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Best Non-Metal Live Bands/Attending Non-Metal Gigs



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28.11.2008 - 00:42
Stuart
MiseryKing
I've been going to metal gigs on a regular basis for quite a few years now and although I listen to alot of non-metal music, I never seem to go to non-metal gigs (apart from the occasional goth gig). Well, last Sunday I decided to go check out Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds http://www.myspace.com/nickcaveandthebadseeds in Brighton and it was absolutely brilliant! Great showmanship and interesting stage performance from a great band.

It was just such a different vibe to what you get at metal gigs, far more relaxed and less pretentious. It got me thinking, I should really do this more often, I mean after seeing Opeth 5 times you kind of know what you're going to get, but there's a whole other music scene out there which I seem to have somehow been missing out on? This is not to say that I will not go to metal gigs anymore, most certainly not, but maybe its time to be less narrow minded about the type of gigs I go to?

I thought I'd see how you guys felt about going to Non-Metal gigs and what the best non-metal band you have ever seen live is? Lets remember going to gigs is not always about concentrating on the music, but having a good time.
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28.11.2008 - 04:24
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
I go to non-metal gigs quite often. Especially to undergo the different vibe which is usually far more relaxed and pretentious, like you said. Within the metal scene the subgenre which has that totally relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere at live gigs I have found to be the doom scene. No macho posturing there. Just chilling watching a band with a beer in hand while having a nice chat with someone totally unknown.

And I totally agree with you on Lets remember going to gigs is not always about concentrating on the music, but having a good time. If I want to concentrate on the music I will stay at home put on the album sit back and totally absorb it with a good cigar and whisky while sitting in my comfy chair.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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28.11.2008 - 04:42
Dane Train
Beers & Kilts
I probably see as many, if not more, non-Metal shows than Metal shows. Living in the mountains of North Carolina there is a lot of folk music here. Primarily in the form of Blue Grass, Americana and Singer-Songwriter. Over the past months I have sort of become the manager for a group called The Electric Ghost Collective which are an Alt. Country Rock outfit, so they play with a variety of different musicians. Every once a while I'll go to see a hip hop performance, particularly Live Hip Hop bands like The Urban Sophisticates.

There should be nothing wrong with being a Metalhead and going to non-Metal shows. If anything I highly encourage it. To view the world through just Metal is ignorant and arrogant. Remember, most good Metal bands pull from more than just other Metal bands fort influences.
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(space for rent)
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28.11.2008 - 04:57
totaliteraliter

Written by Stuart on 28.11.2008 at 00:42
It was just such a different vibe to what you get at metal gigs, far more relaxed and less pretentious.

Wow, around here my experience has been the opposite. It depends on the genre but at rock or country type shows I've been to it's far less relaxed; way more tough guys in tight shirts ready to start shit with people who may or may not have been looking at their girlfriend. I almost never see fights at metal shows here, but at rock or country bar shows (also arena rock concerts) you see people getting in fights and kicked out and stuff more often. I've never gotten a "pretentious" vibe at a metal show either, but at indie/prog type shows I've seen some of that turtleneck-wearing "I'm too cool to be here" kind of look.

At metal shows the worst I've gotten is drunk people screaming at you about how much they love whatever band is on your shirt.

I do go to plenty of nonmetal shows though, mostly punk which isn't that different of a scene but also rock/indie/prog/etc., as well as symphony or chamber music stuff once in a long while.
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28.11.2008 - 05:30
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by totaliteraliter on 28.11.2008 at 04:57

Written by Stuart on 28.11.2008 at 00:42
It was just such a different vibe to what you get at metal gigs, far more relaxed and less pretentious.

Wow, around here my experience has been the opposite. It depends on the genre but at rock or country type shows I've been to it's far less relaxed; way more tough guys in tight shirts ready to start shit with people who may or may not have been looking at their girlfriend. I almost never see fights at metal shows here, but at rock or country bar shows (also arena rock concerts) you see people getting in fights and kicked out and stuff more often. I've never gotten a "pretentious" vibe at a metal show either, but at indie/prog type shows I've seen some of that turtleneck-wearing "I'm too cool to be here" kind of look.

