Concerts You've Walked Out of (and Why)

[overedge]

The "movies that look like they'd suck, but didn't" thread got me thinking about this.

I have been going to concerts for, er, um, a very long time, and I have walked out of exactly one. It was the Pogues in the early 90s, and things were OK when the instrumentalists in the band were playing a few tunes at the start of the show...and then Shane MacGowan came out and started to sing. The "words" sounded like "gha#$%^&*kldsoxcign*&#@)wean*^%!dbel" (accompanied by a lot of drooling). Now I know that Shane has some problems with overindulgence, but I was *so* mad that a performer would take my hardearned money and then get so sh*tfaced he could barely stand up or speak coherently. What an insult to the fans who spent their time and money to come see you. I left after the second song - at least I think it was the second song, it was hard to tell.

So what shows have you gone to and then walked out of? And why?

[Aussie Willy]

Not so much walk out of but wish I had.

I saw New Order back in the 80s and it was crap. The show only lasted for an hour but they seemed to play all their obscure stuff. Maybe I needed to be a bigger fan.

I know someone who went and saw ZZTop and said they only played for 45 minutes.

[jenniferlyon]

I've never seen New Order live, but I heard that they did tend to play the more obscure songs. Bernard Sumner especially hated singing "Blue Monday" and wouldn't do it unless he absolutely had to. But of course, that's what the audience wanted to hear.

[Aceon6]

Gil Scott Herron in the early 70s. The civil rights clashes were still fresh in everyone's minds, and he made no apology for wanting all the whites in the audience to have a really uncomfortable time.

[Satellitegirl]

I went to some Christian band performance once on UNCG's campus when I was going to school there. I was by no means religious, but it was free and some other friends were going, so I thought 'ok sure'. Well it was fine until they got done with a song and decided to stand on stage and go into some diatribe about god and ramble on and on to where it felt like I was in church.

My friend and I left.

[Holley Calmes]

Brings to mind a funny story-and absolutely true.

I worked for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra while a college student in the late 1960's. The Woodruff Arts center had just opened, and I was one of the first employees. Symphony Hall has no center aisle in the downstairs orchetra seating area. It just has I think 46 seats across on each row, and about 25-30 rows. There is also a loge with two forward jutting boxes and a balcony.

Robert Shaw presented Berlioz's "Requiem." I think it had never been performed, or not recently, in Atlanta so nobody knew what to expect. There was a packed house. I was downstairs (doing some homework while I listened...shame on me.)

Things were going along well until the Dies Irae. Unbeknownst to the audience in the lower level, where most people were, Shaw had placed two brass quartets in the upstairs loge boxes that jutted out over the bottom floor. The Dies Ire starts out rumbling-God is pissed off! Then all of a sudden, these brass instruments blared out like the sky had opened up and God was coming down Himself! People in the audience didn't know what was going on-they were screaming, climbing over each other to get out. It was hysterical! And with no center aisle, it was a mess. Women were falliong over strange men, men were falling over strange women. They had just heard loud brassy noises coming from up and behind them, and they freaked.

Once everyone realized what was happening, everybody started laughing, which didn't exacrly fit the mood of the music, either. I will never forget that scene. One to remember....

[michiruwater]

That's hilarious! I went and heard Circus Maximus last semester at MSU and while it was definitely too intense at times, which was the point, at least we all knew what was coming. Surround sound live symphony

I did scream when the rifle went off at the end though, even though I knew that was how the piece ended...

I don't think I've ever actually walked out of a concert... most of the ones I attend are classical and the musician in me would balk at the rudeness. Though I was definitely irritated last year when I saw the DSO perform The Planets and they replaced the women's choir in Neptune with a synthesizer. It's my favorite part of the piece and it turned something totally organic and ethereal into something kitschy and awful.

[Bev Johnston]

I did scream when the rifle went off at the end though, even though I knew that was how the piece ended...

Just like me everytime I see "Carrie"....

I walked out of Spice Girls AND Backstreet Boys concerts. Mostly because I took my daughter and she was only 8 and getting tired. Seriously, though, I'm glad we didn't pay for the Spice Girls tickets. For one thing, they were just terrible singers, especially Scary. The way they treated their fans (little girls) was just shameless. They started 45 minutes late, came out and "sang" for 20 minutes, then took a 20 minute break. We left the during the second break.

Grown-up concerts that I would've walked out on if I had driven...

Smashing Pumpkins in 2008. They started out great, then seemed to forget they were playing in front of people. The last 30 minutes or so was some weird jam session. Apparently Billy Corgan said later that he was really upset with the audience for not "getting" them. Whatever.

The Cranberries back in the 90's. Delores was the only interesting person in that band, and she kept leaving the stage to let band "jam". zzzzzzz

I saw the Cranes open for the Cure, also in the 90's. The Cranes were literally booed off the stage, so no one had to leave.

