is the case in other cities but it sucks here in the northeast.

With respect to Pittsburgh...if you live in a small city then it isn't unusual to have to drive elsewhere to see big shows. I'm not sure having to do that is a 'sign of the times'.

No way is Pittsburgh small.

[Matthew]

Queen did a show in 2006 in front of 350,000. The Led Zeppelin Show was a stadium filler too. I think in America we feel we've outgrown it. Quite a pity really.

We seem to be too much of self-serving pricks over here to bother with the really cool shit anymore... it really is a fucking pity. The only stadium shows that seem to come around here anymore are crappy watered-down modern pop-country acts that everyone around here (Pittsburgh) seems to be jumping on the bandwagon for.

What about Metallica...U2...Red Hot Chilli Peppers...etc?

The Metallica show I went to was in an 18,000 seat basketball arena.

I've seen them in an 18,000 venue...but they played to 90,000 at the UK"s biggest stadium in London last year. Depends on the tour and the city in question. I'm not convinced we need to sit on some pity pot about our favourite bands having a hard time.

[Matthew]

Queen did a show in 2006 in front of 350,000. The Led Zeppelin Show was a stadium filler too. I think in America we feel we've outgrown it. Quite a pity really.

We seem to be too much of self-serving pricks over here to bother with the really cool shit anymore... it really is a fucking pity. The only stadium shows that seem to come around here anymore are crappy watered-down modern pop-country acts that everyone around here (Pittsburgh) seems to be jumping on the bandwagon for.

Correct, almost everyone I know was on board for the all day country fest they had during the summer. (I forget the headliner as I didn't care) Meanwhile you have to drive to Hershey or Philadelphia to see Journey or Metallica. Not to mention of the four large venues we have available in Pgh three of them are outdoor, one of them a pain in the ass to get to. A good part of the year we only have one venue that can hold a large crowd. I don't know if this is the case in other cities but it sucks here in the northeast.

With respect to Pittsburgh...if you live in a small city then it isn't unusual to have to drive elsewhere to see big shows. I'm not sure having to do that is a 'sign of the times'.

No way is Pittsburgh small.

Well, maybe it's small 'culturally'...given that they have only one decent venue available for most of the year. Or was Pittburgh chock full of fabulous stadium rock shows in the 1980s?

[Don]

Queen did a show in 2006 in front of 350,000. The Led Zeppelin Show was a stadium filler too. I think in America we feel we've outgrown it. Quite a pity really.

We seem to be too much of self-serving pricks over here to bother with the really cool shit anymore... it really is a fucking pity. The only stadium shows that seem to come around here anymore are crappy watered-down modern pop-country acts that everyone around here (Pittsburgh) seems to be jumping on the bandwagon for.

What about Metallica...U2...Red Hot Chilli Peppers...etc?

The Metallica show I went to was in an 18,000 seat basketball arena.

I've seen them in an 18,000 venue...but they played to 90,000 at the UK"s biggest stadium in London last year. Depends on the tour and the city in question. I'm not convinced we need to sit on some pity pot about our favourite bands having a hard time.

As you said that show was in the U.K. It's not that we're feeling sorry for them, there just isn't that excitement that used to surround tours like in the 80's. Maybe because we can replicate the shows on DVD now or maybe ticket prices. Europe still seems to fill stadiums with the same acts that play state fairs here so I don't know what to make of it.

[S2M]

Queen did a show in 2006 in front of 350,000. The Led Zeppelin Show was a stadium filler too. I think in America we feel we've outgrown it. Quite a pity really.

We seem to be too much of self-serving pricks over here to bother with the really cool shit anymore... it really is a fucking pity. The only stadium shows that seem to come around here anymore are crappy watered-down modern pop-country acts that everyone around here (Pittsburgh) seems to be jumping on the bandwagon for.

What about Metallica...U2...Red Hot Chilli Peppers...etc?

The Metallica show I went to was in an 18,000 seat basketball arena.

I've seen them in an 18,000 venue...but they played to 90,000 at the UK"s biggest stadium in London last year. Depends on the tour and the city in question. I'm not convinced we need to sit on some pity pot about our favourite bands having a hard time.

