Last night's concert at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park had all the elements to be a great show. The weather was near perfect. The outdoor venue, surrounded by trees, had a whimsical ambiance. No matter where you stood in the intimate confines, you weren't too far from the stage. And, oh yeah, Alt-J (∆) would be playing.
But despite having the seemingly perfect recipe for a great evening, last night's show was one of the worst I've ever attended. Let's start from the beginning.
At exactly 7 p.m., Lord Huron took the stage and began playing what I describe as pleasant music. It was nothing too deep - but there was nothing wrong with it, per se. Picture a romantic comedy in which a girl and a guy are going on their first date to a concert, and Lord Huron would be the kind of band they would be going to see. The "nice guy" of music, I suppose. It was, however, a good backdrop for buying a beer and finding a place to stand. The crowd was a little chatty, but it sort of made sense at that point, as everyone was still getting situated.
A little after 8 p.m., Alt-J (∆) came on. Everyone cheered, and crowd went silent for a song or two. Even throughout "Fitz Pleasure," you could more or less hear the band. Then it all went downhill. No one -I am not exaggerating - would stop talking. No matter where I stood (and I moved around at least 10 times trying to find a chatter-free space), I could barely hear the music over the sounds of people introducing themselves to one another, talking about their crazy night before, talking about the band, talking about what their boss is making them do this week, and so on.
And I get it. You are there to enjoy the night with friends. I am certainly guilty of chatting from time to time at a show. But when the majority of the crowd is talking instead of listening to the band, you've got to ask why they are even there. Go to a bar or something, instead.
Alt-J (∆) is the type of live show you want to lose yourself in. You want to be able to close your eyes and dance and let their raw, entrancing songs envelope you. But you just can't do that when people won't shut up.
I also think the speaker system was partly to blame. It just wasn't loud enough. Had there been no chatter, it would have probably been a fine volume level, but turning the sound up would have mitigated the situation quite a bit. Luckily a few songs such as "Taro," and "Breezeblocks," were loud enough to override the sounds of conversations.
What's sad is that Alt-J (∆) was performing impeccably throughout all of this. John Newman's (lead vocals, guitar) voice was just as complex and hypnotic live as it is on the album, and Thom Green's drumming was intense and right on point. They played almost every song on "An Awesome Wave," so there was theoretically a song for each person in the audience. Had the crowd just abandoned whatever was going on in the outside world and listened to the amazing music being made on stage, last night's performance would have been the kind of show you left feeling more inspired.
So, I have a plea, fellow music lovers. Next time you are at a show, don't talk unless you have to. Sure, make a few side comments, but leave the conversations at home. You aren't the only one who paid good money to see this band, so you shouldn't ruin the magic of live music for everyone else.
That said, Alt-J (∆) continues to blow my mind, and I can't wait until I am able to see them again on better terms.
Were you at the show last night? Did the all the chatter ruin the show for you, too? Let us know in the comments section below!
