Venue Design (2 Viewers)

[The Fwames]

Duders,
need two cents from each of you re: good venue design. Whats good and bad about venues here or anywhere else you may have been and whats fixable.
Buiochas
The Dix.

All venues should either be at ground level with the load-in door right behind the stage or if it has to be on a different level it should have a big fuck-off lift to put the gear in. For some reason most venues in the world seem to be in the basement or the attic and it's just no fun lobbing gear up or down flights of stairs when you're pissed after a gig.

 

[jane]

giro's in belfast was one of the best venues I've ever been in. It was like the mentioned above shoebox style. Stage at one end etc. It also had chairs along the walls so if you were shoter and needed a bit of extra height,you could be lucky enough to stand on one of them.
Sound was probably the best I've encountered in ireland. All the people who did regular sound understood that some people play loud. I still can't believe when knifed played the village I had to turn down a solid state combo to about 2!!!!!
It was also bring your own and probably most importantly all ages.

Oh, yeah, the Giro's layout was great. And I actually got to see stuff, which was excellent. I do seem to remember a sign on the door of the toilets that read, "DO NOT USE IF YOU WANT TO LIVE". Apart from that, though, 'twas a fantastic spot.

 

[moc]

I still can't believe when knifed played the village I had to turn down a solid state combo to about 2!!!!!

i bet that was noel.... grrrr...

i like the sugar club too just dotn like the way its all seated they should have the front half seated and move it a bit closer to the stage and keep the sloped floor at the back for standing, that'd be brilliant. whelans on nights it has the seats out i reckon is really good for short folk.

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

Knifed got banned from the sugar club.

 

[jane]

Oh yeah, and my only disappointment is that I was not there to see the spectacle that resulted in said banning.

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

I was amused by it for sure.

 

[rampz]

i know this is probably sacrilage but i love the ambassador. the smell, the walls you can stand against (fuck you olympia bouncers). also the tbmc.

voodoo is a shithole.
village is the worst venue in history.

I'm short as fuck, and I've realised that I just can't go to gigs in the Village. It's not just that I can't see, it's that they pack it out so much with giants, and I'm so small that I just get shoved around the place no matter where I'm standing. At least in Whelan's, you can go to the back, where the bar is (if you can get by the people who think standing on the steps is a great idea), and get a bit of air, or you have a chance at going upstairs to see.

In the Village, you can't see, and you can't stand anywhere, and so you can't listen to the music, so there's just no point in going there at all. The sound is shite, the layout is a crime, and if you need to go for a piss, you might as well just go in your pants (any excuse, right?). And getting to the bar? Fat chance. It is by far the worst venue I have ever been in. Not only for all its flaws, but because it's newish, and was purpose built, and so all of that shitness is a product of choice. Why bother? Even tall people can't see in there.

Crawdaddy is okay, but, again, there's no periphery to the room where small people can go and feel like they aren't going to be trampled. I almost never get to see the band anyway because I can't even see over the other short people. Or, if I'm in a good spot, where maybe I can see one shoulder of one band member, it ends up being the place that is the 'gap' people squeeze through. When they look out at the crowd, they look at eye-level, and never down, so the empty space above my head actually looks like an empty spot. And I end up spending the entire evening being a fucking turnstile.

I find I get bored at gigs sometimes because I'm standing there, watching everyone else watch. I'm facing in the direction of the stage, but really, I can't see anything.

I really hate being little.

And I really love seated gigs. I realised about a year ago that I'd rather pay extra for a seated gig where I can actually see.

Also, ramps, I agree about the farting. There should be rules. Everyone should be farting all the time.

Oh, and what's with building trendy 'gimmicky' toilets and then never cleaning them? Or buying seats that don't fit? You know, 'Venues', I don't think it's okay to charge a tenner for a fucking drink if there's period blood smeared all over the walls of the ladies' toilets. Or if they overflow every night (Crawdaddy).

 

[krystal]

I like it too. I also love vicar st. It can be v low on atmosphere particularly in the bar and the million mile away jacks are a pain in the snatch. Also, the village should have been left in its Mean Fiddler layout. It was a far better venue then.

). also the tbmc.

.

 

[jane]

I like it too. I also love vicar st. It can be v low on atmosphere particularly in the bar and the million mile away jacks are a pain in the snatch. Also, the village should have been left in its Mean Fiddler layout. It was a far better venue then.

I like Vicar St lots. I know it has the atmosphere of a school gym, but in a way, that gives gigs the feel of going back to school, but with people who are actually fun. And instead of jocks kicking your ass in gym class, you get to rock out with other nerds. There's almost always a place to sit down, there's always a bar open, and the only thing that sucks balls is when they chuck you out so quickly after a gig. When I unwisely wore heels to Slint in order to get a height advantage, my back started to hurt like a fucker. I went over to the seats at the side, perched myself on top of a folding chair, which saved my back and gave me a decent view of the stage. It was great!

