band/crowd interaction

[lgr]

I don't know about everyone else, but I always get the feeling the band just want to rush and play a ton of songs without really connecting with the audience.

 

sure it's all about the music, but it's nice when you go see a band and feel like you're both sharing in something rather than just watching some people play songs you could listen to on a CD.

 

for example...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyCoMVkJcvs

 

thoughts?

 

edit: tons of edits - no idea how to embed videos...

Edited November 8, 2011 by LGraham

[DecanoLP]

Exactly my thoughts and definitely one of the reasons why they aren't such a good live (!) - band like everyone says. The interaction with the crowd is besides the quality of the performance the most important factor in a live show and for some reason, Chester and Mike can't say more than "You guys are cool", "This is our last song" and "Put your hands up" every single show.

 

I don't know what happened after 2007, but since the release of Minutes To Midnight the crowd interaction became less and less which is really sad. I miss the spontaneous and funny speeches to entertain the crowd. Just rushing through a set, makes a show boring which happened here

[leftshoe18]

If they interacted with the crowd more, they'd have to play less songs. If they play less songs, everyone will complain about shortened setlists.

[lgr]

If they interacted with the crowd more, they'd have to play less songs. If they play less songs, everyone will complain about shortened setlists.

true... but a live gig is about seeing the band and getting something more than just the music

setlist syndrome shouldn't be a factor in a band's live show

[danielpsoad-09]

If they interacted with the crowd more, they'd have to play less songs. If they play less songs, everyone will complain about shortened setlists.

Why would they play less songs? There are several bands that play 2-3 hour shows with a lot of songs and great interaction with the crowd. It's just a matter of the band WANTING to do that.

 

I agree with DecanoLP on what he said. This is one of the reasons (plus the same setlist every night) why LP shows are not really exciting nowadays, at least for a lot of people, like me, who have been following the band for so long.

[wiiesel]

[...] LP shows are not really exciting nowadays, at least for a lot of people, like me, who have been following the band for so long.

That's your problem. Go check out other great bands and have fun with them. One day you'll come back to LP and you'll be surprised ^^

[Geki]

I have seen LP live 12 times now, and I have to tell you, the 2007/2008 shows I attended were a lot different than the 2010/2011 shows I attended. The band still talked to my crowd at the 2010/2011 shows I attended, but it was subtle, if anything it was the same generic shit such as ''how's it going out there'' or ''put your hands up'' or ''thank you (insert city)''. In 2007/2008 shows that I attended, the band talked to the fans throughout the whole show, saying unique things and making it special, I felt like the band was connecting with me, like you said. Chester and Mike came straight into the crowd a lot (way more than they do now) and Chester would high five EVERYBODY he could in the front row, now he just high fives a few people that are close. I think LP is tired of touring, and probably sick of paying all the old HT/MT songs. My two cents. They also were super interactive prior to 2007 as well, even more so. I was just going with my experiences.

 

If they interacted with the crowd more, they'd have to play less songs. If they play less songs, everyone will complain about shortened setlists.

I would be happy if LP played a smaller set if it were sacrificed for more crowd interaction, to be honest. I could do without seeing songs like Numb, In The End, Crawling, Iridescent, etc., but I know that's being selfish since a lot of people love hearing those songs live.

Edited November 9, 2011 by Geki

[Mr X]

I've been to 3 LP concerts now and my favorite part of interaction with the crowd was in Brisbane 2007 when Chris Cornell got the whole crowd to flip him the bird with both hands and shout "Fuck you Mr Cornell"

Chester going into the crowd for BIO was pretty awesome too

[GingerLP]

I have to admit when I saw LP, i was a little disappointed that they didn't talk to the crowd very much. I loved the show, but it was a little lacking in that bit. Talking wouldn't shorten their time, or lose songs or anything, i would be happy with a minute throughout the whole set list.

