Just Saw the Eagles in Phoenix

[Jcor]

I'm venting........

 

Their promoters have all the money in the world and can afford just about any sound rig. The sound tonight was awful in the US Airways Arena. To me this proves that when a venues acoustics are bad, no amount of money can fix the problems. The sound was a lot of high end and some lows, and very little mids. I realize that sound is dependent on where you sit, but for the money we paid for tickets, the sound should have been better. At one point there was a touch of feedback.

 

The Eagles are one of my all time favorite bands. I think that when you charge as much as they did for a ticket, they should have treated the fans right by going to a venue with better acoustics, even if the facility is smaller. Then have two shows - take care of the fans in a manner that the fans expect from a super group.

 

OK, I feel better......

[Craig Vecchione]

I avoid concerts in sports arenas for that very reason. Not only does it suck mightily to see your favorite band from 275 feet away, but when the sound invariably is like ass, there's simply no point to it.

 

I've been to concerts where I enjoyed the ride home playing their songs on my iPod more than the concert itself. That's sad.

[Rezrover]

I saw AC/DC in the Xcel Energy Center in St.Paul and that's a hockey arena and it was very good. But I'm sure their volume had something to do with it.

[MarkGifford-1]

Just one more reason to hate The Eagles.

 

MG

[malcatron]

I got some free tickets to see the Police in the Millenium stadium (75,000 capacity about 3/4 used for gig) and was sat right at the back, the delay between what I saw on the screen and the sound was so annoying. They were like little matchstick men, lord only knows if it was actually them

 

Musically they sounded like they were right on the money and in a smaller venue I'm sure it would have been a great show, but I left thinking I may as well have watched it on DVD, in fact it would've been better, I wouldn't have had to queue for the toilets and the drinks would've been cheaper (and colder!)

 

I had a far better time watching a Police cover band in a pub! :poke:

[Craig Vecchione]

Arena concerts had their place, and time.....about 30 years ago!

[RoadRanger]

Arena concerts had their place, and time.....about 30 years ago!

They still sell them out at those stoopid high ticket prices so as long as they continue to do so they will keep on producing those shows. Myself after seeing the Police tour at an outdoor stadium for $200 a ticket (pretty good floor seats) I jumped on Amazon and bought a bunch of concert videos. Here the seats and sound are better, no traffic and can't beat the beer prices . Oh, and them old bands are young again too !

[Jcor]

They still sell them out at those stoopid high ticket prices so as long as they continue to do so they will keep on producing those shows. Myself after seeing the Police tour at an outdoor stadium for $200 a ticket (pretty good floor seats) I jumped on Amazon and bought a bunch of concert videos. Here the seats and sound are better, no traffic and can't beat the beer prices . Oh, and them old bands are young again too !

 

I paid $125 a ticket to sit halfway up the arena. The Eagles are a great act, but when the sound is harsh (once again, I think its the venue), I would have rather stayed home and watch one of their DVDs. I think that some of the more 'refined' acts should be more picky about the venues they play in. As long as you take care of your fans, they will keep coming. Give them a great show in a great venue, not where a pro team plays. I would have rather heard them at an outdoor venue.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

I paid $125 a ticket to sit halfway up the arena. The Eagles are a great act, but when the sound is harsh (once again, I think its the venue), I would have rather stayed home and watch one of their DVDs. I think that some of the more 'refined' acts should be more picky about the venues they play in. As long as you take care of your fans, they will keep coming. Give them a great show in a great venue, not where a pro team plays. I would have rather heard them at an outdoor venue.

 

 

 

RoadRanger touched on the reason for this....they sell out. There's a dearth of quality young acts, and there's still a market for major-act concerts. So why shouldn't Frye, Henley, Walsh and Schmidt make sure their twilight years are comfortable by padding their bank accounts to the tune of hundreds of thousands per week of touring??? I would. I'm sure none of them ever expected to be touring and making huge profits at this age. So the sound isn't great? Big deal....there are plenty who don't care, plenty who don't know better, plenty who haven't been exposed to this. You can take just about anyone at least once, and that's essentially the goal of corporate America. Which big music acts are thoroughly a part of.

[gonzobassman]

Wow!!! Well said Craigv. You aren't going to be running for any kind of political office in the future are you? Lol You are right,though,and even with the millions those boys have made I'm sure the recent economic situation hurt them as well. Probably why they are out there touring yet again!

[NUSound]

 

Wow!!! Well said Craigv. You aren't going to be running for any kind of political office in the future are you?

 

 

He just blatantly told us the truth... which means he can't possibly have what it takes to be a politician!

 

Most people at these shows are there to SEE the band and be able to tell their friends that they SAW them. Most people either don't really care about audio quality or can't put their finger on what actually bugs them. That having been said, whoever was in charge of audio probably had a big enough budget to make things sound decent and just didn't.

[prosigna]

 

Arena concerts had their place, and time.....about 30 years ago!

 

 

The arenas provide much in the way of "pros" that other venues simply cannot touch. You get good weather year round with no rainouts or hot days (or cold ones), quality seating (as opposed to grass or bleachers), good parking, etc....

