Goldsmith - More Muse or the concert business will die in 5 years.

[Gareeh]

True. But at the same time, her ticket prices are very fair considering what her stage and costume production value is as well. She could be charging A LOT per ticket. But for a non-package ticket, it's still within the $60-100 range. Very fair.

 

and her biggest uk gig was in the o2 arena, surprising she hasn't done stadiums yet.

 

our music generation sucks in the way the famous artists aren't bands and they can't play live.

[JessicaSarahS]

our music generation sucks in the way the famous artists aren't bands and they can't play live.

 

Agreed.

[Tesseract]

and her biggest uk gig was in the o2 arena, surprising she hasn't done stadiums yet.

 

our music generation sucks in the way the famous artists aren't bands and they can't play live.

 

This.

[a-museing]

What a load of poopoo. There are loads of great live bands around.

 

That's not the point he is making.

[garseys]

Its interesting that Editors and also Franz Ferdinand were playing big(ish) venues on their 2nd album tours (Editors were support for FF on their 2005 UK arena tour) but they have retracted back to acadamies (and further in Editors case) for album 3 in the UK (they seem more interested in the larger venues in continental Europe).

 

Its more to do with the Albums they were touring with, and the hype that both bands were riding at the time

 

 

I find it funny that in 10+ years Muse will have a considerably aged fanbase and could be considered Dad Rock

[CarrieB]

Its more to do with the Albums they were touring with, and the hype that both bands were riding at the time

 

 

I find it funny that in 10+ years Muse will have a considerably aged fanbase and could be considered Dad Rock

 

Not necessarily. A lot of their fans now, appear to be quite a bit younger than they are. I think they have a mixed age audience starting from low teens.

[bILLOO]

That's not the point he is making.

 

It isn't? Oh.... I'll leave.

[Saracene]

I find it funny that in 10+ years Muse will have a considerably aged fanbase and could be considered Dad Rock

 

Nah, they will fool people for years and years with their boyish looks

 

Plus they now have lots of fans in their teens, so in 10 years those fans will only be in their 20s.

[s3ker]

I might be completely wrong, but I kinda relate this to the way music developed in the last 10/15 years. It's gotten really intimate, not enough rock'n'roll / bombastic to fill up stadiums.

 

I'm not saying there's not energetic and interesting music out there, I just feel like music progressed in a way that force the live shows to be held in smaller venues, to maintain the contact between the musicians and the public that the music itself demands, this might not be completely related with the original article but smaller veneus probably mean smaller tours and less profit...

 

Basicly, try to establish a comparison between the bands that have filled stadiums in the past and the bands in the current musical scene. I'm not saying that music is worse now (becasuse it's not what we're discussing here), but it just lacks the stadium/big arena-act element.

[forevermusic]

I might be completely wrong, but I kinda relate this to the way music developed in the last 10/15 years. It's gotten really intimate, not enough rock'n'roll / bombastic to fill up stadiums.

 

I'm not saying there's not energetic and interesting music out there, I just feel like music progressed in a way that force the live shows to be held in smaller venues, to maintain the contact between the musicians and the public that the music itself demands, this might not be completely related with the original article but smaller veneus probably mean smaller tours and less profit...

 

Basicly, try to establish a comparison between the bands that have filled stadiums in the past and the bands in the current musical scene. I'm not saying that music is worse now (becasuse it's not what we're discussing here), but it just lacks the stadium/big arena-act element.

 

I think you are right - it is cooler to make more intimate, quieter rock with more focus on rhythm and melody than focus on the bombast. In that kinda way Muse are swimming against the current, even if for album 6 they seem to be turning to go with it.

 

Stuff like Mumford & Sons wouldn't really work in an arena environemnt as it would eat their sound and spit it out. But this is cooler so it would sell more albums and lower venues but if it got to a big venue then it would sound bad and a bit more hollow.

 

Arseholes like The Drums don't help either.

[Clunge]

It's generic, 'indie'/'folkie' nonsense like Mumford & Sons that's clogging up British music at the moment.

 

It's like a reverse of 1976 and the rise of punk - we need a reaction to this lo-fi scene .