I'd never been to the Village when it was the Mean Fiddler. Tried to go to gigs there a few times, but it kept shutting down/cancelling gigs on the nights I was trying to go.

I'm beginning to hate the TBMC a tiny bit less than I used to, but it still has a way to go before we get to 'like'.

Anything is better than the Village. Anything. Even fucking Voodoo. But that's mostly because a Voodoo gig will only set you back a few quid, but willingly going to a gig in the Village is like falling for Three-card Monte for the 90th time, and trading your gold watch in to try your luck 'just one more time'.

 

[rampz]

i went to voodoo recently to see oak, who i missed, and the crowd was filled with assholes, pushing and shoving, no manners, knocking my drink over etc with no apology, unless laughing in my face is an apology. now i hate voodoo. also, couldnt see a thing cos of big pillars.

I like Vicar St lots. I know it has the atmosphere of a school gym, but in a way, that gives gigs the feel of going back to school, but with people who are actually fun. And instead of jocks kicking your ass in gym class, you get to rock out with other nerds. There's almost always a place to sit down, there's always a bar open, and the only thing that sucks balls is when they chuck you out so quickly after a gig. When I unwisely wore heels to Slint in order to get a height advantage, my back started to hurt like a fucker. I went over to the seats at the side, perched myself on top of a folding chair, which saved my back and gave me a decent view of the stage. It was great!

I'd never been to the Village when it was the Mean Fiddler. Tried to go to gigs there a few times, but it kept shutting down/cancelling gigs on the nights I was trying to go.

I'm beginning to hate the TBMC a tiny bit less than I used to, but it still has a way to go before we get to 'like'.

Anything is better than the Village. Anything. Even fucking Voodoo. But that's mostly because a Voodoo gig will only set you back a few quid, but willingly going to a gig in the Village is like falling for Three-card Monte for the 90th time, and trading your gold watch in to try your luck 'just one more time'.

 

[rampz]

the auld friday night clubby nights are good fun.

I like it too. I also love vicar st. It can be v low on atmosphere particularly in the bar and the million mile away jacks are a pain in the snatch. Also, the village should have been left in its Mean Fiddler layout. It was a far better venue then.

 

[jane]

i went to voodoo recently to see oak, who i missed, and the crowd was filled with assholes, pushing and shoving, no manners, knocking my drink over etc with no apology, unless laughing in my face is an apology. now i hate voodoo. also, couldnt see a thing cos of big pillars.

Yick. Doesn't surprise me, though.

Remember when Voodoo was first open, trying to get in on the ground floor of 'Smithfield/Stoneybatter are going to be the next Temple Bar', and they tried to make it all hip because someone with the Fun-Lovin' Criminals was involved? It was supposed to look like a 'New York Bar', and they started selling pizza that tastes about as authentic New York as a plastic tit with an aureola made of sausage, and tastes significantly worse.

And then everyone stopped caring about the FLC, and Smithfield still isn't a cultural quarter, and people only go to Voodoo to drink when the Dice Bar or the Cobblestone, or Ryan's shut for the night? I think it's great. I sometimes go to Voodoo late night just out of spite for it. I'm not sure how the logic of that works, but, whatever, when it's 1am, and I'm short at least two whiskeys, it makes perfect sense.

It's got this whole 'fading splendour' thing going, which is funny because it was never splendid. It was always a shithole. It's under-heated, over-loud, poorly lit, the stage is in a ridiculous position, and it's still better than the Village.

 

[Super Dexta]

I'm short as fuck, and I've realised that I just can't go to gigs in the Village. It's not just that I can't see, it's that they pack it out so much with giants, and I'm so small that I just get shoved around the place no matter where I'm standing. At least in Whelan's, you can go to the back, where the bar is (if you can get by the people who think standing on the steps is a great idea), and get a bit of air, or you have a chance at going upstairs to see.

In the Village, you can't see, and you can't stand anywhere, and so you can't listen to the music, so there's just no point in going there at all. The sound is shite, the layout is a crime, and if you need to go for a piss, you might as well just go in your pants (any excuse, right?). And getting to the bar? Fat chance. It is by far the worst venue I have ever been in. Not only for all its flaws, but because it's newish, and was purpose built, and so all of that shitness is a product of choice. Why bother? Even tall people can't see in there.

Crawdaddy is okay, but, again, there's no periphery to the room where small people can go and feel like they aren't going to be trampled. I almost never get to see the band anyway because I can't even see over the other short people. Or, if I'm in a good spot, where maybe I can see one shoulder of one band member, it ends up being the place that is the 'gap' people squeeze through. When they look out at the crowd, they look at eye-level, and never down, so the empty space above my head actually looks like an empty spot. And I end up spending the entire evening being a fucking turnstile.

