Covering Van Halen concert in Indy Wednesday night

[swamp trash]

8)

This should be fun.

 

[KJIM]

I almost had to do this with a different act.

Is it for a review? That's what mine would have been. How do you do that? We had (don't laugh) Richard Marx here, and no one to cover it. We wound up not sending anyone, so I was safe, but I honestly had no idea how to have gone about it.

Do you compare? If so, to what? Other concerts? Old music? It's not like I had seen the guy live before.

What if you're only vaguely familiar with the act? Does that make it easier or harder to be objective?

I have to say, I was fairly relieved when I wound up not having to do it, but it did make me curious about the "review" process.

 

[swamp trash]

Yeah, I'm doing a review. Never done one before, but how hard can it be?

Fortunately (unfortunately?) I'm old enough to have been around during their heyday. Just so happens I'm the only one in the newsroom familiar with VH at all.

I'm afraid it's going to be a hot mess but hey, it's a cheap date.

 

[93Devil]

Just so happens I'm the only one in the newsroom familiar with VH at all.

Slow down. What?

 

[Chef2]

Just so happens I'm the only one in the newsroom familiar with VH at all.

The communists have won.

 

[swamp trash]

Just so happens I'm the only one in the newsroom familiar with VH at all.

Slow down. What?

Our newsroom is full of 19 and 20 year olds. I'm like the 3rd oldest person there and I'm not even 40 yet.

 

[93Devil]

Just so happens I'm the only one in the newsroom familiar with VH at all.

Slow down. What?

Our newsroom is full of 19 and 20 year olds. I'm like the 3rd oldest person there and I'm not even 40 yet.

Tell the idiots you have dibs on Bruce and the Roilling Stones for their stupidity on this.

It seems like VH is made up of a bunch of borderline retards, but those brothers were so great on the drums and guitar. Just so, so great.

 

[93Devil]

I would go to willing local bands and ask them if they were willing on camera to try and play Eruption and Hot for Teacher.

 

[SixToe]

I would go to willing local bands and ask them if they were willing on camera to try and play Eruption and Hot for Teacher.

Might as well ask J-School grads to try to mimic "The Old Man and The Sea" or "Death of a Racehorse."

Eruption should never be attempted by anyone except Eddie.

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

Our newsroom is full of 19 and 20 year olds. I'm like the 3rd oldest person there and I'm not even 40 yet.

I don't care if they're 19 or 20, a chance to review an arena rock concert is gold. You do not turn that assignment down.

 

[DanOregon]

Always envied the concert reviewer something fierce. Gets to see the best shows for free, no ticket hassles etc.
Didn't realize papers still did them considering deadlines getting pushed ever earlier (aren't most feature sections put to bed by 5 p.m.?) Let alone the need figuring that most shows are sold out and gone by the time it appears in print and it isn't like someone is going to read a review and say, "Hmm, maybe I'll go see that show" like they would a movie or a play.
Figured most papers do the "pre-show" parking lot scene now, if anything.

 

[KJIM]

Always envied the concert reviewer something fierce. Gets to see the best shows for free, no ticket hassles etc..

You recognize that that's what the general public thinks about sportswriters covering live events, too, right?

 

[DanOregon]

Do reviewers have a "no cheering rule?" Yeah - agreed. But concert reviewers don't have work their way up reviewing high school concerts and hearing parents complain that the freshman band tries just as hard.

 

[spikechiquet]

We have a "culture" editor who covers most of the rock and such that come through here...one of the other sports slot guys is the country music writer.
What he does is pays attention to the set list, maybe if something is said on stage that is worthwhile.
Basically, in sports terms...a running gamer with a nice lede.
Getting background info ahead of time helps as well.
He usually pounds out 10-12 inches on deadline and write a bigger review for the web.

Here is an example of the Shelton concert (again, this was for web, it was shorter in the paper): http://www.toledoblade.com/Music-Theater-Dance/2012/01/13/Shelton-rocks-the-Huntington-Center.html

 

[BYH]

Yeah, I'm doing a review. Never done one before, but how hard can it be?

You'd be surprised. Not rocket science, but as noted by spike, there's a lot to get in in a short amount of space. Which is no different than anything else, except there's typically a lot more color in a concert than a ballgame.

Then again, if you're only a casual fan. you'll probably have an easier time than some diehard trying to explain awesomeness in 12 inches. Have fun. I loathe how the Van Halen dip****s have treated Michael Anthony so I refuse to buy the new CD or see them live. Wouldn't turn down a free ticket though!

 

[David Panian]

Saw them last night in Detroit - great show if you like VH. I've only reviewed one concert professionally — Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp's group The Wreckers at the county fair here. I'm not really a country fan, but I felt I have enough of a music background from listening and playing to be able to tell what sounds good. And I know Branch's solo work well enough to know what a lot of the songs were.

So if you think you can tell when music sounds good - in tune, everyone playing the same tempo, etc. - and if the technical stuff seems to be happening in sync with the music, you should be fine, even if you don't know the band very well. But since you know VH, you'll know if they sound anything like what you expect. It probably helps readers who are unfamiliar with the act to compare the sound to something tangible, too.