[haze015]

While that is true, that people's financial situations are preventing them from getting out more, the fact is that there is still a market for ticket/concert sales. People aren't just buying any shit that is thrown in front of them. They're being selective with who they go see and where they travel. People still travel for bands. But instead of following 4 or 5 different bands, it's down to one or two. And people are not buying ridiculously priced tickets, but staying in the $30-80 range. This is one reason why Muse's show was successful in the US. They put on a great stage production and live show for a fair price.

 

What are you on about "fair" price?

 

Live music at arenas has simply got too expensive, so people are forced into being more selective. When I first saw Muse in an arena, it was like £15, now it's hitting £50 (For a shorter tour in a more limited range of venues in the UK, so didn't bother seeing them on their last tour here as a result), basically more than doubling in price in 6 years and that's a trend that's gone right across all the industry.

 

It's not too different to what happened with CDs in fact.

 

Don't know what bollocks everyone else is talking, obviously don't know too much about the indie/unsigned scene that's always existed and more "intimate" music has always got popular through it.

[futurophu]

It's generic, 'indie'/'folkie' nonsense like Mumford & Sons that's clogging up British music at the moment.

 

It's like a reverse of 1976 and the rise of punk - we need a reaction to this lo-fi scene .

 

I agree , I can't get into a lot of new stuff, it's pretty underwhelming tbh. or I'm closed minded..

[tulaplee]

Speaking on the issue of concert ticket prices - I think my GA tickets for detroit were $49 (someone correct me if i'm wrong it may be that GA was $59 and seats were $49). My Cincinnati tickets were $49 and I think Columbus was $59 for GA. The shows I saw in detroit and nashville were a hell of bargain for that price. My Steve Winwood/Santana tickets were around $70 each and they did a hell of a show as well - even though it wasn't as flashy it was a half hour longer. On the other hand, tickets for a show with the Doobie Brothers and Chicago in Cincinnati this summer started at $90. Ridiculous price for a has-been concert where roughly 3/4 of the people playing weren't original members.

 

If the concert industry wants to save itself, it better take a good hard look at the ticket prices it's charging and the way ticket sales are handled. It only has itself to blame if it's not around in five years.

[dontask]

bands that can do it now from Muse's generation;

 

Muse, Kasabian, The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, Kings of Leon, Coldplay, and Ive probably missed a few, its up for debate about Gorillaz I suppose.

 

bands that could be well on there way to this level;

 

30 Seconds to Mars, Florence and the Machine, The Courteeners, Paramore, Biffy Clyro, maybe Vampire Weekend, probably missed a few again.

 

the bottom list doesnt look very convincing though does it? the issue is that in the times of the top list, rock music was what was popular, everyone was into it, everyone loved the arctic monkeys in particular. nowadays people seem obsessed with the bands in their prime, or bands well past it (u2, rolling stones, insert stadium/arena band not from this millenium). the new artists getting the attention are straying away from rock more and more with the best example being Lady Gaga I suppose.

 

finally though, indie/folk nonsense Mumford and Sons may be, Laura Marling is absolutely brilliant and if the genre turns out nothing better than her then it will still have done very well.

 

edit: that was an epicly opinionated and not thought out post.

[Mozza]

I do wonder what planet music executives live on these days.

[saski86]

bands that can do it now from Muse's generation;

 

Muse, Kasabian, The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, Kings of Leon, Coldplay, and Ive probably missed a few, its up for debate about Gorillaz I suppose.

 

bands that could be well on there way to this level;

 

30 Seconds to Mars, Florence and the Machine, The Courteeners, Paramore, Biffy Clyro, maybe Vampire Weekend, probably missed a few again.

 

the bottom list doesnt look very convincing though does it? the issue is that in the times of the top list, rock music was what was popular, everyone was into it, everyone loved the arctic monkeys in particular. nowadays people seem obsessed with the bands in their prime, or bands well past it (u2, rolling stones, insert stadium/arena band not from this millenium). the new artists getting the attention are straying away from rock more and more with the best example being Lady Gaga I suppose.

 

finally though, indie/folk nonsense Mumford and Sons may be, Laura Marling is absolutely brilliant and if the genre turns out nothing better than her then it will still have done very well.

 

edit: that was an epicly opinionated and not thought out post.

 

I don't think Kasabian or Arctic Monkeys are near this level yet. Maybe in the UK but not worldwide. I am a fan of both these bands, so I'm not knocking them but I doubt they could sell out a stadium or even large Arena in the USA. I know Artics did have some success in USA with their first album but that seems to have been short lived, though I may be wrong. The trouble with the AM, and their sound is very 'British' so it doesn't travel so well, also I think they became too big early on in their career which can be difficult to sustain as they haven't had enough years to build up a solid fanbase.