 

The only negative is poor acoustics.

 

This makes arenas both desirable and highly profitable.

 

My first "big" concert was the Rolling Stones in the Cotton Bowl when I was 13. It was the Steel Wheels tour, November 13th-ish. I think it was 28-deg. outside in Dallas that night. Great show but man it was cold.

[lespauldouble]

Seen them a few years back. Great show

[kmart]

 

That having been said, whoever was in charge of audio probably had a big enough budget to make things sound decent and just didn't.

 

 

Exactly.

And not 'probably'; definitely.

 

And since there's no doubt that Frey/Henley and co. were paid a BIGGGGGG lump sum guarantee up front for the tour, it's not Henley's notoriously miserly ways that caused it: promoters wanting to make way more than their due on things are to blame.

[rhat]

I saw the eagles in the 70s in the morris civic auditorium in south bend indiana. Perfect acoustics... they sounded just like the LPs. for sure the venue makes a difference. If they played that same theater today ,, the ticket would be several thousand dollars a ticket.

[MarkGifford-1]

 

Exactly. And not 'probably'; definitely. And since there's no doubt that Frey/Henley and co. were paid a BIGGGGGG lump sum guarantee up front for the tour, it's not Henley's notoriously miserly ways that caused it: promoters wanting to make way more than their due on things are to blame.

 

 

I think production comes from the band's cut.

 

The band gets $XXX to be at a certain place, and put on a show.

 

The promoter rents the venue, pays for promotion and hopes that people show up.

 

Otherwise, there'd be a different rig at every venue.

 

MG

[kmart]

 

I think production comes from the band's cut. The band gets $XXX to be at a certain place, and put on a show. The promoter rents the venue, pays for promotion and hopes that people show up. Otherwise, there'd be a different rig at every venue. MG

 

 

I'm pretty sure not in cases with acts like the Eagles;

 

The "Hell Freezes Over" tour was basically a case of someone deciding they would come up with ANY amount of money and enticements to get the Eagles to agree to tour. And when you're talking about that kind of money being thrown about, the band calls the shots on any/everything they want to ON TOP OF the ridiculous up-front cash payment they receive. They get the $ and get to dictate every single aspect of the show (including production specs) THEN the promoter has to do all the leg work to make sure all the band's specs are met, etc.

 

They gladly and willingly do so because they know the reward is worth the effort.

 

And it's been that way for them since.

Same deal with The Police 2 years ago: huge up front guarantee, what little risk their was attached to ticket sales was all on the promoters, etc.

[J.]

 

I saw AC/DC in the Xcel Energy Center in St.Paul and that's a hockey arena and it was very good. But I'm sure their volume had something to do with it.

 

I was at that show and agree with your assessment. I had heard AC/DC was painfully loud in concert, but that wasn't my experience. I could hear everything really well and was very happy with the sound. Granted I had my earplugs in, but I always do at rock concerts these days.

 

I've seen some horrible sounding concerts though - Motorhead at The Rave in Milwaukee was the worst. It was so loud it hurt even with earplugs in. I couldn't even tell what songs they were playing.

[MarkGifford-1]

 

I'm pretty sure not in cases with acts like the Eagles; The "Hell Freezes Over" tour was basically a case of someone deciding they would come up with ANY amount of money and enticements to get the Eagles to agree to tour. And when you're talking about that kind of money being thrown about, the band calls the shots on any/everything they want to ON TOP OF the ridiculous up-front cash payment they receive. They get the $ and get to dictate every single aspect of the show (including production specs) THEN the promoter has to do all the leg work to make sure all the band's specs are met, etc. They gladly and willingly do so because they know the reward is worth the effort. And it's been that way for them since. Same deal with The Police 2 years ago: huge up front guarantee, what little risk their was attached to ticket sales was all on the promoters, etc.

 

 

I highly doubt that the promoters are spec'ing/hiring the production, at that level. That's the band's responsibility. The band puts together a show package, and then tells the promoter - "This is what it will cost you to get this show in your venue, on this date."

 

Many different promoters work on a tour, and their job is to get asses into seats, or they lose theirs.

 

Whole different story for say, Gov't Mule, who spec the production, but the promoter/venue provide it.

[Craig Vecchione]

Wow!!! Well said Craigv. You aren't going to be running for any kind of political office in the future are you? Lol You are right,though,and even with the millions those boys have made I'm sure the recent economic situation hurt them as well. Probably why they are out there touring yet again!

 

I wouldn't be a part of any political office that would elect me.

[NUSound]

 

Motorhead at The Rave in Milwaukee was the worst.

 

 

The Rave is just a horrible venue. Not a whole lot more the say about it.

[Black Frog]

 

I had heard AC/DC was painfully loud in concert, but that wasn't my experience. I could hear everything really well and was very happy with the sound. Granted I had my earplugs in, but I always do at rock concerts these days.

 

 

We just opened for AC/DC last week- they do run their rig fairly loud, but not outrageously so. The arena we were in (Milwaukee) is not known for having the best acoustics, so not sure if that is a fair test of how they sound in a better environment.