Sheffield gig goers

^ I can appreciate exactly what you mean asparrowgoose, I was also longing for some older material from COT and AITB. But it soon became clear that it wasn't going to happen, so I tried to just appreciate what I actually was seeing.

<---- This is my avatar for a reason

Having said that, I was a little disappointed that it was a bit "samey" to the previous 3 or 4 Elbow gigs I've been to (although even those had shots of some of the older stuff in - Snooks, Can't Stop), and most of the songs they performed were a little predicatable. I said to my mate before we went in that I really hoped they mixed it up a bit, but I suppose it's hard trying to appeal to both the hardcore older fan base and also to the newcomers - many of which will only be familiar with TSSK and a couple of weeks' worth of BARB.

So, after a bit I just switched my focus onto enjoying each song as it came, although I definitely admit that it was a bit... obvious in places. I really would like to see a proper mixture of a spread of tracks from across all of the albums, but then you have to try to think of who's going to be attending these gigs.

I suppose seeing them do even the more obvious stuff is better than not seeing them at all.

And as for dancing around and getting into it, then yes, it was a bit lacking in that area (and I enjoy that side of it as much as you, it seems), but what I was describing in my previous post was not even that; it was simply annoying and innappropriate.

My Bury Vest wrote:

Hiya fancy pants would you like to describe these 3 "utter morons" and where they were stood

I was on the left hand side, about a quarter to a third of the way from the stage, I would guess. There were 2 blokes and a woman; one of the blokes was a right pain in the arse and they were all very distracting for the people in the vacinity who were trying to enjoy the show.

I'm all for getting involved and really enjoying myself, but this was just ridiculous - spilling beer all over the place, banging into some of the ladies who were trying to listen. Even during the quieter songs, when you like to just stand and appreciate what you're hearing, this lad was dancing like a pillock. People were giving him a wide birth and he was still invading their space.

Managed to get to Sheffield after being ill in bed for two days (+ missing the Nottingham gig). Have to agree with asparrowgoose. Guy held the whole thing together as only he can do.

I anticipated what the set list would be like from other threads on the subject so did arrive knowing what to expect.

I'm a huge Elbow fan and bought three tickets to see them on this tour - this makes it even more frustrating when there is little or no variation. My fav album by a long shot is AITB with SSK a close second. Still getting or hoping to get to like more tracks off BARB but struggling.

Off to MEN on Friday with my daughter. She has been warned !!!!

Future tours - yes I will be there - but I'll only do one gig.

I really enjoyed last night! Unlike hilaryg Sheffield Arena is one of my favourite venues, some of my favourite gigs have been there. It's easy to get to and always seems well organised (the tram system after gigs works much better than the London underground system when I went to Wembley!).

I don't get to many gigs these days due to family commitments, so last night was only the second time I've seen Elbow. It was a shame there were no songs from the first 2 albums, but I knew that in advance so knew what to expect. I still can't get into The Night Will Always Win though, was hoping I would like it live more than I do on the album. I was in the seated area on the front row near the stage, and I must admit that the crowd were a bit lacklustre. It's the first time I've been to a gig there where people in the seats haven't stood up. When Guy asked who was seeing them for the first time, everyone around me put their hands up. Most people only seemed to know songs from TSSK.

So yes, I really enjoyed it, the stage set was great and Guy's rapport with the crowd was excellent. I just wish we could have stood up and joined in more! There was no way I was sitting down for One Day Like This, so I stood up and tried to get everyone else to aswell, they did it (reluctantly!). I hope Rachel Smith is on here or Twitter, Guy mentioned her again earlier today. Oh, and if anyone wants to buy the Villagers album, it's a fiver on Amazon but £10 at the gigs (I bought mine last night!).

I'm sorry some people didn't enjoy the gig. Crowd problems (whether under or over-active) can be a problem at any gig, must have been lucky in the spot I was in. I was interested in sparrowgoose's comments about the pacing of the songs live - to me it was a fairly typical elbow set in the types of songs they played. While there weren't many loud rocky songs, there was plenty of variety and surely songs like Tower Crane Driver, with the "wall of sound" counterbalance "The Night Will Always Win" etc? And I must have a low embarrassment threshold - I have been known to be the only person boogying away in a sea of people playing statues at gigs in the past....

On reflection, I do think we have to have a mental adjustment in our expectations of this tour. We're no longer going to see an indie band in a small/medium venue in the company of a couple of thousand like minded harcore fans. This is a proper, full arena show. With at least half the people there who have never seen elbow live before.

I think the band have done a stunning job of stepping up to that challenge. The friends I went with fall into the category of coming in at TSSK and first time elbow gig attendees and they thought it was the best gig they'd ever been to. The reasons were all reasons that I love the band - the tunes, the lyrics, Guy's voice, the professionalism of the music done live and the interaction with the crowd.

