Blackpool

Just thought I'd tell you, I'm this excited about Saturday

Been to the Empress Ballroom once before and it's a great venue. Well worthy of our heroes.

Looking forward to it so much I feel a song coming on!

Ha! I might pay that mirrorball a visit at weekend.

Unfortunately I'll be going to bed with a song in my head now

Can't wait myself, 6 of us arriving at 2pm ish and then the hunt for some digs......been on numerous occasions to the Empress Ballrooms (Manics, Oasis, White Stripes, James, Mozzer) and as Prestwich Red stated it's a venue extremely suitable for the boys. Would be wetting myself if they did Fugitive Motel or Red (amongst others).........

Ive been to the Empress Ballroom too on many occasions just like My Bury Vest. It is a superb venue for the lads to be playing. Im just a tad excited about tomorrow night.

I have a spare ticket for tonight, does anybody want it, face value? I'll be in Blackpool from 6, so can meet somewhere before the gig.

An absolutely brilliant gig last night. Fourth time I've seen them over the last year (Leeds Met, Delamere, Apollo) and each time has been special for different reasons.

Running order was something like below buy I'm not certain so correct me if I'm dazed and confused.

Not A Job (played by String Section on Side Stage.....well done girls)

Starlings
Bones Of You
Mirrorball
Leaders Of The Free World
The Stops
Any Day Now
The Fix
Mexican Standoff
Grounds For Divorce
Loneliness Of The Tower Crane Driver
Switching Off
Station Approach
Some Riot
Newborn

Encore Part 1 (side stage)
Puncture Repair
Weather To Fly (Acoustic beginning)

Encore Part 2 (main stage)
Weather To Fly
One Day Like This
Scattered Black & Whites "A lullaby to the North of England"

The venue was perfect, they don't make em like that any more.

Don't know what the "skirmish" was. It was to the left of us, but overall it was a good crowd.

Well done lads, a fantastic night out. Keep up the good work

So last night in Blackpool- Elbow were amazing as ever. Having been lucky and priviledged to have seen this band 11 times over the past 7 years, , they have never let me down once, and prove themselves to be a very consistent and fantastic live band. Each time I see them, I fall in love with them that little bit more.
Unfortunatly though the secret is wlll and truely out. While im so pleased that the boys have got the recoginition that they deserve, this does have its downside as displayed by a section of the audience last night. This quote from a group of girls summed it up ' Ive only come to hear the One Day song'.
A word of advice to anyone going to a gig at Empress Ballroom, If you want to enjoy the gig, do not stand to the left hand of the stage by the bar. My night was ruined by people talking and laughing all the way through, with no respect for the true fans. A group of lads who though that they were at an Oasis gig, by constently shouting 'Prestwich' or 'Manchester'. A couple of lads behind us who wanted to pick a fight after someone asked them to keep the noise down.
Group of girls more interested in what they were doing after , what they were wearing and doing their hair. Just a general air of drunkeness and lack of respect in that area. We did eventually move, but we still seemed to be surrounded by these ignorant prats !.
I came away not feeing elated like I have done after previous gigs, but disappointed and a little upset that what may be my only Elbow gig of 2009 was ruined, by a small minority.

Hi everyone, i was at the Blackpool gig last night, and lucky enough to be right at the front in front of Guy (well worth those tired, aching legs with all the standing about). Really, really fantastic gig again, glad to see Richard Hawley was there too. The people around me were mostly nice and respectful but there was the odd one that made me wonder why they were there. Just to echo what others have said-its great they have the recognition they deserve but you have to wonder what will happen now, will it just be arenas and huge venues? I hope not cos something special will be lost
Oh and the support (The Acorn) were pretty impressive too.

I read the stuff you've wrote.. it's strange how some "fans" are. I don't know. If I'm not interessted in a band, I stay at home... And if I attend a concert with a friend of mine I show at least some respect...

Hope you've had at least a litte fun!!!

Hi everyone, i also went to Blackpool last night - my 6th time seeing them in 1 year (Delamere, Glaso twice, Sheffield twice, Blackpool)

Seems there's a general theme here and on Facebook of the place being full of idiots who didn't want to watch or listen but were more content with talking to each other. of course, when GFD and ODLT came on, suddenly they're the biggest fans in the world...

I for one hope that once he furore dies down, it'll be back to the core fan base who are there because they know all the songs and want to listen to every word, every note and key change. That and there was some drunken female idiot who kept talking to anyone and everyone in our vacinty, only to get little or no response but she continued annoying people for a good 20 minutes.

i absolutely loved the gig, it's just a shame that it was spoiled slightly by a few morons.

Me and the wife nearly fainted as the little curtain was drawn and there was Guy & Craig six feet away!

I have to echo the other posters about morons etc.

Seems like people are treating gigs as a visit to the pub...get pissed, act like an idiot/intimidate, talk and then get excited when their tune (ODLT/GFD) comes on the 'juke-box'.

Just another brilliant Elbow gig. However, would agree with a point made about people talking through the gig, it did disappoint me but I also expected it. Just to reiterate on a previous post I'd made that Scattered is the wrong choice to finish off with, after the jubilant nature of ODLT, the song deserves to be listened to properly and not butchered by some peoples ignorance........but hey, just minor quibbles !! I am one of the more outwardly exhuberant fans out there, and theres' nowt better than 'losing yourself' during certain songs........'Loneliness....', 'Newborn' etc.