At metal shows the worst I've gotten is drunk people screaming at you about how much they love whatever band is on your shirt.

I do go to plenty of nonmetal shows though, mostly punk which isn't that different of a scene but also rock/indie/prog/etc., as well as symphony or chamber music stuff once in a long while.


@total, mmmm, maybe there is a huge difference in that respect between Europe and Canada/US (sorry for lumping the two together but I have a feeling that what you said might also apply for the US)
As for pretentious... here in The Netherlands "that turtleneck-wearing "I'm too cool to be here" kind of look." totally applies here too (but then again when you go to a black metal gig here you get that same atitude but without the turtlenecks). What I was talking about wasn't about that scene but more the general pop, also country here, folk and other mainstream music.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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28.11.2008 - 07:53
-DC-002-
Mastercommander
I saw Devotchka at Bumpershoot (a local festival) maybe a year ago. They were really cool. I really have no idea of the genre. Everywhere I look says Gypsy Punk but it doesn't seem right.
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Coldgrits
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28.11.2008 - 17:36
Lucas
Mr. Noise
I saw Sigur Rós two or three weeks ago and the Dutch Doom Days a month before that. Didn't really experience any difference in 'vibe', except the former was a concert and the last an in-door festival, so there was a lot more human contact and chatting-with-strangers on the DDD. As for Extreme metal concerts, I've only had good vibes. Even at the Black metal gigs, which Marcel seems to disagree with me. In fact, I usually experience a sort of 'brother-attitude' at metal gigs where everyone is kind or at least tolerant towards others. You know, in the sense of I've bumped into big fat hell's angels type of guys that could easily punch me out stone cold, but they reply with many apologies etc. eventhough it was completely my 'fault'.

And the drunken 'hey i love that band!', well, that's something I usually find pretty funny. In general, I experience a good vibe at concerts cause well, we're all there for the same music right?

PS. Come to think of it, the only real (and physical) aggression I've encountered was during a gig of The Cure, where some drunk bastard wanted to kick my ass haha. He threatened me but got thrown out before he had the chance. But that was only a minor thing, the rest of the crowd was rather laidback.
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SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?

"The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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28.11.2008 - 23:04
Stuart
MiseryKing
@ Lucas and Total, well I'm not defining vibes as good or bad, merely as different... I can't speak for the Netherlands (although Marcel can) but the thing about the metal scene in most cities I've been to is there are scenes beneath scenes... There's the outward appearance and then there's layers as to who's been in it longest or in with the right people blah blah blah... it's all quite "complicated" apparently... yet there is most certainly posturing etc... I never noticed it when I first started going to gigs but over the years it has become more and more obvious... drunkenness and rowdiness doesn't bother me... I tend not to encounter problems (unless I'm being drunk and causing them). personally the odd little troublemaker keeps things interesting.

My basic point to the whole thing being, OK I see the same bands, I see the same people, I hear the same bullshit about this person and that person, I just find going to metal gigs (because metalheads seem to go to so damn many) a pretentious environment... (lets remember what I'm saying has little to do with the actual music). But well its nice to talk to people who are just ordinary folk who have nothing to prove and aren't the most extreme dude who knows the most bands or has been to the most gigs in the last month.

About the music, like I say I've seen hundreds of metal bands, i always have a fair idea of what I'm going to get, I just find it exciting to think. WOW i have have no idea what to expect to tonight!!! its far more thrilling, than ahh fuck well its Slayer, they're gonna rock! yeah they will rock but I knew they would and they rocked the last three times i saw them.... get what i mean?
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28.11.2008 - 23:49
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Stuart on 28.11.2008 at 23:04

they're gonna rock! yeah they will rock but I knew they would and they rocked the last three times i saw them.... get what i mean?


Then go see bands you don't know anything about And that could also be metal bands. Go for the totally unknown local bands.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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28.11.2008 - 23:52
Stuart
MiseryKing
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 28.11.2008 at 23:49

Written by Stuart on 28.11.2008 at 23:04

they're gonna rock! yeah they will rock but I knew they would and they rocked the last three times i saw them.... get what i mean?


Then go see bands you don't know anything about And that could also be metal bands. Go for the totally unknown local bands.