As I said earlier on the "set list" thread - it doesn't mean they're ashamed of the earlier stuff, doesn't mean they will never ever play it again, it just means it didn't make the cut for the kind of show they wanted to do this time. Perhaps they've been playing some of it for so long they wanted a break from it, or perhaps it just didn't fit with the new stuff. Whatever the reason, we still had over two hours of wonderful music last night, I can't wait until Manchester on Friday and you can certainly count me in for future tours too.

Oh, and here are my photos.

Think this might be my favourite:

Some good points there Hilary

hilaryg wrote:

Whatever the reason, we still had over two hours of wonderful music last night, I can't wait until Manchester on Friday and you can certainly count me in for future tours too.

And this comment I certainly agree with. Better 2 hours of anything than no hours of nothing. I really did enjoy myself - I still got to see 2 hours of music performed by my favourite band with my best mate, who I have introduced to Elbow and is now also a fan. I had a very good time and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, despite it being somewhat tainted by a couple of idiots.

As I said, I understand that they have to strike a balance regarding what they play, but to be honest I could watch them bashing a set of pots and pans with kitchen utensils and still enjoy it.

I guess it would just be an ideal world where we might see them do a few of our favourite older songs, but I appreciate that they are doing a tour to promote their new stuff to a potentially whole new set of fans I'll be there as long as they're still playing live.


And I still can't wait for Manchester!

A tour to promote new stuff? They played nine songs off Seldom Seen Kid and only six off the new album. I think people's gripe is that all the songs that got dropped to make way for the new stuff were pre SSK songs which have all survived the cut, bar Audience.

I could live with the lack of AITB and COT if we got more from BARB - Jesus is a Rochdale Girl and the River instead of say Some Riot and Tower Crane, great songs that they are. But this set feels more like they're dragging out TSSK than anything else.

It does feel a bit like it is still 2008. I assume there will be a second tour of slightly smaller venues later in the year we will get a more representative set. hopefully. Otherwise they may lose of the diehards who have stuck with them through the bad times.

oneofthethree wrote:

A tour to promote new stuff? They played nine songs off Seldom Seen Kid and only six off the new album.

To be honest I wasn't counting, but I know there was a lot of TSSK stuff in there, whereas I'd expected more of BARB and hopefully a few older tracks.

Perhaps I should have phrased it differently - "a tour off the back of a new album" would be more accurate. So yes, you'd think there might have been a few more off BARB.

But I agree with what you're saying overall. We're basically saying the same thing, albeit I'm not saying it too well

oneofthethree wrote:

I assume there will be a second tour of slightly smaller venues later in the year we will get a more representative set.

We can but hope.

Thanks for the excellent photos.

Thinking back to the SSK tour there was a brilliant mix and old and new. A GOOD GIG SET LIST.

Look at the set list from last night. As already said half of it was SSK - so then a mix of older favourites would have fitted in excellently.

Along a similar line, I'm a Muse fan and enjoyed their last two tours. Got into them through Black Holes. But their gigs have nearly always included a good mix of new and old. During the last tour they TRIED some set lists of mainly new. Fans responded in a similar way. Somehow the set list changed.

Wonder if anyone is twittering Guy and and the others about this.

As I've said before, I love Elbow and their music but if set lists stay like this, it will be one gig per arena tour.

oneofthethree wrote:

A tour to promote new stuff? They played nine songs off Seldom Seen Kid and only six off the new album. I think people's gripe is that all the songs that got dropped to make way for the new stuff were pre SSK songs which have all survived the cut, bar Audience.

I could live with the lack of AITB and COT if we got more from BARB - Jesus is a Rochdale Girl and the River instead of say Some Riot and Tower Crane, great songs that they are. But this set feels more like they're dragging out TSSK than anything else.

It does feel a bit like it is still 2008. I assume there will be a second tour of slightly smaller venues later in the year we will get a more representative set. hopefully. Otherwise they may lose of the diehards who have stuck with them through the bad times.

I was given the impression that the arena tour was to meet demand, as if they play smaller venues they'd be on the road for months and months at a time, and they didn't want to be away from their families for that long.
They are doing festivals in the summer, if they do " a second tour of slightly smaller venues later in the year we will get a more representative set". That is surely going to defeat the point of head counts in arenas, the next tour in smaller venues is more likely to be europe and would we know if the next tour was the same.
I'd like to hear more of BARB, and less of TSSK, which I heard in 2008 and 2009.

sorry to hear of some people's disappontment
you would think it had been a poor gig, which i can't imagine was the case ?

I completley understand the issues for those of you who go to as many gigs as you can. You won't feel your getting value watching the same show over and over again.

I think the SSK set may been largley kept because of the number of sales generated and to fill the arena's must need these 'newer' fans. Guy's survey question at Glasgow really confirmed there was a lot of people who were seeing them for the first time, i think he even asked if we liked what they were playing, which was met with decent feedback.

Mind you he also spoke about who had bought the new album, and given the tour is to promote this, it might have been difficult to get away with lots more new songs as the album was only out the week before and not everyone would have rushed out to buy it.