 

They did sing happy birthday brad and explain a little about his birthday, but i was expecting a little more. I probably had high expectations before the show before LP, i had seen Green Day earlier that year, and there was a good 5 minutes where Billy stood there staring into the crowd. He was CONSTANTLY talking, it was pretty cool actually. Never thought id enjoy Green day so much..

[Mr X]

I have to admit when I saw LP, i was a little disappointed that they didn't talk to the crowd very much. I loved the show, but it was a little lacking in that bit. Talking wouldn't shorten their time, or lose songs or anything, i would be happy with a minute throughout the whole set list.

Yeah I know what you mean I felt the same way about that concert, not saying there wasn't any interaction just not as much as I thought there would be. Fort Minor's show in 06 probably had the best crowd interaction out of the LP realated concerts i've been to but that was probably due to the fact that it was held at The Arena as opposed to the much larger Entertainment Center. Damn I wish I had of seen LP on their previous tours of Australia

[GingerLP]

Yeah I know what you mean I felt the same way about that concert, not saying there wasn't any interaction just not as much as I thought there would be. Fort Minor's show in 06 probably had the best crowd interaction out of the LP realated concerts i've been to but that was probably due to the fact that it was held at The Arena as opposed to the much larger Entertainment Center. Damn I wish I had of seen LP on their previous tours of Australia

We have a student art teacher in my Art class, she told me she went to the 2001 Brisbane show when she was 13. It randomly came up in an art conversation. She didnt say anything else, but i imagine it would have been pretty hardcore, knowing fans at the time and everything, and the show before that, the crowd broke the floor in Melbourne.

[lgr]

I have to admit when I saw LP, i was a little disappointed that they didn't talk to the crowd very much. I loved the show, but it was a little lacking in that bit. Talking wouldn't shorten their time, or lose songs or anything, i would be happy with a minute throughout the whole set list.

They did sing happy birthday brad and explain a little about his birthday, but i was expecting a little more. I probably had high expectations before the show before LP, i had seen Green Day earlier that year, and there was a good 5 minutes where Billy stood there staring into the crowd. He was CONSTANTLY talking, it was pretty cool actually. Never thought id enjoy Green day so much..

yeah at Sonisphere UK they just seemed real tired, and I was sort of disappointed by it - my friend and i had psyched ourselves up loads watching RTR and stuff (probably not the best plan!) but yeah, I had an awesome time since it was my first time seeing them and it was my first proper gig and all, but I've seen bands since that have really made me realise just how little was actually memorable and special about thei Sonisphere performance.

 

hahaha yeah Green Day is considered one of the best live bands ever - not the best precursor to LP

[Mr X]

the crowd broke the floor in Melbourne.

Yeah Mike actually mentioned at the Fort Minor show, I thought it was pretty cool

[Jats]

I was in Cologne last year and I was very upset, that they didn't interact with the crowd in ANY way. They just told us how awesome we are and sometimes pleased us to sing. And if I'm not mistaking, they put some sentences by Chester into one song of the DSP, he never said at that show and THAT'S very weak.

 

However, they went 'into' the crowd, that was nice, but they didn't really interact with us at all but they don't do this since a couple of years so I was not THAT suprised. I really wish for them, more interact with their fans at a live concert.

[Geki]

Yeah I know what you mean I felt the same way about that concert, not saying there wasn't any interaction just not as much as I thought there would be. Fort Minor's show in 06 probably had the best crowd interaction out of the LP realated concerts i've been to but that was probably due to the fact that it was held at The Arena as opposed to the much larger Entertainment Center. Damn I wish I had of seen LP on their previous tours of Australia

That was an awesome show, I love the recording of the FM set. Bucket Of Weenies was really funny with the crowd interaction, at the 2006 show Chester was so drunk and it was really funny. He talked so much shit to the crowd. I miss those days.

[FearOfTheDuck]

I'd like to point out that two of the greatest live bands in the world, Muse and Rammstein, barely address the crowd at all.