I find I get bored at gigs sometimes because I'm standing there, watching everyone else watch. I'm facing in the direction of the stage, but really, I can't see anything.

I really hate being little.

And I really love seated gigs. I realised about a year ago that I'd rather pay extra for a seated gig where I can actually see.

Also, ramps, I agree about the farting. There should be rules. Everyone should be farting all the time.

Oh, and what's with building trendy 'gimmicky' toilets and then never cleaning them? Or buying seats that don't fit? You know, 'Venues', I don't think it's okay to charge a tenner for a fucking drink if there's period blood smeared all over the walls of the ladies' toilets. Or if they overflow every night (Crawdaddy).

i think i've just realised why i stopped going to gigs. or cut down on it significantly. i'm shorter than jane by a good inch and it is THE FUCKING END. FUCKING IGNORANT TALL PEOPLE. AGGGGGGHHHRRRRRRRFFUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKK etc.

 

[jane]

i think i've just realised why i stopped going to gigs. or cut down on it significantly. i'm shorter than jane by a good inch and it is THE FUCKING END. FUCKING IGNORANT TALL PEOPLE. AGGGGGGHHHRRRRRRRFFUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKK etc.

Not all tall people are ignorant. Unfortunately, most of the tall people I've encountered who are considerate are people I already know. The worst is when other short people are ignorant. They should fucking know better!

Seriously, it was years before I figured out why it was that other people recognised people from bands in the street (or wherever), and I didn't. It's because I only ever saw the backs of people's shoulders. Even if I'd seen the band, I'd never really seen them, which I was aware of. It just hadn't really dawned on me that there were people there who could actually see what was going on. And weren't being trampled.

So next time you see a short person at a gig, give them the thrill of their life: a fucking view of the stage.

I really have to mentally prepare myself for any gig that is going to be busy.

If you're a tall person, next time you're at a relatively popular gig, kneel down on the floor and get the experience. It's really not that much fun, to be sure, to be sure.

Oh, there's also the groping. I was groped multiple times at The Fall (once on purpose, and at least twice more that were possibly 'accidental'), and it really upset me. I finally had to start for the door, and I was really pissed off. A kindly bouncer noticed that there was a very big difference in the size of me and the size of most of the crowd, and asked if I wanted to watch from the balcony, where I'd be more comfortable and not get trampled (it was the blokeyest night ever). It was very considerate of him, but by then, I was so pissed off, I just wanted to go home.

 

[rampz]

being short has its benefits too. although im yet to discover what these are.

i think i've just realised why i stopped going to gigs. or cut down on it significantly. i'm shorter than jane by a good inch and it is THE FUCKING END. FUCKING IGNORANT TALL PEOPLE. AGGGGGGHHHRRRRRRRFFUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKK etc.

 

[Super Dexta]

ah i've no problem with being short, much less with tall people, except when they stand in front of me at gigs. i've had fantasies of venues with sections at the front reserved for the vertically challenged. ah yes.

 

[pete]

Where's the oddest place you've been to a gig in Dublin city?

Drop Dead & John Holmes in the living room of Clodagh & Stephens flat on the North Circular Road sometime in 1998. Rockin.

 

[jane]

If you're a woman, you are always 'cute'. I mean, you can never, no matter what, be 'stunning' or 'striking' or any of those other words that have slightly more weight. For social reasons, the fact that I look young for my age (or so I'm told) is quite a good thing, but for professional ones, it sucks ass. A student referred to me as 'the little American girl'. The WHAT?! The -- excuse me -- little girl? The little girl!? Sometimes 'girl' is okay. This was not one of those times. 'Little girl' is never okay.

Hm....short people....assets....benefits.....er....Anyone?

Is there anything good about being short?

Oh, I know, in a cramped car/bus/train/plane, always having to cram yourself into the worst seat (or onto someone's lap) because you're the smallest. That's such a privilege.

 

[Super Dexta]

Hm....short people....assets....benefits.....er....Anyone?

Is there anything good about being short?

1) i can fit into dublin bus seats without giving myself a hernia.
2) it's much easier to make long trousers shorter than it is to make short trousers longer.
3) i can wear very short skirts without exposing yards and yards of legs and feeling underdressed.
4) i'm easy to pick up and carry around, which is handy when i'm lazy.

um.. that's about it.

 

[spiritualtramp]

Oh, there's also the groping. I was groped multiple times at The Fall (once on purpose, and at least twice more that were possibly 'accidental'), and it really upset me. I finally had to start for the door, and I was really pissed off

I'm tall enough for a bird. I've never been groped at a gig, but quite a few of my smaller female mates have been. I assume gropers would go for short ladies as they think there is less chance of getting the shit kicked out of them.