The year is closer to over, and time flies when you are having fun. I have booked all of my remaining concerts for the year, and am looking forward to the couple I have coming up.
As of me writing this post, the shows I have been to this year are:
-Boa
-Laufey
-Rochester Jazz Fest
And future ones I have booked but haven’t been to yet are:
-Lake Street Drive & Penelope Road
-DJO
This year has been a really fun year for concerts. I don’t think I’ve gone to as many music events as last year, but it seems like I have been getting to see some of my favorite artists and genres which makes up for it.
The summer season we are in now is what I think is best time to catch shows. You get more opportunities to visit an outdoor venue, which is my favorite way to experience them. Only one of my shows had an outdoor venue this time, but it was lovely. Being able to bring your own lawn chair, grab a drink, and be under the stars when the show goes late into the night has been some of my favorite memories from concerts.
Now sue me, but recently I have found an appreciation for venues that provide seating, or allow you to bring your own seating.
For indoor venues I know that isn’t possible, but I find myself now a days more cramped and uncomfortable at shows that require long bouts of standing. If I had room to dance and move around it wouldn’t be as much of a problem, but I feel like a sardine in busy shows with a pit style crowd. Where I can’t really dance or move very well without stepping on toes or crashing into someone.
Perhaps that is just what the vibe is supposed to be. I do feel like an old person admitting this. But I find my desire to attend these pit style shows has been declining. But for my favorite artists, I suck it up.
I am bringing this up because, as you may or may not already know, TWRP is my favorite band of all time. And if they tour anywhere in the vicinity of me, I will be there. Sadly none of their tours this year were in places I could feasibly travel to, so I won’t be able to catch them for this years round of shows.
The last time I was able to catch them on tour was about a year ago. They were at a venue called Song & Dance in Syracuse. I have actually been to that venue multiple times. I went for a Will Wood show, A Daft Punk tribute show, and then finally TWRP.
The reason I bring up the TWRP show is because the venue is a pit style standing venue. And I just have one gripe about that place I’ve got to get off my chest while I am on the topic.
Song & Dance is small. It’s whole purpose is that it supports smaller acts, whether that is local acts or touring bands that don’t pull large crowds. So it is not designed to support a lot of people. All it is is flat floor and then the stage.
That is all fine and dandy, but the reason I am yapping about this is because the venue has these large pillars the run across the floor right in the middle of the pit. And sadly, I was placed right behind one of these pillars. It made it virtually impossible to see the band unless I was bumping into those around me to look. The venue also has shitty ventilation because it is underground and cramped. So it gets really hot and sweaty when you are surrounded by other hot and sweaty people. Not being able to really dance the way I wanted, being unable to see the stage, and with how hot it gets felt like it dampened my enjoyment.
This was probably one of the most uncomfortable shows I have been to in recent times. It has really put me off from wanting to go to venue’s like this if I am going to come out of it like I just baked in an oven.
I will still go though for acts I really care about. But if it isn’t a show I have an excited disposition for, I probably won’t spend the money on it if it does not have some type of seating.
I look forward to Lake Street Dive & Penelope Road show, because I actually have a seat and its also indoors. It will be the first time I will have been to the Kodak Center for a show venue. I have wanted to visit all the different local venues around here, so I am always excited to visit new place in the Roc area.
And Djo will also be a new venue, he is actually going to be at RIT, which is the biggest college around here. Though this one will be a pit style show, but it looks a bit more open than something like Song & Dance so I am hoping that at least the ventilation isn’t gonna choke me.
I will make separate posts about the DJO and Penelope Road shows once I attend them, because those are the two I think I am most excited for. Both happen in the month of September. So almost there.
But here is a pic from the Laufey concert I went to on 8/9! I am not the best at taking pictures at concerts but I think this was more to show off how nice the venue looks at night (This is SPAC in Saratoga). Her shows always lean on the relaxing side due to the nature of her music. Which with this venue, the vibe hit just right. Though going to admit, I had one drink and for some reason it hit me like a freight train. I think I actually got buzzed at the half way point. So that added to the fun, but not the type of show that really benefited much from it. I was just sort of giggling to myself as a beautiful classically trained singer was backed by an Orchestra.
Catch my future posts about the Djo and Penelope Road concerts. I might have some more to say about it.
-Erin
Orbitedbyerin 