Most disappointing concert ever - music thread

[swampdragon]

I was talking music with a friend and we started talking about this question

What was the most disappointing concert that you ever attended?

not the worst one but rather one that you were looking forward to seeing and the band/performer was wretched.

Mine was a show at The Pier on a hot summer night 1987 - I had been listening to their music constantly for many years and playing it dj'ing at house parties too.

NEW ORDER - so incredibly boring watching a guy push a button so that 3 minutes of notes came out
BORING


your thoughts

[johnnya24]

Cat Power last month was a total car wreck (commented previously in the other live music thread). Definitely the worst I'd ever attended. Though it was strange ... like a Cat Power support group ... "come Chan ... you can do it".

Previous to that I'd have to say Ben Harper. Didn't play any of the tracks from the first couple of records, which are pretty damn good ... the latest record at the time was pretty crap; just sat on his chair almost the whole time; and I lived in London at the time, so this was like my 4th concert in 5 days, so my back was killing me ... the slopped floor at the Brixton Academy didn't help; and of course the sound quality at the Brixton Academy is diabolical. Left early ... can't recall any other time I left a concert early except to catch a train.

So I nominate Cat Power and Ben Harper ... gimme my money back!

[Gregg]

Without question my most disappointing concert was about 4 or 5 years ago at Ravinia in Highland Park Ill. We went on a beautiful summer's night to be disappointed in Jethro Tull or more specifically Ian Anderson. He just couldn't sing. At one time he was one of my favorite voices in Rock. That night I am surprised that he did not get booed. I stayed for about 1/3 of the concert hoping that it would get better. It did not. I asked my wife if she would mind leaving. She did not argue.

It wasn't about the money we spent. It was the sadness of the shell of what once was a mighty source of entertainment staying in the game way too long. Even his stage persona was sad and depressing. Unbearable to watch even worse to listen to.

[Bob Kohm]

Tie for me... I'll echo Swampy's New Order vote-- saw them around the same time playing at the Meadowlands with Public Image Limited, Love and Rockets and The Cure amongst others at some WLIR music-fest and it was awful, especially given how high-energy PIL and the Cure were. Too close to call between that and a Jackson Browne show my wife dragged me to at Wolf Trap a few years back-- the smug prick not only failed to play any of his popular songs, but chided the audience at the encore for asking for them instead of appreciating his "artistic arc". Dreck.

[Papa Deuce]

Two shows come to mind..... The Cars. About as exciting as watching paint dry.

But I think the biggest disappointment was the first tour when KISS went without makeup. Basically they decided to skip doing most of their hits, I guess because they were trying to make some kind of statement that they weren't "that" band, anymore. They played 3 hits.... Detroit Rick City, Beth, and Rock and Roll All Night.

Oh, and I guess this doesn't or shouldn't count.... but at the first Live Aid, I was really excited about seeing Run DMC. With about 100K white people in the audience, there was no excitement when they came on to do their set at about 10AM. I don't know if they were not on their game, or the crowd just didn't care. But I was really disappointed. I saw them one other time in a much smaller venue, and they were better, but not great, and that was in a crowd of about a 50 / 50 mix of white and black folks.

[Papa Deuce]

Gregg, interesting story about Ian Anderson.... my buddy from work LOVED Jethro Tull...... was buried in a Jethro Tull concert T- Shirt....... OK, so somewhere he met Ian Anderson at a non music event. He went to shake Ian's hand, and Ian would not shake hands. He said they could fist bump, of chest bump, but not shake hands..... why? Because Anderson said he was always concerned that someone would take his hand and crush it, making him unable to play.

[overkill94]

I know a lot here will call this blasphemy but...

Neil Young - this was two years ago at a music festival in San Francisco and while he sounded just fine, I only recognized one song ("Powderfinger" which was awesome) and he literally kept letting the same chord echo out for about 10 minutes. I finally left about halfway through because I was drunk/tired and wasn't really enjoying the performance. I'm sure a hardcore fan would've liked it just fine, but you would think he would know that a festival crowd wants to hear a few more recognizable songs.

A few other that disappointed for different reasons:

Overkill - they're my favorite metal band of all time, but since I didn't start listening to them until their 6th album and didn't see them in concert until after their 13th album it's not surprising that they left out a lot of my favorites; they sounded awesome and put on a great show, it was just a bummer that I missed out on their tours when my favorite albums came out

Foxygen - just saw them a few weeks ago and the lead singer was just a manic mess. They sounded good overall, but his antics were a bit offputting and they decided not to play one of their three recognizable songs which is odd for a new band.

Elvis Costello - saw him a couple weeks ago because a buddy had an extra ticket. Little did I know that he had an orchestra backing him so the whole thing was a bit of a snoozefest which is understandable since his more famous songs are more upbeat which doesn't work as well with violins backing him.

[Papa Deuce]

Oh, one more...... Ice - T.

His band was so bad, that Ice-T stopped songs in the middle of performing them to tell them they sucked..... Good thing I didn't pay for that show.... and it was the only show I ever attended where you got a FULL pat down upon entering the venue.

[swampdragon]

Oh, one more...... Ice - T.

His band was so bad, that Ice-T stopped songs in the middle of performing them to tell them they sucked..... Good thing I didn't pay for that show.... and it was the only show I ever attended where you got a FULL pat down upon entering the venue.

but was this something you were looking forward to? dissappointing is the critical element

[Papa Deuce]

but was this something you were looking forward to? dissappointing is the critical element

Yeah, I was. At the time I was into his music. This was his "Cop Killer" tour.

[Mithrandir]

Yeah, I was. At the time I was into his music. This was his "Cop Killer" tour.

I dig that album..It hasn't aged well at all and it was pretty goofy but I have always liked it..Guilty pleasure i guess.

[Erik]

I have loved almost every Phish concert I have ever been to, but the Coventry festival was a drug-addled trainwreck. Other than "Piper," which is just simple power chords, every song was botched in some way. And they played 6 sets over 2 days.

It was their last show for 5 years, for good reason.

[DMT]

I have loved almost every Phish concert I have ever been to, but the Coventry festival was a drug-addled trainwreck. Other than "Piper," which is just simple power chords, every song was botched in some way. And they played 6 sets over 2 days.

It was their last show for 5 years, for good reason.

Going to the Halloween shows in Vegas.

[DMT]

I'm gonna have to chew on this awhile. Contenders: Iron & Wine, Thievery Corporation, Tori Amos,

[revo]

Boston at Jones Beach in a downpour.

Bruce Springsteen at PNC Bank Arts Center during his folk tour. I had no idea that he would only play folk songs, so I felt a bit duped.