David Gray

Just saw a YouTube video of Lately.  I can't believe the amount of audience noise!  There are times when he is obviously a bit annoyed/disappointed and looking around at that crowd.  Still, there are moments of the performance that are totally perfect.  When it builds into the loud part in the middle, I nearly forgot about how bad it was until the music quieted down again.  You don't want a dead crowd, but you don't want such a large proportion of the audience engaged in full conversation having nothing to do with the show!  I'm amazed they played so well to that crowd.

ropreston:

There are times when he is obviously a bit annoyed/disappointed and looking around at that crowd.  Still, there are moments of the performance that are totally perfect.

Yes, this is a great point! Because I like a little sweet with my sour I want to say that DG and the band put on an incredible performance at the HOB. It certainly wasn't their fault the crowd was less than stellar (to put it mildly) and they did the best they could with what they had to work with. As always it was a top notch effort. I commented at the beginning of the show that I thought DG looked really tired and annoyed - and he probably was. But he and the guys gave it their all and I really thought they sounded good. I am so appreciative that they did Late Night Radio/ Faster Sooner Now - since we were standing it was great to dance to those. Reminded me of getting to hear them in Vegas with everybody. And Nemesis, whether the best performance of Nemesis ever, was still Nemesis and was, therefore, a highlight for me. I was at the show with a friend who had never been to a DG concert before and isn't, actually, that familiar with his music and she had a great time and really enjoyed the show - that was fun for me and kind of kept me from being too dragged down by the negativity. And really, regardless of the crowd, the venue or any of the rest of it - it was a DG show and the worst DG show beats a best of anything else I can think of.

I don't have too much more to add, but just wanted to share my experience with this interesting HOB crowd. As I am sure most of you did, my wife and I arrived early before the doors opened. Once the doors open we made our way into the venue and staked out a place on the main floor. We were going to get close to the stage as possible, but both of us were already exhausted from walking and standing most of the day. So we decided to stand on the main floor against the railing near the steps by the video board so we could lean and rest before DG started. We had a great view and were excited for the show. But by the time DG started our excitement had changed to a mild annoyance.

It was quite obvious the booze was flowing well that night. Now, I am not saying there is anything wrong with drinking and having fun at a concert, because I was doing that exact thing, but some people can't handle it. I think the main problem was that there was such a long wait from the time the doors opened until show started. Obviously there were quite a few people around me that were able to to get a lot of drinks down in that time, and they couldn't handle it. A lady who was on the stairs next to me was so drunk she kept spilling her drink, dropping her shoes, eventually couldn't stand, and didn't even know DG was on stage until her friend, who was holding her up, told her he was performing when she asked who was on stage. Another couple was so bad that they both tried to leave early and couldn't walk a straight line to the stairs when people were trying to direct them out. They were holding each other up. (I wonder how hailing a cab worked out for those two.) And then there was another overly drunk gentleman whose apparent night's mission was to get DG to play, and I quote "Some of your old stuff". At least I am assuming that was his mission since he continuously yelled that after every song. By the end of the night two ladies, much, much smaller than him, had to hold him to keep him semi-upright. I think my wife and I counted 6 people around us that had to leave early because they were too intoxicated to stand straight. Combine those incidents with the obsessive talking going on, it was tough to fully enjoy the show.

Despite all that, it was still a live DG performance, and he never disappoints. There were at least a few people around us that were very into the show, as we were, which helped. I thought the show got better as it went on (probably because there were less distracting incidents as those people left). For some reason to me, from Jackdaw on it felt like the crowd got more into the show. I thought the music was amazing and DG put on a great performance despite the crowd. Highlight of my night (other than the distracting people leaving) was Late Night Radio.

I think many of you are making one excellent point - that at the end of the day it is DG..............so no matter annoying crowd or bugs in a sauna it still is pretty fecken amazing stuff. And to get to see old friends inside such an event only makes it all the better.

All that said lesson learned.

Well! I don't have much more to add from what's already been said... First off, it was fantastic to meet DCA and spinny before the show! Luckily, I happened to find DCA along the stairs listening to the sound check and got to watch/listen a bit with him and got to hear a decent little segment from Nightblindness! Love meeting the people off this BB... 'tis a lovely little community we have here!

As far as the gig, yes, it was just loud and drunken. We were one person back from the front gate, so we had a fantastic view... but the people behind us made it hard to really not get a little pissy, even while watching someone as amazing as David. The redeeming moments of the show were Late Night Radio>Faster Sooner Now (haven't heard that in about a decade live!), Lately (I know DCA agrees with that choice) and the one and only Nemesis. Would've loved to hear Nightblindness again, but the crowd certainly was not going to be quieting down for such a song.... such a shame. 

But, out of all this, I find out that me and my wife were made for each other... now both of our first times seeing David live was a way-too-loud crowd Chicago show (mine was at the United Center in '03, her's here)... hopefully David decides to come back to good ol' Wisconsin next tour. Both times at Milwaukee have been fantastic and the crowd has been surprisingly respectful for a town known for it's drinking. Either way, it is always a pleasure to see David, whether good crowd or not... though my wife now wants to have an affair with him I think ;) 

Glad to hear that the MN show made up for the crowds in Chicago!! 

Thanks for the recent reviews guys, it's good to read that the crowd did not spoil the gig completely and you still managed to enjoy the show.

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Your tears at the wake and
Your smiles at the wedding
DG Manchester Bridgewater Hall 03/06/11
:)