Just wishing we could get some bigger bands to play here. I know we get the "Tribute Bands" and some decent country music stars that come thru town. I know all we pretty much got here is Reed Arena, which has never really hosted any concerts, and Wolf Pen Creek, home of the tribute bands. We are now a combined city of 200,000. I know the whole Reed Arena thing, "Why don't they hold concerts there"? is weird. with seating on the floor, they could prolly pack 14,000 in there. that should be able to attract some decent talent. maybe I'm wrong. just wondering.
Wish CS could attract bigger music/bands here.
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Last: 6 yr ago by spanky
Reed use to have concerts, Dixie Chicks, Clay Walker and Kenny Chesney are some I saw there.
There is not a venue where the promoter can make money off the event. To many hands in the pie.
I was involved in the music scene in the late 90s and early 00s. The biggest problem is that even when the big artists come, the venues don't fill up..especially for rock music. People in BCS just don't go. With the exception of Lyle Lovett or REK's annual (or biennial) concerts, promoters can't make money on ticket sales.
I love our small venues and awesome local/regional bands that come through. Loud!Fest is incredible, for example. Every weekend you can catch live acts all over town and many of them are incredible. If someone only enjoys large acts luckily the Woodlands is only about an hour away.
The problem is lack of promotion, not that people don't go.
I was here in the late 80s/early 90s. Acts like REM, EMF, the Violent Femmes, Indigo Girls, The Hunger, etc. played (often in G. Rollie White) to huge crowds. People who liked a given band would drive into town from Austin or Houston. It didn't matter if the band was also scheduled for those cities -- fans would take advantage of the closeness and get to enjoy two shows over a couple of days.
I suspect TAMU venue pricing has gone up too much, and whatever magic led to a group of promoters getting together to bring those acts in back then seems to have gone away.
We're only bigger now, so if we could support those kinds of acts back then, we certainly should be able to now.
I was here in the late 80s/early 90s. Acts like REM, EMF, the Violent Femmes, Indigo Girls, The Hunger, etc. played (often in G. Rollie White) to huge crowds. People who liked a given band would drive into town from Austin or Houston. It didn't matter if the band was also scheduled for those cities -- fans would take advantage of the closeness and get to enjoy two shows over a couple of days.
I suspect TAMU venue pricing has gone up too much, and whatever magic led to a group of promoters getting together to bring those acts in back then seems to have gone away.
We're only bigger now, so if we could support those kinds of acts back then, we certainly should be able to now.
You! You know how live music works!DBSwooper said:
I love our small venues and awesome local/regional bands that come through. Loud!Fest is incredible, for example. Every weekend you can catch live acts all over town and many of them are incredible. If someone only enjoys large acts luckily the Woodlands is only about an hour away.
PS We probably would recognize each other, especially if you've been going to Loud!Fest AND know the correct punctuation!
What about some of the Christian rock bands and rappers? My oldest and her friends listen to a lot of groups from that genre and she attends Breakaway as well. She had a conflict, but some of her friends drove to Houston for a concert last spring(?) by a group and I thought she said it was a sellout there, but Houston is so big, I suppose they figure there is less risk than playing here?
The Grand Stafford is awesome for live music.
Saw Garth at Reed. He sold out 3 shows I think. Casting Crowns at Reed was packed when we went a few years ago. Pat Green routinely sold out The Hall. Randy Rogers at Harry's was standing room only.
Like a poster said, depends on what people want to see. I love live music but prefer a seat to standing. Wolf Pen is not a bad venue though I haven't been for a concert in a few years.
The diversity of B/CS brings in a lot of regional shows. Most of my friends will drive to Houston or Austin and even Dallas to see bigger acts and make a weekend of it.
Like a poster said, depends on what people want to see. I love live music but prefer a seat to standing. Wolf Pen is not a bad venue though I haven't been for a concert in a few years.
The diversity of B/CS brings in a lot of regional shows. Most of my friends will drive to Houston or Austin and even Dallas to see bigger acts and make a weekend of it.
Stafford is closing next month.
Coming from the Shreveport/Bossier area I have often wondered why we do not have more concerts here or at least big name groups. Even when I attended Northwestern State back in the 70's we always had big name concerts. The first two years we were here they held First Yell at Kyle Field with REK and Lyle Lovett. Those were great.
no hall of fame, no good shows.
I think we are too close to Austin and Houston for acts to make an extra stop in-between.
That and concerts have become big extravaganzas now instead of just shows. Probably not economical to stop here.
That and concerts have become big extravaganzas now instead of just shows. Probably not economical to stop here.