Yeah, I do and am pleasantly surprised occasionally, but still it's all pretty much of a muchness...
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29.11.2008 - 00:17
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
That's the problem with going to a lot of gigs I guess. The more you see the more it takes to be impressed. It is only very very seldom nowadyas for me to be totally blown away by a live performance. That is the downside of going to gigs for more than 25 years and having seen thousands of bands live.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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29.11.2008 - 00:58
Stuart
MiseryKing
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 29.11.2008 at 00:17

That's the problem with going to a lot of gigs I guess. The more you see the more it takes to be impressed. It is only very very seldom nowadyas for me to be totally blown away by a live performance. That is the downside of going to gigs for more than 25 years and having seen thousands of bands live.

Yeah guess so, its only been the last 6 years for me, so you're way ahead! anyways best Non-Metal live band you've seen?
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29.11.2008 - 02:20
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Yeah, back on topic.
Mmm, best non-metal band I have seen.
I think that would be a three and a half hour session of Bruce Springsteen thoguh I am no fan of his.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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29.11.2008 - 12:21
AnGina--
Dark Phoenix
Ok, leaving out the rock/punk/hardcore concerts, I guess the best was Pink! She is really good live, she has great voice and stage performance. I was always curious to see a pop-star big concerts, because pop-stars tend to make a whole show and a music is just the part of it, not like in metal/rock concerts, when music is more or less all that you're interested in.
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You think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it. Molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was a man. But it was nothing to me but blinding.
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29.11.2008 - 15:34
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
What id non metal in this case? I dont think hard rock is non metal, so bands like Rebel, Opus Pro, Līvi, Linga, etc, I attendet long ago when in my town was rock festival,

Same I saw Lsade, sweet, Europe 4 years ago, nbut its hard rock , glam, and for me it belongs to metal cathegory

Isualy if there are some city fest or some medieval fets in towm, its suualy some thet time music I take some beer whetever sit annd listen muisc , moustly in summer open air. Otherwise I dont try attend non metal shows or I dont think if its al city fest there music its ''attendet specely attendet''
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Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
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30.11.2008 - 05:14
nana.MD
Star-Queen
...last month i saw the BBC orchestra and the royal philharmonic concert orchestra of london perform a tribute to the beatles...it was amazing!!
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Live how you want just don't feed on me, if you doubt what I say I will make you believe...
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06.12.2008 - 19:11
Graveheart

The best non-metal concert I've attended was the one in February with Magyar Posse and Cold Fairyland. Magyar Posse is some kind of orchestral post-rock influenced by filmscore music and Cold Fairyland is a little harder to describe... something in the likes of progressive shoegaze/ambient gothic rock from China, sounds probably a little like what the later era Tiamat instrumentals would sound like with Chinese lyrics.

I already owned all Magyar Posse records before the concert and pretty much knew what to expect of them and their performance was excellent. Cold Fairyland turned out to be equally as good and maybe even better because they had the element of surprise on their side. There was also that certain excitement to witness a Chinese band's performance in the middle of Finland in winter. And at the end of their two-hour set both bands played the last song together as one cluster of a dozen musicians on the same stage, on the top of the whole evening which was an euphoric experience in every sense of the word. Luckily I had enough cash with me to purchase a Cold Fairyland live album from there so I've managed to replay most of those memories ever since then.

Some examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQAklpS6qyo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEFekZPdcbQ
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28.12.2008 - 09:08
Fe Maiden

Most of the shows I go to are nonmetal, don't get many metal bands I like. But the best are always ska! Like the Aquabats and Streetlight Manifesto. The music is good and there is a lot of movement and energy at the shows and it is so fun to dance to, in any style you want, skanking, pogoing, holding hands and dancing in circles, whatever. It's just fun.
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08.01.2014 - 20:38
CobiWan1993
Secundum Filium
I'm going to see The Musical Box (which is about as close to seeing the classic 70s prog Genesis as you can get these days) in February, which should be exciting. I heard there going to be playing the Foxtrot show there so should it be really cool. I can't wait.
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Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe (Lao Tzu).
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09.01.2014 - 03:47
Lady GaGa
Account deleted
Papa Roach, Underoath, Alexisonfire, Billy Talent... Saw them live and they were very tight.
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