What would you like to see more of at shows?

[Evaninka]

Hey all,

I'm curious to see what you would like to see more of in the Irish metal scene with regards to shows

Anything from types of bands, times or anything else you can think of that you think would make going to metal gigs in Ireland better

I'm speaking mainly of more local adjacent shows rather than the bigger shows

What do you like? What works for you and what doesn't

[Bogmetaller]

Sacred Reich did a meet and greet before their show in Dublin a few years ago- would like to see more of that....

[Bürggermeister]

I'd like to see less of the phone of some dope held aloft in front of me.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

bingo

As in, I agree with Herr Meister. I don't want to see more bingo at shows. In general, shows already have the perfect amount of bingo.

[Fakehuman]

Tickets without extorsion fees.

[Snare]

Not enough grind goats about.

Death to smoke machines. I hate being at gigs where you can't see the band. You can't even take yhe odd photo as the smoke cover reduces as the smoke stil messes up the focus.

I also don't see why camera users can't reduce their screen brightness to the lowest setting so that it doesn't blind people behind them when they do hold them up.

And ban synchronized headbanging where somebody throws their arm around other poor souls and insists they headbang together as one human mass - what's that about anyway??

If bands don't engage with the crowd with banter by the 4th track then feck em off stage the boring gits.
However if band members insist on playing with their back to the crowd then that's a booting offense after 1 track - go to the fecking band room ye gits!

[pete]

Set times should be a legal requirement for all gigs!

[open face surgery]

Not enough grind goats about.

Death to smoke machines. I hate being at gigs where you can't see the band. You can't even take yhe odd photo as the smoke cover reduces as the smoke stil messes up the focus.

If bands don't engage with the crowd with banter by the 4th track then feck em off stage the boring gits.

Lights look shite without haze.

I rarely want to hear any band speak. And especially who gives a fuck what a local band has to say?

[Blankety Blank]

Crowd surfers are a pain in the hole, especially when the crowd is fairly thin. Looking for a boost up only for five people to carry him around the room til they drop him on his head.

Sweaty lads with their tops off make me want to run for the bar.

On a positive note, the presale of tickets (for local gigs) is a great idea. It makes me commit and gets my lazy hole off the couch. Set times on social media are brilliant. They're helpful to know who you're watching too.

It's always refreshing to see a band in the odd different venue too, instead of the old reliables.

[Snare]

Not enough grind goats about.

Death to smoke machines. I hate being at gigs where you can't see the band. You can't even take yhe odd photo as the smoke cover reduces as the smoke stil messes up the focus.

If bands don't engage with the crowd with banter by the 4th track then feck em off stage the boring gits.

Lights look shite without haze.

I rarely want to hear any band speak. And especially who gives a fuck what a local band has to say?

Different strokes for different folks as they say! There's haze and then there's absolute blinding fog where you can barely breath. Not for me.

I actually love when local bands engage in banter and there is back and forth with people they know, or people they are getting to know the hard way  Not there for comedic values of course but no harm putting a bit of personality into a show and making it more memorable.

[Squigs]

I actually love when local bands engage in banter and there is back and forth with people they know, or people they are getting to know the hard way  Not there for comedic values of course but no harm putting a bit of personality into a show and making it more memorable.

Genuinely, I think this is probably the worst thing that a local band can do.

[Pagan Saviour]

actually love when local bands engage in banter and there is back and forth with people they know

Christ can think of nothing worse.

Also can't stand when a local band gets a support to a touring act and goes on and on about what a privilege it is to support such legends when they clearly hadn't heard of said band until they got the call to do the show.

Case in point the art students supporting Jesus Lizard the other month

[Shardknife]

I think set times and door times should be posted in advance of the gig. Hate not knowing when to land into a gig if there's no times posted. I don't want to land in and find out no bands are on for another hour and a half or find out I've missed the first 2 bands.

Also having the ticket price clearly on the poster or posted along with the gig announcements. I've noticed inconsistencies in this these days, sometimes you have to really look around online or start buying the ticket online to get the price.

I also kind of like having somewhere to go sit for a bit at a longer gig. I don't mean every venue needs tables (too many tables can ruin a gig) or whatever but a few stools by the bar or at the walls is nice so you can take a minute off between bands. Not always an option if space is a premium.

I think there should be earplugs provided at gigs. I always bring my own but have had mates leave gigs that were too loud before since they had none. I understand you have to be a bit stingy with them as I've also seen people grab handfuls when there are free ones but it should be an option I think. I know a lot of bars keep some in stock but it couldn't hurt for the promoter to have some on hand.

This wouldn't be an issue for any half decent promoters but some places/bands that book shows kind of take the piss with the lineups being basically the same over and over. I get some bands are friends and whatnot but I've seen bills for gigs weeks apart that were pretty much the same gig in the same venue.


I actually like smoke machines at gigs, turns the lights into looking like a real show and not some amateur setup in the corner of a bar. The good ones don't really smell bad and the smoke tends to dissipate quickly enough so as long as they aren't abusing it then there shouldn't be an issue.

People were also talking about crowd talk. Again I want it to feel like a show to a crowd, not some lad chatting to his mate in front of him. A quick shoutout isn't too bad but a lot of back and forth is awful altogether and does nothing for me. Feels like a mistake bands make in their first shows when they don't know how to address an crowd properly.

[Giggles]

It would be nice if set times were displayed on either:

A - the website/app you bought the ticket on
or
B - the venue website

It's an unnecessary pain in the hole having to look through social media to find them, especially when you don't have a social media account!

Cunts with phones at gigs.

Smoke machines are grand.

Earplugs available behind the bar would stop people grabbing them by the handful.

[Abandon All Hope]

Better Bands