 

The Couteeners:eek: A Stadium band have you been drinking?

 

I've seen Mumford and Sons a couple of times live and they are brilliant:yesey:, even though they are not my usual kind of music. But I agree they wouldn't really be suited to stadiums.

[garseys]

I do wonder what planet music executives live on these days.

 

I dunno, I guess they're signing the most generic of the generic.

 

An old friends band is doing really well, despite being the most boring thing I've listened to.

 

also to point out, Warner are doing a superb job with Pendulum. and they are not far behind Muse in terms of amazing shows.

[haze015]

the bottom list doesnt look very convincing though does it? the issue is that in the times of the top list, rock music was what was popular, everyone was into it, everyone loved the arctic monkeys in particular. nowadays people seem obsessed with the bands in their prime, or bands well past it (u2, rolling stones, insert stadium/arena band not from this millenium). the new artists getting the attention are straying away from rock more and more with the best example being Lady Gaga I suppose.

 

What makes you think rock is only what fills stadiums?

 

Depeche Mode & The Prodigy are two examples of bands that aren't rock at all and completely capable of selling out stadiums.

 

No act can turn up and over night be filling stadiums, it takes time, so of course it's only old bands. The majority of acts are signed because they fit the current trend and only there to cash in (This is nothing new, it's the way the industry has always been), no interest in developing them into huge stars because it won't happen, they fall by the wayside, the ones with any longevity come through.

[Mozza]

What makes you think rock is only what fills stadiums?

 

Depeche Mode & The Prodigy are two examples of bands that aren't rock at all and completely capable of selling out stadiums.

 

No act can turn up and over night be filling stadiums, it takes time, so of course it's only old bands. The majority of acts are signed because they fit the current trend and only there to cash in (This is nothing new, it's the way the industry has always been), no interest in developing them into huge stars because it won't happen, they fall by the wayside, the ones with any longevity come through.

 

I suppose to some sections of the American media Muse have just sprung up over night, I can't think of a band in recent memory who have slowly built their way up to stadium size rather than the current trend for 'massive 1st album selling out arenas and one-off park gigs and then fading back down as people get bored'

[Mistress]

+1

I bet more people have heard of JLS than Muse.

 

Now you're just making me sad :'( I agree, there are only a handful of stadium filling bands, but anything could come up in the next few years

[haze015]

I suppose to some sections of the American media Muse have just sprung up over night, I can't think of a band in recent memory who have slowly built their way up to stadium size rather than the current trend for 'massive 1st album selling out arenas and one-off park gigs and then fading back down as people get bored'

 

That's not far off how the industry has always been though, just not so frantic these days (Hard to believe, but you don't see bands these days playing 3 gigs in a day and spending a week coked off their face to keep them awake so they can use all the hours of the day to record an album before going straight back on the road).

[dontask]

I don't think Kasabian or Arctic Monkeys are near this level yet. Maybe in the UK but not worldwide. I am a fan of both these bands, so I'm not knocking them but I doubt they could sell out a stadium or even large Arena in the USA. I know Artics did have some success in USA with their first album but that seems to have been short lived, though I may be wrong. The trouble with the AM, and their sound is very 'British' so it doesn't travel so well, also I think they became too big early on in their career which can be difficult to sustain as they haven't had enough years to build up a solid fanbase.

 

The Couteeners:eek: A Stadium band have you been drinking?

 

I've seen Mumford and Sons a couple of times live and they are brilliant:yesey:, even though they are not my usual kind of music. But I agree they wouldn't really be suited to stadiums.

 

I was thinking more specifically in the UK to be honest, and I was thinking more arena than stadiums. I included Courteeners since they sold out a 10k+ venue before they even released the second album. makes sense.

[Max]

I was thinking more specifically in the UK to be honest, and I was thinking more arena than stadiums. I included Courteeners since they sold out a 10k+ venue before they even released the second album. makes sense.

 

Which is actually quite funny given how monumentally shit they are and how bad their second album is.

[musedan]

Problem is, too many bands are too similar. Muse are Muse, different to anything else and provide a different experience to just playing a set, it's a show.