I also wonder, does anyone know how many Leaders sold compared to TSSK. Just trying to fathom the reach the band had after three albums compared to now - it must be vastly different.

Well, we were right near the front and it's fair to say we left the gig with a definite bitter sweet experience of the night - the venue as I think hilaryg described on Friday, was appalling - it made the MEN look atmospheric......the setlist was to be expected, the overly synthed intro to 'The Night...' was a bit jarring but my overriding emotion was thank fuck Guy and the band had the personality to save the night and the band played the songs brilliantly, without a doubt. The little extra's of the cocktail scene etc really were appreciated by our gang - so good on em.

Where we were stood, the crowd were hypnotically static - even during half the TSSK tunes, i was genuinely disappointed by the vibes from the crowd, we were stared at for beltin' back the lyrics of Puncture Repair, Station Approach and esp Great Expectations - I'll make no apologies, This band mean the world to me and I won't make any apologies in expressing my passion towards the band, the band were giving their all - my friends and I were loving it and cheering them on but it felt like the 'effort' was only coming one way - from the stage.

I might be being harsh on the punters there last night - but a band so brilliant, subtle, humble and magnificent, deserved a better response.

However, I can't wait for Manchester, go on Elbow - WE STILL BELIEVE IN LOVE !

Did Hawley play? If so, was it 'The Fix'? Did he get a good response from the crowd?

ticky wrote:

Did Hawley play? If so, was it 'The Fix'? Did he get a good response from the crowd?

Yes, Ticky - the above did happen - a good response !

Bury Vest, were you and your friends to the left of the walkway, sort of equidistant from that and the actual stage? Around the area where Guy pointed to a good few times?


I noticed there were some people getting into it over in that area, and thinking to myself that it looked a bit more lively than where I was. There were certainly more hands in the air in that area. There seemed to be only me doing it where I was stood!

Arena tour or not, most top bands (of which Elbow in my opinion are one) include material from all their albums, 2 songs off AITB and 2 off COT wouldnt affect the show for newbies, ive had a great time with each Elbow gig ive been to (nine) including Nottingham last Thursday, but still think a mistake was made by ignoring the first 2 albums on this tour, hope the next tour brings a change of thought.

Well said Hilary and thanks for the photo - loved that moment!!

They've brought back oldies to the setlists before, and I'm sure they'll do it again. Until then, even if they keep playing the same songs each time, I adore the band too much not to see them at every possible opportunity.

Bare in mind that the majority of people will only be seeing them once per tour max, so I can see that the band would want to give a very 'consistent' show across the tour so eveyone can enjoy the show that they have put together.

Fancy Pants wrote:

Bury Vest, were you and your friends to the left of the walkway, sort of equidistant from that and the actual stage? Around the area where Guy pointed to a good few times?


I noticed there were some people getting into it over in that area, and thinking to myself that it looked a bit more lively than where I was. There were certainly more hands in the air in that area. There seemed to be only me doing it where I was stood!

We were about 2 rows from the front just to the left of the stage (just to the right of Mark) - not that near the catwalk, yep we were getting right into it, when you are watching your favourite band of all time - the least I can do is repay the effort made by the band, but DO appreciate that not everyone is as outwardly exhuberant as me, at gigs.......I was admiring the way they'd adjusted to the arena set up.....but without the catwalk and Guy's charisma, I dread to think how the night may have turned out.

Am just hoping that a 'hometown crowd' on Friday might crank things up.

Oh dear, that means you were smack in between Kim and jones and me. I thought the crowd was pretty good where we were but perhaps that was down to you and your friends generating the atmosphere!

hilaryg wrote:

Oh dear, that means you were smack in between Kim and jones and me. I thought the crowd was pretty good where we were but perhaps that was down to you and your friends generating the atmosphere!

Hi hilaryg, I think if you were right near me and my mates - you'll know who we were !

A good, balanced review

http://musosguide.com/elbow-motorpoint-arena-sheffield/14033

Thanks for that, pretty much sums up my thoughts on the evening!

Best ever Hymn From A Village on the tram, MBV

What happened to you after though? We went to the Leadmill and thought we'd be transported back to our late teens. Prices were good it has to be said.

Alrite pal, blimey that 'rings a bell' - no vague James pun intended ! We got to the Leadmill after walking ages in the wrong direction and I'd reached the end of the road - feet were killing and I could drink no more !

Kellie PM'd earlier and said it was great in there, we got to the long queue, waited a short time and then stomped off ! Great meeting you both - you can't beat a sing song on the tram !

Yes the quest to find the Leadmill littered with wrong turnings and no shortage of stops to rub poorly toe's.

Still when all said and done not a bad night. In line with my friend MBV the gig was a bit of a let down not the Band but the crowd seemed subdued which probably lead to the quick exit once One Day Like This struck up and suddenly a giddy wave of life broke out.

In hindsight a tad petulant on our part.

Roll on Friday.