As you said that show was in the U.K. It's not that we're feeling sorry for them, there just isn't that excitement that used to surround tours like in the 80's. Maybe because we can replicate the shows on DVD now or maybe ticket prices. Europe still seems to fill stadiums with the same acts that play state fairs here so I don't know what to make of it.

The difference is....Firefest wouldn't work here. The state of the american music industry is horrendous. Beyonce, Rhianna, 50 Cent...and all these EMO bands....disposable music that ain't worth shit. Well, let me modify that. Firefest MIGHT work, if there were enough bands on the bill, and the ticket price wasn't outlandish. HOWEVER, it wouldn't be cost-effective for the european bands to come over here....although they may have to bite the bullet for the exposure...

Melodic rock kicks this american music's so bad, it is not even funny....but Jonas fuckin' bros., and Hannah Montana sell out stadiums? I must be in fucking bizarro world....

[Matthew]

As you said that show was in the U.K. It's not that we're feeling sorry for them, there just isn't that excitement that used to surround tours like in the 80's. Maybe because we can replicate the shows on DVD now or maybe ticket prices. Europe still seems to fill stadiums with the same acts that play state fairs here so I don't know what to make of it.

I wouldn't over-estimate Europe's appetite for the acts that are popular on this site. Only Metallica, U2, Bruce Springsteen Bon Jovi and the Foo Fighters can pack out stadiums here - and I seriously doubt they'd have much trouble filling the bigger venues in the States either.

As for the second division 'state fair' acts...well, they'll play the smaller venues here too. I'm not sure the UK and the USA are that different in this regard.

[Matthew]

The difference is....Firefest wouldn't work here.

Firefest was at a relatively small venue. It certainly wouldn't fill out the big stadiums and arenas in the UK...like Wembley, the O2 or the Emirates.

The state of the american music industry is horrendous. Beyonce, Rhianna, 50 Cent...and all these EMO bands....disposable music that ain't worth shit.

Metallica were recently Number One though. And younger metal bands like System of a Down and Slipknott do extremely well - and the country rock genre is thriving.

And let's be honest...us old farts are meant to hate the music the young 'uns are in to. That's just the way it is. Besides...are you seriously telling me there wasn't disposable, shit pop music in the 70s and 80s? There was tonnes of it!

[Arkansas]

This is a pretty big outdoor 80s reunion.

http://www.rocklahoma.com/


later~

[squirt1]

Gunbot- Was the 350,000 concert in Budapest the one with the helicopter ? Europe ,or I should say maybe some countries in Europe, allow a field of festival standing like that muddy N Y 60's concert. I think the WHO concert,here in Cincinnati, and all the litagation, made the US promoters and public officials very aware. Anyway,I wish it could be the 70's-80's just ONE MORE TIME !!!!! I left out the Rolling Stones.

[Don]

Gunbot- Was the 350,000 concert in Budapest the one with the helicopter ? Europe ,or I should say maybe some countries in Europe, allow a field of festival standing like that muddy N Y 60's concert. I think the WHO concert,here in Cincinnati, and all the litagation, made the US promoters and public officials very aware. Anyway,I wish it could be the 70's-80's just ONE MORE TIME !!!!! I left out the Rolling Stones.

I was talking about a show they did in Ukraine in 2006. I think your talking about 1986 when they used a stage crew of over 100 people because of the size of the show.

[larryfromnextdoor]

Ukraine .

the ukraine is weak!

[hoagiepete]

Part of the problem is fans wouldn't want to pay $75-100 for seats where the view has the band looking like ants. Good old Summer Jam days, at $12 each, who cares. As long as the halter tops are in abundance!!!

[Don]

We need another US Festival: Van Halen Benatar, Triumph, 300,000 people in swimwear. Total awesomeness.

[Deb]

We need another US Festival: Van Halen Benatar, Triumph, 300,000 people in swimwear. Total awesomeness.

Those were the days. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRDS9AwDF6g

Used to have alot here too, but seems those summer outdoor festivals went away with the 70s/80s bands.