As far as cheering goes, if you're in the audience, I doubt anyone will care. If you're with other reporters, you probably should hold back on the cheering and singing along. I don't know if they'll put you in a suite or near the soundboard or in the press box or what having never covered an arena show before. You may be too busy writing down the titles and any notes about some aspect of the performance to be able to do much cheering. Hopefully you won't be near people who feel they have to go out to the bathroom or concessions every 15 minutes like some of the people near me last night. And these were people who paid $165 a ticket - they probably missed a third of the show.

And, yeah, you'll help yourself by writing up some background beforehand about the new album, when the tour started and anything notable from the earlier shows.

As far as what to expect from this particular show, be prepared for the music to start immediately when the house lights go down. They really crank through the songs with very little down time or chit chat from Dave between the songs. And it looks like they're switching up some of the songs, so they may spring a surprise in Indy that they haven't played before on this tour or even since way back in the day.

You may want to say something about Kool & the Gang, too. They're a band people have heard of. Their set isn't very long. I got to the show a little late last night and missed all but the last 30 seconds or so of "Celebration," but they sounded good.

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

I reviewed a few of these big arena/amphitheater shows years ago (Ozzy, KISS, Tom Petty, Judas Priest...a few others) and the seats were always decent ones, but varied wildly. Sometimes it was first row, but at the very end of the stage. Other times you were on the side of the floor with a good sight line. Never in anything like a press box. A lot of it depended on your relationship to the publicist and the publicist's relationship to the promoter.

 

[Pencil Dick]

Saw them last night in Detroit - great show if you like VH. I've only reviewed one concert professionally — Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp's group The Wreckers at the county fair here. I'm not really a country fan, but I felt I have enough of a music background from listening and playing to be able to tell what sounds good. And I know Branch's solo work well enough to know what a lot of the songs were.

So if you think you can tell when music sounds good - in tune, everyone playing the same tempo, etc. - and if the technical stuff seems to be happening in sync with the music, you should be fine, even if you don't know the band very well. But since you know VH, you'll know if they sound anything like what you expect. It probably helps readers who are unfamiliar with the act to compare the sound to something tangible, too.

As far as cheering goes, if you're in the audience, I doubt anyone will care. If you're with other reporters, you probably should hold back on the cheering and singing along. I don't know if they'll put you in a suite or near the soundboard or in the press box or what having never covered an arena show before. You may be too busy writing down the titles and any notes about some aspect of the performance to be able to do much cheering. Hopefully you won't be near people who feel they have to go out to the bathroom or concessions every 15 minutes like some of the people near me last night. And these were people who paid $165 a ticket - they probably missed a third of the show.

And, yeah, you'll help yourself by writing up some background beforehand about the new album, when the tour started and anything notable from the earlier shows.

As far as what to expect from this particular show, be prepared for the music to start immediately when the house lights go down. They really crank through the songs with very little down time or chit chat from Dave between the songs. And it looks like they're switching up some of the songs, so they may spring a surprise in Indy that they haven't played before on this tour or even since way back in the day.

You may want to say something about Kool & the Gang, too. They're a band people have heard of. Their set isn't very long. I got to the show a little late last night and missed all but the last 30 seconds or so of "Celebration," but they sounded good.

Wait, how the hell does Van Halen end up with Kool & the Gang as an opening act? That's the oddest pairing since Springsteen and Anne Murray on the same bill.

 

[David Panian]

Saw them last night in Detroit - great show if you like VH. I've only reviewed one concert professionally — Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp's group The Wreckers at the county fair here. I'm not really a country fan, but I felt I have enough of a music background from listening and playing to be able to tell what sounds good. And I know Branch's solo work well enough to know what a lot of the songs were.

So if you think you can tell when music sounds good - in tune, everyone playing the same tempo, etc. - and if the technical stuff seems to be happening in sync with the music, you should be fine, even if you don't know the band very well. But since you know VH, you'll know if they sound anything like what you expect. It probably helps readers who are unfamiliar with the act to compare the sound to something tangible, too.

As far as cheering goes, if you're in the audience, I doubt anyone will care. If you're with other reporters, you probably should hold back on the cheering and singing along. I don't know if they'll put you in a suite or near the soundboard or in the press box or what having never covered an arena show before. You may be too busy writing down the titles and any notes about some aspect of the performance to be able to do much cheering. Hopefully you won't be near people who feel they have to go out to the bathroom or concessions every 15 minutes like some of the people near me last night. And these were people who paid $165 a ticket - they probably missed a third of the show.

And, yeah, you'll help yourself by writing up some background beforehand about the new album, when the tour started and anything notable from the earlier shows.

As far as what to expect from this particular show, be prepared for the music to start immediately when the house lights go down. They really crank through the songs with very little down time or chit chat from Dave between the songs. And it looks like they're switching up some of the songs, so they may spring a surprise in Indy that they haven't played before on this tour or even since way back in the day.

You may want to say something about Kool & the Gang, too. They're a band people have heard of. Their set isn't very long. I got to the show a little late last night and missed all but the last 30 seconds or so of "Celebration," but they sounded good.

Wait, how the hell does Van Halen end up with Kool & the Gang as an opening act? That's the oddest pairing since Springsteen and Anne Murray on the same bill.

I don't know. Something about Dave seeing them somewhere recently and thinking they sounded pretty good.

 

[joe]

How in holy hell is Van Halen playing an arena these days? They should be on the state fair circuit — at best — by now.