UK crowds better than US crowds?

Umm...I have heard plenty of recordings from the LH European leg in 2008 with plenty of chatter in it...

In the US, I've seen

- Bon Jovi: who don't bring in a real rock crowd in Britain, and haven't since 1993. TBH, the biggest difference I noticed was the prom queens arriving in their limousines in the States. Fans happy to smoke and drink in their seats.

- Three or four Jam Bands (Trey, Phil Lesh, Les Claypool, Vida Blue): whose audiences are far more concerned with macrobiotic, gluten-free, vegan pot tofu than any of my friends. But who can put together a mean drum circle.

- Ozzy/Rob Zombie: pretty standard arena rock crowd. No problem with atmosphere in the upper tier. Pretty standard arena show.

- Meatloaf/Cyndi Lauper: went down a treat, actually.

- Brian Wilson: In LA's Disney HAll, UNBELIEVABLY respectful of the music. I know it's his home town, but just as much love for the challenging music as the crowd in London would have had for the same show. ("LA Loves You Brian", the biggest ovasion I've ever seen after God Only Knows)

- Buckcherry: Crowd full of assholes. INSANITY for the sake of INSANITY, meaningless, unpleasent pushing and shoving throughout the floor, more suited to a Slayer show than some Rock n Roll. Completely unconnected to anything going on in the music.

- The Unlimited Sunshine Tour: Cake, Cheap Trick, The Detroit Cobras, Charlie Louvin, the Hackensaw Boys. You would NEVER Get a lineup like this at a travelling show in the UK. Cake's awesome, alternative funk ("reluctantly crouched at the starting line. Engines. Pumping. Thumping in time"), CHEAP ****IN TRICK, Awesome bluegrass and garage rock. All for a $30 ticket. The idea that their are no real music fans there is bullshit. They are just unlikely to be at a BJ show.

General thoughts: UK crowds would NEVER pay the equivalent of $12 for a Beer (£, nor stand for the National Anthem before a show (seriously, wtf you guys?!). The Lot Scene is pretty much always great at a US show, and Seb is wrong to damn an entire country to a short attention span. US shows can seem too safe, too sanitised, have too much security etc... I'm a fan of Lawn seats, but it does seem wrong that there is often no standing upfront.

On the contrary..... Hands down the best audience I've ever seen anywhere was in Greece for Iron Maiden. Maiden fans are the same deeply worshipful tribe the world over, but in Athens the entire arena was GA (standing floor, unreserved seats), security was kept to a bare minimum, so you had people dancing in the aisles, lighting up the floor with fire-crackers. Everyone was truly, truly going nuts for the band everywhere you looked. And no one got hurt.

I'm actually on the verge of sleep right now, so I'll probably post something more in-depth tomorrow. But I can honestly say I've never heard the National Anthem before a concert (except Billy Joel playing before a concert at Shea Stadium, but that had a whole baseball tie going on.)

I haven't either, but I wonder if that might have happened for awhile following 9/11.

Yeah - I'm talking 2002/03 in the tri-state area. But more than once. And even so....

Oh your right Dawn every gig i've been to i have had some form of beer even at O2 where they have nice little glass holders in the arm of the chair

hmmmmmm I don't know what it was maybe not the national anthem but at the prudential center for the beginning of the LH tour I got twice Gretchen Wilson making the whole place stand *for the troops* and sing something with a hand on the heart sort of thing and the usa flag on stage ..I thought it was SCARY ... since that I cannot stand that Gretchen ... I always have thought "for the troops" thing is an excuse to show nationalism because no one dares to not stick for the troops

this kind of thing is unthinkable in europe

for sure the nationalism is very strong in north america


I have heard ppl talking during concerts in europe (all the concert very loud) but that was in tiny venues who were big bars more than concert venue and ppl were there to drink .. the artists was performing IN A BAR (I don't like those shows but i know what I am risking if I buy a ticket)

Just want to put my 2cents on this one. I have noticed in the US that Bon Jovi has very much a soccer mom following. I went to a few shows in Philadelphia and Washington this year and noticed that a large percentage of males in the audience were just tag alongs with their partners. Most of them alpha males who werent really participating in the sing alongs or clapping, hands up etc.

I think the appeal is very much different in places like Europe, Sth America, Australia. In these markets I notice that Bon Jovi are more respected as artists. I got the impression in the US that it was just the Jon sex symbol thing, especially for the guys.

Like I said, this was just my take on it but it think its fairly accurate.

....and I think South American fans are probably the most fanatical. Check out youtube footage of Jovi in Argentina! Now thats nuts...

Since America is land of immigrants then everyone has roots to immigrants
US has the very low immigration levels as only people who have family here immigrate on permanent basis rest of people are on on temporary visa like work or studies.
Canada does get more immigrants than US

Enough of the politics crap in this topic people take it to nbj.