Pop Goes The Revolution // The Glasgow Gig Experience

[George]

This week on Pop Goes The Revolution we'll be removing Glasgow's worst gig venue from society. We're trying to ignore overall band quality, and instead take into account dreadful acoustics, overpriced drinks, moody staff, huge waiting periods, a lack of any ventilation. These kind of things.

Any nominations for what is the worst are much appreciated. Anywhere that has live bands is nominatable, so go for it; whether it be the oversized SECC or the poxy disaster of Barfly. Nominate away people.


Pop Goes The Revolution // 1200-1300 16.10.08

[yellowbenzene]

overpriced drinks - carling academy
poor sound quality - the garage

however, the worst sound quality I've ever experienced was at yang, downstairs from archaos

[simon]

I've been to some quite good gigs at the Barfly, wouldn't consider it to be as bad as the SECC (of course they're completely different venues but still we're considering worst venues...)

Carling Academy needs an honourable mention, every time I've ever been to a gig there I left feeling I could've enjoyed it so much more if it was somewhere else. Bad sound, no atmosphere and the drink selection is both crap and expensive...

And then there's Box... weird shape, stage placement means there's constantly people pushing past you to get to the bar if you're watching a band, sound is never that great. I guess I shouldn't complain cos it's free to see bands there but it's never that enjoyable. I have loads of mates in bands and they pretty much all dislike playing there, one described playing in Box as "like having sex when you think you might have left the back door open... you just can't really get in the mood" and whenever I see people play there they just seem to be going through the motions. And sharing a bill with like 5 dreary soundalike indie bands. Bit of a depressing place for live music really, the bands are unmotivated and half the people there don't give a shit unless they're the band's mates.

[shaun]

i have added a poll

[moiphy]

The Secc is like a shed. It sounds absolutely awful, no atmosphere because the ceiling is so high, drinks are expensive. rubbish. no character to the place.

[George]

i have added a poll

Thankyou Shaun for your usual poll-making speediness.

[__suez]

I hate box. The bar is right at the door so you get pushed about while queueing for a drink, sometimes I go in forgetting it's a "venue" and am deafened by a shite band which makes it unable to actually speak to anyone, something I quite like doing when I go out for a drink. Does anyone go to box to actually see a band?
eueugghhhh, box.
Have I spelt queueing wrong, there is no spell checker on this....

[gavin]

Have I spelt queueing wrong, there is no spell checker on this....

Mozilla Firefox
English (British) Firefox Dictionary

[shaun]

i have added a poll

Thankyou Shaun for your usual poll-making speediness.

polls are the future of radio

[George]

Pop Goes The Revolution // 1200-1300 16.10.08
Episode

[George]

Why have all the comments been moderated and removed?

[shaun]

Why have all the comments been moderated and removed?

sorry I was merging the topic with the post for the episode, lost the poll votes but kept everything else.

you should encourage people to vote here on the show news item, the comment on this episode link will now bring you here.

[George]

Out of interest do us plebians have the power to make polls, because I haven't seen such righteous powers listed anywhere? Or is it only the intelligentia that can make them?

Cheers for moving the thread, it's better here anyway.

[pete]

What the SECC lacks in sound quality, it more than makes up for with excellent parking facilities.
The bouncers at Barfly are total cunts.
I actually quite dig the Garage for gigs.
It smells a bit of piss, but show me a place that doesn't since the smoking ban kicked in.

[moiphy]

I went to a gig at the garage, the sound wasn't too bad to be honest. got free entry to the club too

[shaun]

Out of interest do us plebians have the power to make polls, because I haven't seen such righteous powers listed anywhere? Or is it only the intelligentia that can make them?

Cheers for moving the thread, it's better here anyway.

you do. See here: How do I create a poll?

[frankm]

The Arches is a car park with a bar and a stage. The world's worst stewards too. Do they still persuade the lead singer to put a Rangers top on for the encore?

Itf you're getting a poor sound at the Box you should be talking to teh engineer after you buy him a drink of course. Minfd you 5 bands no sound checks is expecting a bit much of him.

[shaun]

If you're getting a poor sound at the Box you should be talking to teh engineer after you buy him a drink of course. Minfd you 5 bands no sound checks is expecting a bit much of him.

Also considering the size of the room and proximity of the stage, I'd imagine most of the sound is comming from the onstage amps and kit, only vocals miby keys going through a PA. The sound engineer will probably have little control over the guitarist's decision to turn it up to 11.

[shaun]

The Arches is a car park with a bar and a stage. The world's worst stewards too. Do they still persuade the lead singer to put a Rangers top on for the encore?

The Arches has the best sound systems of any venue in Scotland, I also think it's pretty much unrivalled in terms of lighting. A lot of touring engineers struggle with the parabolic ceiling but I've heard some stunning performances in there from Sun Ra's bass player and Seasick Steve to walls of noise at install. Also you can always nip behind a curtain for a quick burly with your friends.