We live in a country where most of the population get up for work at 7am (or earlier)
But most headline acts go on stage at 9pm
Surely there should be more of a conversation about earlier stage times and matinee gigs (especially on Sundays)?
Feels like the live industry in peril stories are picking up pace but the solutions tend to fixate on higher ticket prices or touts, rather than stuff like living in a commuter town of a major city often means not getting home from a show until 1am or earlier if you can drive (less good for the venues bar take, I’d presume).
Seems rare for acts to do matinee gigs outside of in stores and projects like loud in libraries
Plenty of reasons matinee gigs during the week are harder to do (although don’t students tend to get Wednesday afternoons off? And in the summer lots of companies give staff Friday afternoons off?)
All gigs should end by ten. I’ve been to couple of gigs that have finished at a civilised time and especially at this time of year it’s so nice to emerge from the venue and it not be fully dark (particularly when you’ve got a 20-30 mile drive home).
Local convention in Edinburgh was that gigs were done by ten. That was nice.
Remember from my London days that Upset the Rhythm shows used to be notorious for running late. Remember going to one show on a Sunday where the headliner didn’t start until 11pm. Diabolical.
Last gig I was at, the headliner came on at 9:50. I’ve an hour home when a gig finishes, more if it’s in the wilds of East London and I’m up for work at 6:30.
It really puts me off going.
Think 8:30/9 - 10 is about the sweet spot for headliners. Early enough finish for late trains, late enough start for getting there after work. No one needs more than 90 minutes on stage, and we can ban encores while we’re there
Would rather have a day at work where I got a couple of hours sleep less than normal but it doesnt really matter than have to use holiday days to get to actually see them
I got mocked openly by a hipster barmaid in Birmingham for running out of an Ian Svenonius gig after 2 mins because it started so late and I was going to miss my last train. He started the show sliding on his back through the crowd and she probably thought I was a freaked out square. Which is only half right.
Anyway the answer is better public transport and flexible work options within reason?
This has been done to death, lots of different interests conflicting really, just the way it is. If the promoter wants it at a certain time who am i to argue.
I think people especially who don’t have to travel long distances or figure out places to stay overnight should probably just lookat the glass as half full.
I know when i was living in Galway people would generally come to the gigs as late as possible so i get why the promoters do that