This is your answer.AGnCS said:
I think we are too close to Austin and Houston for acts to make an extra stop in-between.
prolly because the music is too far from the bypass
I think the Moving Sidewalks played at Consols JR-SR prom?
I just drive to Austin to see rock and alternative music bands. I have seen REK a few times but his concerts now are just a drunken sing a long to every damn song he plays. I can no longer hear him sing.
The entire demographic for concerts have changed since the 80s and 90s and that will not come back. We use to pay $10-12 in the early 80s and that moved up to $16-18 toward the late 80s and then 1992 paying around $22-24 toward the end of the 90s 28/30 per ticket for bands like Metallica, Bowie, AC/DC, Garth etc. Now hitting a concert can be around $100 with $20-24 in service/convenience/ticketing/bendover fees. So I just throw my money to the talented and hungry bands that do gigs in Austin. A lot more energy, a lot more passion for a lot less money ($10-15) plus I am not throwing a $100+/ticket to fund millionaires continued retirement on the stage. Someone book The Pixies, or bring back The Toadies, or talk ZZ-Top into doing SBISA again (remove all steps).
The entire demographic for concerts have changed since the 80s and 90s and that will not come back. We use to pay $10-12 in the early 80s and that moved up to $16-18 toward the late 80s and then 1992 paying around $22-24 toward the end of the 90s 28/30 per ticket for bands like Metallica, Bowie, AC/DC, Garth etc. Now hitting a concert can be around $100 with $20-24 in service/convenience/ticketing/bendover fees. So I just throw my money to the talented and hungry bands that do gigs in Austin. A lot more energy, a lot more passion for a lot less money ($10-15) plus I am not throwing a $100+/ticket to fund millionaires continued retirement on the stage. Someone book The Pixies, or bring back The Toadies, or talk ZZ-Top into doing SBISA again (remove all steps).
Chilifest brings in big names. Brazos Valley Fair is bringing in Kevin Fowler. Texas Reds is bringing in Deana Carter.
FlyRod
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Yep!FlyRod said:
The Grand Stafford is awesome for live music.
As a friend of mine who is heavy in the local music scene puts it, "quit b*****en' about the lack of a music scene and go see a damn show!" There are lots of local options to enjoy who bring in well established acts (Ray Wylie Hubbard, Shinyribs, for example), and the better that segment does the more likely bigger acts are to take notice of our area.
Have gone to many concerts here in the past years....First one was Sonny And Cher back in about 1973ish.
Also have gone probably to The Woodlands about 15 to 20 times and to Austin City Limits many, many times.
Don't go as often any more because I got tired of paying $100 to $250 and having to watch the singer and band through the arms and cell phones of the persons in front of me.
Everyone now thinks that instead of just sitting back or standing and watching and enjoying the music they want to pretend they are video production camera persons and videoing the whole performance.
Of course when they get home and am shocked that the singers look like ants and the sound is horrific due to acoustics and the low quality of the recording and all the noise around them, they ahave to be disappointed.
Instead they could have sat back and enjoyed the music.
The one last year at the Chicago concert at The Woodlands I think everyone but us was holding their phones up and shooting video.
Don't have an issue with the ticket prices, but it's just not the experience it used to be.
Also have gone probably to The Woodlands about 15 to 20 times and to Austin City Limits many, many times.
Don't go as often any more because I got tired of paying $100 to $250 and having to watch the singer and band through the arms and cell phones of the persons in front of me.
Everyone now thinks that instead of just sitting back or standing and watching and enjoying the music they want to pretend they are video production camera persons and videoing the whole performance.
Of course when they get home and am shocked that the singers look like ants and the sound is horrific due to acoustics and the low quality of the recording and all the noise around them, they ahave to be disappointed.
Instead they could have sat back and enjoyed the music.
The one last year at the Chicago concert at The Woodlands I think everyone but us was holding their phones up and shooting video.
Don't have an issue with the ticket prices, but it's just not the experience it used to be.
Yeah we don't watch as many movies anymore either.Frio Cielo said:
Have gone to many concerts here in the past years....First one was Sonny And Cher back in about 1973ish.
Also have gone probably to The Woodlands about 15 to 20 times and to Austin City Limits many, many times.
Don't go as often any more because I got tired of paying $100 to $250 and having to watch the singer and band through the arms and cell phones of the persons in front of me.
Everyone now thinks that instead of just sitting back or standing and watching and enjoying the music they want to pretend they are video production camera persons and videoing the whole performance.
Of course when they get home and am shocked that the singers look like ants and the sound is horrific due to acoustics and the low quality of the recording and all the noise around them, they ahave to be disappointed.