[Yehudi]

Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. It wasn't due to the very explicit sex scenes but the fact that the guy who played the lead looked like he was hungover and kept missing many phrases. Plus he was ugly and I did not want to see him naked.

[PDilemma]

I went to some Christian band performance once on UNCG's campus when I was going to school there. I was by no means religious, but it was free and some other friends were going, so I thought 'ok sure'. Well it was fine until they got done with a song and decided to stand on stage and go into some diatribe about god and ramble on and on to where it felt like I was in church.

My friend and I left.

Been there, done that. One was a guy named Steve Camp. My friend and I left after hearing only two actual songs in 45 minutes and the rest was preaching.

[genevieve]

I used to go see local bands about 5 nights a week, and I'm sure that I left in the middle of lots of sets...but I often wasn't there just to see the band.

I can't remember ever leaving a concert that I specifically paid for a ticket to see in the middle. Last year I saw Kaki King play and she had a cold - her voice was really not at its best. But she is an amazing guitarist and a lot of her songs are instrumentals, so my friend and I stayed - we were so glad we did, the show had some amazing moments, even in songs with vocals. Another friend and her husband, OTOH, left in disgust after about the 3rd song.

I saw Kaki King play again this year and the show was incredible - not just her voice but the energy. If I had seen her perform like that beforehand, I might have left the show where she was sick too.

[nerdycool]

The one and only concert I've gone to was Everclear, and though I didn't walk out, I really wanted to. That's what happens when you're not the driver and you travel to see a concert.

Anyway, they were horrible. They sounded drunk and/or high, and added to that, every song they played was from an album that had *just* been released. So no one really recognized any song they played. And I really hope there weren't any children there, because Art Alexakis has a mouth like a sailor. Those we heard just fine.

And what really bugged me most afterward, was the knowledge that I was missing the ladies LP at Worlds... the last World's Kwan won... 2003, I think. I remember because the people in a box across the arena had it on their TV and I spent a good portion of the night trying to figure out who was skating and how they did.

[Anita18]

When I really young, my mom got free tickets to an Alice Cooper concert from a coworker. Judging by the name only (we weren't familiar with pop culture), I thought he was a country singer.

We were wrong. What was funny is that I still remember seeing another family with young kids huddled under a blanket next to us on the grass. I remember wondering if they were honestly enjoying it.

[Badams]

The one and only concert I've gone to was Everclear, and though I didn't walk out, I really wanted to. That's what happens when you're not the driver and you travel to see a concert.

Anyway, they were horrible. They sounded drunk and/or high, and added to that, every song they played was from an album that had *just* been released. So no one really recognized any song they played. And I really hope there weren't any children there, because Art Alexakis has a mouth like a sailor. Those we heard just fine.

when i saw Everclear they were GREAT! and Art was a very gracious and friendly person. what a shame you had a different experience.

the one concert i really, REALLY wanted to walk out of was Madonna in 2001. TERRIBLE SHOW! she was about 2 hours late hitting the stage, it was August and she refused to allow the AC to be turned on. it was sold out, of course, and hotter than HELL! then when she did come on, she sang about every boring slow song she ever recorded. and to top it all off, her tickets were insanely priced...which is the only reason i didn't walk out. i wish i had seen a better tour of hers. i have a feeling she has put on much greater shows than the one i suffered through.

[sk8er1964]

Tina Turner. Won tickets back in the late 90's and took my dad.

Her hit album from the 80's was reduced to a short montage, and she played very little of her old stuff from the 70's. Instead she left the audience hanging while she changed her costume 97 billion times and only played stuff from her new cd, which nobody knew.

However, to giver her credit, she did look damn good for her age!

[smurfy]

I did not leave, but should have - The Cars - circa 1980. I could have stayed home, put on my album and closed my eyes. They were boring! Don't remember the warm-up band, but they got booed.

[genevieve]

When I really young, my mom got free tickets to an Alice Cooper concert from a coworker. Judging by the name only (we weren't familiar with pop culture), I thought he was a country singer.

I'm sorry, but

[Anita18]

I'm sorry, but

No need to apologize, it IS hilarious.

I'm more familiar with what's going on in pop culture now.

[Gypsy]

Didn't walk out because I was waiting for the main act, but when I saw the Bangles open for J.Geils, they were awful. They were so off-key and boring.

Also wish we had left Pat Benatar's concert. Excellent sound, but she was so dull...she would go to one side of the stage and sway back and forth, then go to the other side...same thing. Over and over and over again.

My sister on the other hand did leave one concert. Black Sabbath She said she had such a headache and the opening band didn't help any either...Bloodrock.

[skateycat]

I walked out of a Guns and Roses show, but mostly because I went to see the opening band TSOL. The trouble with their show is that I did not get the memo that they'd changed from punk to heavy metal. You'd think with the headliner I'd have gotten the memo, but no. I was a willful, inattentive teenager.