[lgr]

I'd like to point out that two of the greatest live bands in the world, Muse and Rammstein, barely address the crowd at all.

yeah but rammstein have a mind-fuck of a light/flame/penis-shaped foam gun to back that up...

the same applies for Muse minus the giant wang

[Legend]

Im on the opposite side of the food chain. I hate it when mother fuckers be talking in my concerts. Just play some god damned music and leave the chitter chatter for your wifeys.

[FearOfTheDuck]

the same applies for Muse minus the giant wang

This is going in my sig

[AParallelogramInTheSand]

2008 - "I heard fucking Pittsburgh knows how to fucking party! Am I right?? I want you to sing like it's friday night at the pub, the Pirates just lost, and you have nothing better to do than sing your fucking hearts out. Can you do that? Let's go!"

 

same show - LOATR was the new single, and they were saying to put up lighters, cell phones, anything with light to make it like a starfield

[lgr]

Im on the opposite side of the food chain. I hate it when mother fuckers be talking in my concerts. Just play some god damned music and leave the chitter chatter for your wifeys.

it's difficult to know when you're being serious my man

 

This is going in my sig

a proud day!

 

2008 - "I heard fucking Pittsburgh knows how to fucking party! Am I right?? I want you to sing like it's friday night at the pub, the Pirates just lost, and you have nothing better to do than sing your fucking hearts out. Can you do that? Let's go!"

 

same show - LOATR was the new single, and they were saying to put up lighters, cell phones, anything with light to make it like a starfield

hahaha that's a prety good one tbh, but think about how many shows don't get that from LP - it's just "hands up", "yeah" or "thank you!". sure, the lighter/phone thing is cool, but that's something that's more visually impressive to the band than anyone in the crowd (unless you're seated of course!)

they do interesting things SOMETIMES and it's really rare to find a show after 2006 with anything that is unusual or unique to one particular show.

 

I'm not hating on the band's style because every band should be unique, but I just get the feeling that LP has changed their attitude since the '01-'04 era :/

[Geki]

it's difficult to know when you're being serious my man

 

 

 

a proud day!

 

 

 

hahaha that's a prety good one tbh, but think about how many shows don't get that from LP - it's just "hands up", "yeah" or "thank you!". sure, the lighter/phone thing is cool, but that's something that's more visually impressive to the band than anyone in the crowd (unless you're seated of course!)

they do interesting things SOMETIMES and it's really rare to find a show after 2006 with anything that is unusual or unique to one particular show.

 

I'm not hating on the band's style because every band should be unique, but I just get the feeling that LP has changed their attitude since the '01-'04 era :/

I'm not trying to 'brag' or anything, but the band has said something special at pretty much each show I have attended, my first LP show was in 2007. My first show was Bamboozle, and it was the band's first proper show back in the US since 2004. Mike and Chester talked to the crowd about being happy to be back and playing, etc. The unique thing about that show was that it Chester's son Tyler's first concert. The quote was ''Hey man, today is my son Tyler's first fucking concert. He's 1 years old, 1 year old, I should say. He's the shit. Bring him out? You can't boo a fucking baby you bastards. In pure rock and roll fashion, he fell asleep. I waited too long, I waited too long. But thank you guys for sharing this moment with us today.''

 

