The Better My System Gets....


....the less live music shows I seem to be attending. I live in the NY Metro area and used to go to live shows all the time. But I'm doing it much less frequently these days and think two things are at work. First, I've been upgrading my system over the past two years and am now getting some pretty serious sound right here in my living room. Second, I'm finding that unless the venue and the sound crew are optimal, I'm hearing some pretty bad sound at a lot of live shows. I've sworn off large stadium-like venues for years now because the music is really secondary to the spectacle and chances are the sound is going to be really bad. But even smaller venues these days tend to get it wrong more often than right. Combine this with crowds that are often noisy (Does anybody go to hear the music anymore? Why do people insist on trying to talk over the music? Aren't there better places to mix and mingle?) packed rooms without seats, expensive drinks, ETC and I find myself more inclined to listening at home rather than out. We have some small local venues that do a pretty good job and the crowd is older and more respectful of the musicians so this can be viable alternative to listening at home. And, of course, classical and chamber music presented live in a proper room is still superior to what I can reproduce at home and so I go to quite a few of these performances but more and more I'm passing on a lot of shows because I often get more out of cranking up my home system that going out to hear live music performed in less than ideal conditions. Anyone else experiencing the same thing?
128x128dodgealum
Most people don't go to shows for the music, they go to socialize.See and be seen is the norm now and personaly, I think it's sad. After several shows ruined by cell phone users, loud talkers and unruly drunks, I have just about given up on live shows. Getting old? Sure I am but I felt the same way about "concert bummers" 20 years ago. Thank goodness for a good stereo system!!
I agree with the above comments for most pop music, but for any improvised music you attend to hear the state of the music at that performance. If it's a band or artist you know well it can be exciting to hear the sound evolve through a series of performances. The best take chances in live performance, and this is seldom documented in commercial releases.

Similar thought applies to interpretations of classical music by leading conductors and soloists.

The stereo system will never recreate the experience of a band literally inventing itself in live performance.
Great post Ghostrider. I agree that live performances give the artist a chance to improvise and reinterpret their music,this is why I love live shows. The problems I mentioned in my post are not exclusive to "pop" music. I have attended shows by the local symphony orchestra where the same types of rude behavior was observed.I guess the old saying "there's one in every crowd" rings true at most gatherings.
Lately at live performances I have endured unlistenable sound quality, one of my favorite artists couldn't remember the words to her own songs (blamed it on new motherhood), almost lost it and killed the yapper sitting behind me, and other disappointments. All it takes though is one sublime moment in a performance to make a lifelong impression and make all the crap in between worthwhile. Goosebump City!
I tend to agree with all of the above. And it goes for movies too, even though my home theater is not nearly as good as my two channel music system.

BUT, there is still that magical once-in-awhile live performance that reminds you what it's all about. I went to hear Eric Bibb in a small auditorium (200 seats) in an out of the way place in Maryland. It was just him and a microphone (Shure Beta 58) and his guitar. 2+ hours. The sound guy new what he was doing. The sound was excellent. No, not as good as the best audiophile sound I've ever heard, but it in no way injured the performance.

The performance was unbelievably good. I still think about it at least once a day over a year later. Definitley one of the five best live performances I've ever seen. In terms of emotional impact (something we audiophiles are always trying to achieve with our systems), it was off the charts better than anything I've experienced with an audio system and recorded music.