Take the worst of the Oxegen music festival and put it in one room. Review done. In fairness MGMT don’t have a huge back catalog so it was no surprise that they started late and finished quite early with the very much expected “Kids” as the second song on the encore. Nice too that their banter is improving. They asked the audience do they like to drink. I wonder when they play in France so they ask the audience do they drive bicycles while wearing berets with strings of onions hanging from their necks?
The middle of the set seemed to play drawn-out b-sides or new songs or versions of songs that I didn’t recognize but I appreciated them. The band are a rock band at heart judging by the talented musicians that played tonight. Their backing band especially added to their live show. Saying that, some of the live versions of the songs didn’t have the same power at all.
The music as I stated was good overall but the crowd utterly ruined it. There were huge amounts of barely legal (drinking sense) teens drunk and just bombing into the crowd. Manners got taught to some of them but there were surges and shoving going on when the kids identified the tunes that 2fm or Spin played while there was total calm for unreleased album tracks. MGMT also play on the 4th and by that time every kid in the country will probably have seen them.
This is the exact reason why i choose not to go to this gig – I expected as much. Not a fan of ramp packed sold out gigs either. Must be getting old….
Sounds similar to their Oxegen set. People started climbing up the rafters and one nearly to the roof of the tent. The band had to go off stage while they tried to calm the idiots down.
Hihi… Nice one, I’m going to Death Cab on the 13th I think it is, hopefully, they are still obscure enough not to pull the kiddies in!
Hey
Can anyone tell me what time they came on at and the gig was over at please….
B
Couldnt agree more with this review, the crowd was the strangest Ive ever seen at a gig. There was a distinct divide between the the facepaint wearing tweens and everyone else who was genuinely there to hear the band. There was a group of lads in front of us who just stood and had a chat while the band were playing! Everyone was waiting for a song they recognised to come on and proceeded to form a mosh pit to an entirely inappropriate song just because it had a bit more tempo..which quickly died out so there were simply sporadic bursts of teens jumping all over their pilled up friends. (really, NOT the gig for pills)
I think it was a case of, when they were good they were great but the set seemed unbalanced and I think they would have done better to start off with a more upbeat song to get the crowd into it. The “banter” was dire, someone tell them not to speak..it ruins the image.
I’m gutted, expected much more. Sound was shocking and the crowd prepubescent. Shoulda known better.
@Breda I think it was about 9.25, finished up about 10.50?
Im going to tonights gig.. I hate wanker teenage kids ruining concerts.. should i bring any weapons/gun/chainsaw?
IF you don’t like rowdy crowds at rock n’ roll gigs go to a classical concert, or a vicarage tea party. I am sick to the back teeth of fogeyish reviewers complaining about the uncouth crowds at concerts. Imagine if you were at a Sex Pistols gig in the seventies. You would be complaining about the spitting.
On the other hand, well done with the blog.
Ciara
Thanks a mil for the reply. Going to get a bite to eat before hand so that takes the pressure off. I’ll head in around 9pm so.
I’ll post my feelings on the gig tomorrow.
B
At least the punk spitting on me would know all the words to every song on “Nevermind the Bollocks”..
just went cos i like the band and thought wed have some fun, but i collected a few bruses and ended up getting (unwillingly) into a couple of verbal scraps!
finally met the band later that night, at least that livined us up!
u met them afterwards :O where? i was right up the front sum asshole leaning into me trying to get to the barrier with his girlfreind the ENITIRE show, wat did you expect? kids is one of the most uplifting songs ive heard, add drink to the mix and of course people are going to be jumping and going mad! if you want to just hear the band listen to the fuckin cd!
Hi All,
I was at the gig last nite and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. We were on the bands guestlist as we met them in NY last week!!!
Really lovely fellas who know how to party….
Best of luck to them.
B
P.S Did find the young girls in front of me rather annoying but sure everything can’t be perfect.
I went last night as well, great gig with the usual prepubescent pissed heads jumping around at the front, but easily avoided. Wasn’t too packed which was a pleasant surprise.
I haven’t been to the Ambassdor for a while and the sound was crap at the last gig. The owners need to pull thier wallets out.
All n all it was a great performance, apart from the encore. Worst i have ever seen/heard!
Just goes to show what you no all of their songs have been released with the exception of the final song on tuesday night. And another thing the crowd made what was otherwise a boring gig. If the crowd had not of getting up and having a good time where i was( in the gallary) i may as well hgave been sitting in the cinema because thats how it felt.
Dicky
There last song has been released, as an EP called metanoia, and it is basically musical masturbation, taking the utter piss. MGMT the other night (4th) is the worst live gig i’ve ever been to. The Walkmen on Sunday made shit of MGMT. White Lies with only 4 released songs will show them up next week.
MGMT are the definition of a studio band. AWful live.
If you’re going to any gig you can expect underage, especially for bands that are “fashionable” to like, including MGMT.
I agree with Willy Peterson above there. If it was not for the crowd it would have been as though i was at the cinema. I was also unfortunately stuck in the gallery which consisted mostly of people that seemed to be on dates and got pissed off when people started to stand up. If we remained seated we may aswel have watched them on youtube from our homes! I do agree though about all those children that only went because they liked the songs from the radio and as a result kept fans who truelly liked them in the cinema upstairs with all the happy couples!
Pacman-Down
Dear Sweet Lord….
Most of you sound like a couple of 80 year old senior citizens complaining about “the youth of today” and such the like….
As an 18 year old fan of this band, I’m actually offended by some of the comments made. Just because you are young does not mean you are not a “true fan” of the band. I listened to them before they were popular and went to their gig in the academy (which btw had a much better atmosphere )
You all need to fucking chill out. Young people don’t intentionally set out to these concerts purely to annoy you old folk. 🙂 Though I find it rather amusing considering the things you describe happen at ALL concerts.
BTW: Quit complaining about people who just went coz they like the songs on the radio. After all that IS generally WHY you go to see a band. Because you LIKE their songs.
I agree that some people clearly weren’t very big fans of the band but they still have a right to be there if they bought a ticket. Get over it.
I didnt see any “children” or “tweens” at this gig. It was over 18s and if you class 18 year olds as “children” then you must be very old indeed.
I was right up the front and thought it was pretty good from there.
Give the band a break they only have one album and their success was accidental, they must be bored shitless playing the same 10 songs over and over.
🙂
Vikki you said it all and you’re absolutely right, “After all that IS generally WHY you go to see a band. Because you LIKE their songs.”
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, I wanted to go but didn’t manage to get a ticket, and I’m still really enjoying listening to their music and looking forward to hearing more of them in the future.