Instead they could have sat back and enjoyed the music.
The one last year at the Chicago concert at The Woodlands I think everyone but us was holding their phones up and shooting video.
Don't have an issue with the ticket prices, but it's just not the experience it used to be.
FlyRod
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techno-ag said:Yeah we don't watch as many movies anymore either.Frio Cielo said:
Have gone to many concerts here in the past years....First one was Sonny And Cher back in about 1973ish.
Also have gone probably to The Woodlands about 15 to 20 times and to Austin City Limits many, many times.
Don't go as often any more because I got tired of paying $100 to $250 and having to watch the singer and band through the arms and cell phones of the persons in front of me.
Everyone now thinks that instead of just sitting back or standing and watching and enjoying the music they want to pretend they are video production camera persons and videoing the whole performance.
Of course when they get home and am shocked that the singers look like ants and the sound is horrific due to acoustics and the low quality of the recording and all the noise around them, they ahave to be disappointed.
Instead they could have sat back and enjoyed the music.
The one last year at the Chicago concert at The Woodlands I think everyone but us was holding their phones up and shooting video.
Don't have an issue with the ticket prices, but it's just not the experience it used to be.
For use it's nothing to do with age as we still enjoy going. We still go, and would go somewhere at least once a month if you continued to enjoy them as we used to. The place I enjoy the most to go to a concert is the Majestic Theater in San Antonio. You take your phone out and video, the usher asks you to leave. Great place to watch and listen to music.
I have never gone to a lot of movies in the theater, probably once a month. I am really particular about what movies I pay to watch.
This is part of it. Losing the HOF for yet another Wal-Mart, hurt BCS on the music scene, but hey you can get your inflatable pool AND your flip fops there now. Awesome.LSCSN said:
no hall of fame, no good shows.
There really is no good excuse why we don't have big acts here. George Strait played Lubbock.....I say again, Lubbock.... on his farewell tour, and the tour before that and there is no bigger name in country music than him.
The fact that we are between Austin and Houston is a Cop-out....If you book major acts, and promote them, people will show up.
Merriweather Post Pavilion (Google it) is almost exactly between Washington DC and Baltimore and it attracts huge acts (Prince, Van Halen, Sting etc) and its 20-30 miles from the DC and BMore that both have huge venues.
Rod Stewart just played Sugar Land, TX., last week, and I'm pretty sure thats near Houston too. It would have been cool to see him here.
Or...we can keep doing it they way we've always done it and expect a different outcome.
We had a festival with some HUGE names at the racetrack a few years ago. NIMBYs *****ed about the noise and they had to close down early.
Lubbock isn't 90 miles between Austin and Houston.Quote:
There really is no good excuse why we don't have big acts here. George Strait played Lubbock.....I say again, Lubbock.... on his farewell tour, and the tour before that and there is no bigger name in country music than him.
yes, AAB. I was there. Best concert I've seen here lately!AboveAndBeyond said:
We had a festival with some HUGE names at the racetrack a few years ago. NIMBYs *****ed about the noise and they had to close down early.
Yeah, you right. guess I'll continue to drive to the Woodlands to see the bigger names. It's really not that far, although I'd rather drive 10 minutes home more than 90 minutes!powerbelly51 said:This is your answer.AGnCS said:
I think we are too close to Austin and Houston for acts to make an extra stop in-between.
eloc62 said:Yeah, you right. guess I'll continue to drive to the Woodlands to see the bigger names. It's really not that far, although I'd rather drive 10 minutes home more than 90 minutes!powerbelly51 said:This is your answer.AGnCS said:
I think we are too close to Austin and Houston for acts to make an extra stop in-between.
We are near the center of triangle of Houston - SA/Austin - DFW. Why come to BCS when there are venues of more than 20,000 persons rather than 12,000 +/- here? They each have millions of potential ticket buyers whereas we probably have 50,000? For example, Neil Diamond was in Houston and there were right at 20,000 attendees. At proably an average of $200 or more a ticket, he brought in 4 million dollars or more. It would be difficult to do that here.
I think it will be many years before we are a destination for most big performers.
Personally, I like to go out of town. Go to The Woodlands and eat at a restaurant that we don't have and take in the concert and get home about 1am.
Glad dont. Already have a overpopulated student demographic here and would not want extra out of towners crammed around campus.
That was the Big State Festival in October 2007. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Willie Nelson, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, Trace Adkins, Leon Russell, Kelly Willis and more.AboveAndBeyond said:
We had a festival with some HUGE names at the racetrack a few years ago. NIMBYs *****ed about the noise and they had to close down early.