I also attended Projekt Revolution three times in 2007, I went to Mansfield, Hartford and Syracuse. Chester and Mike both complimented how amazing of a crowd Mansfield was numerous times throughout the set. At one point, Mike said ''You guys got a little fast for me, people don't usually take it up to that speed. I was just not ready for you. Dude, this crowd is amazing right (Chester)? They're pretty sick. I don't know why I'm surprised by that, but you guys are just fucking killing it tonight''. Chester also went on to say towards the end of the set that he has never heard a crowd sing In The End as loud as we did that night, and Mike also dedicated Bleed It Out to Boston and Brad's hair. At Hartford, Chester told us that we had to make the night special so a picture of the band can be put up in the backstage area. He is the quote. ''You guys, when you walk down the halls in the backstage area, they've got pictures of all these different bands that have played right here, okay? And they don't have any Linkin Park pictures up, okay? They've got a ton of people back there, they got Metallica back there, Celine fucking Dion (Chester), What the fuck, What the FUCK (Chester), Here's what we're gonna do, we can't tell them what to do back there, But what we can do is make tonight so fucking good and so fucking special, that they cannot help but put a Linkin Park picture up in the backstage. And everytime we come back and play here, we will know it's because of you guys''. At the Syracuse show, Chester said ''You know, this may not be the biggest fucking stop on this fucking tour right here, but we've got some seriously passionate Linkin Park fans out here today''. I saw Linkin Park 4 different times in 2008 as well, my first 2008 show was Manchester, NH. Mike told the crowd ''It's good to see so many of you guys turned out tonight that we got people in 360 tonight. We appreciate you guys showing up, selling this place out all the way around''. Then Chester went on to say ''This is a good crowd man. This is exceptional, I like this. Pretty great. You guys are loud, I like that. (Mike). There's always just a little something extra that some crowds have, you know what I mean? They've brought the magic sauce with them tonight. Some of them drank the magic sauce (Mike). Some of the drank the magic sauce, yes.'' My second 2008 show was Edgefest, the band didn't really say anything special except for the fact that we blew the lights out during APFMH. Mike said ''Looks like you guys blew the fucking lights out!''. I then went to two Projekt Revolution shows, Mansfield and Hartford, and the band didn't really say anything special at Mansfield other than it was the first PR08 show and the usual stuff they say. Hartford, they had Chris Cornell's birthday surprise up on stage.

 

Since 2008 I have attended three more LP shows, would have been 5 if two didn't get canceled (Uncasville and Pensacola). I attended the ATS release day show in NYC and in 2011 I saw them in Boston and NYC. The band barely said anything to the crowd at all during these shows, which I thought was weird. NYC 2010 they talked a little bit, but not as much as I would have thought. Chester thanked Best Buy and the crowd for coming during WID (last song of the set) but that was pretty much it. The band said pretty much nothing at Boston, and some things at NYC, most likely because it was broadcasted for television.

 

The point I am trying to make is that the band used to interactive until after the MTM touring cycle pretty much, IMO. The band said nothing pretty much to all the crowds in 2009, and that has carried throughout 2010 and 2011. I think the band just has less fun playing shows since they have been doing it for so long, and they probably get depressed being away from home and their families for so long. Sorry for the long post, I got carried away.

[leftshoe18]

I'm not hating on the band's style because every band should be unique, but I just get the feeling that LP has changed their attitude since the '01-'04 era :/

Of course they changed their attitude since '04. They're seven years older now.

[nokpachenne]

I've only been to one LP show, it was the first MSG show in 2008. I don't remember it word for word, but Chester said something to us about how he and his sister (maybe step-sister, cant remember) used to sit in their kitchen in Arizona and think about when LP would play Madison Square Garden, and how much that would mean to them, and how he promised her she could come to that show, and she was in fact backstage. I think they also said something about the weather, since it was February and it was probably pretty cold. And of course Jay-Z came out, and they introduced him and had the crowd make noise for him when he left. And Chester and Mike each came out to the crowd, Chester during Crawling, Mike during In The End (I think) and both of them during APFMH. But I never really thought of their recent performances as lacking that much in crowd interaction, obviously its a little less, but don't they still go into the crowd during some songs, or let the crowd sing lines on their own? I always love it when bands do that, so LP's crowd interaction has always been at least good enough.

[hahninator]

If they interacted with the crowd more, they'd have to play less songs. If they play less songs, everyone will complain about shortened setlists.

Hell no, not true at all.

 

Just saw Foo. 2 hours 40 minutes. LP could play 2 hours and still talk. Dave played 23 songs and gave huge speeches mid show. LP needs to talk. Very obvious they aren't nearly into it as much as they used to be. I don't think they enjoy touring that much. Watching every other band I can tell they are having a damn blast on stage and then I see LP and half of them look mega bored. This is a fact. I see tons of damn shows and I've rarely seen such an uninterested look on the band member's faces during the shows than LP.