Well Done boys, it was a privilege to have been there, yet again.

My Bury Vest wrote:

I am one of the more outwardly exhuberant fans out there, and theres' nowt better than 'losing yourself' during certain songs........'Loneliness....', 'Newborn' etc.

Well Done boys, it was a privilege to have been there, yet again.

Couldn't agree with you more. I have absolutely no problem with openly getting properly into it and losing myself in the music.

For the first time at an Elbow gig I noticed widespread muttering during the quieter moments of some of the older songs. There's normally a hushed reverence until the very last note of each song has ended but guess it's unrealistic to expect this very unusual (and possibly unnatural) experience to continue now Elbow are getting the success they deserve. It was good of Guy to have words with certain sections of the audience that were spoiling it for the majority.
Enjoyed the gig and how they adapted the show to suit the venue. The string quartet was a nice touch and I was particularly pleased that Puncture Repair made a return to the set list as it's a 'personal' favourite.

evilpixie wrote:

For the first time at an Elbow gig I noticed widespread muttering during the quieter moments of some of the older songs.

Do you think that these were possibly 'jumpers'? You know those people who jump on the band-wagon and only go along because of the hype? There should be a special 'pen' for those!
I have no problem with a bit of banter/heckling (it can be very funny sometimes) but no talking during songs please!

Jones wrote:

Do you think that these were possibly 'jumpers'?

I'd guess they were jumpers as I'd not heard it before. Can't say too much as I'm taking 2 jumpers of my own to Wembley. Will see how that gig goes as any problems with talking during the songs will be magnified by the size of the venue. Nothing wrong with a bit of banter between songs. I think Guy thrives on it!

I was only two rows from the front and there was a constant din in the background as people were happily chatting away. I suppose they could play 'Grounds for Divorce' and 'One Day Like This' as the opening songs and allow the talkers to leave early

As for the 'trouble', it seemed to be some daft woman (again). There was bother close to me at Delemare AND one of the Manchester Apollo gigs and in each case there seems to be some girl who wants to push people about and then start arguing about it.

Prestwich Red 143 wrote:

As for the 'trouble', it seemed to be some daft woman (again). There was bother close to me at Delemare AND one of the Manchester Apollo gigs and in each case there seems to be some girl who wants to push people about and then start arguing about it.

Grrr, I hate that. No pain, no gain is what I say. If you want to get up front you gotta get there early!
I have spent many an hour freezing my butt off to get a good spot!

I don't post on here much at all, but just wanted to echo the other posts about this gig.

I've been into Elbow for a while now and been fortunate enough to see them 3 times in the past 12 months.

The band, as ever, were brilliant. The crowd, well, completely different story.

We were towards the front well before the support act came on. Enjoyed them a great deal. Then, before the main event the woodwork seemed to push forth all these drunken knobheads and idots. This resulted in being pushed from behind and obstructed from the front with loud talking (mostly male I'm afraid to say) idiots balancing 2 pints a piece and absolutely no interest in seeing this gig to listen to the music, but rather for a night out with mates. Whilst good natured enough, two particular p**sheads behind us insisted in shouting out inanities and 'bantering' loudly all the way through the gig. Most of the time, it was drowned out (thank god) by the music, but what really got me ticked off was talking (shouting actually) all the way through the quieter tracks (The Stops etc). I mean, for christs sake.

And add to that a 17 year old and his girlfriend trying to push his way to the front to 'speak to Guy' and winding up about 30 people on the way, and some dick towards the front causing a fuss - a big enough one to cause Guy to ask was "everything alright down there?", and the general disrespectful nature of a large chunk of the audience, I'm left wondering whether I actually want to go and see them again...

I don't begrudge them one bit the success they are finally enjoying, it's just a shame the negative stuff which seems to go along with it.

Makes me start hoping, that the Elboys stay quite unknown in sleepy old Germany, so they keep on having those small private feeling gigs in nice little clubs...

Man its sad to read the posts just saw in th M.E.N.the crowd described as "beery", while I wouldnt expect a chamber orchestra crowd, I wouldnt expect an Oasis mob either, Mad head jumping around gigs are exciting and great fun rock and roll and all that, but horses for courses, personally the bands that I arnt intersested in who I would be tempted to get bored and chat I just wouldnt go to see, I certainly wouldnt fork out a fortune for the priviledge.
At the risk of sounding like Victor Meldrew its the same evrywhere cinema for example, moronic halfwits chatting on mobilles and having conversations with their mates during the "boring" bits thats why in non arthouse cinemas the soundsystem is turned up to the levelof a fucking Metallica gig.
The price of fame I guess !

The Bristol crowd really couldn't have been more respectful, so it might not be the popularity, more the places they play! Colston Hall is a lovely proper old concert venue, i think it attracts people into music!

TamedLamia wrote:

Makes me start hoping, that the Elboys stay quite unknown in sleepy old Germany, so they keep on having those small private feeling gigs in nice little clubs...

Thought the same. And there are the "real" fans going to the concerts. Not the ones that only know one song...

I have been reading all the gig reviews over the past couple of weeks and they have left me quite annoyed. I know it's completely my own fault but I left it quite late this time to try and get tickets. The main reason being I haven't been in the best of health so wasn't sure how I would be feeling. Of course by the time it came to me deciding to get tickets, all the gigs I wanted to go to were sold out. So it kind of pisses me off that certain people there were obviously not that interested. I know it's their right to be there and I am probably just being selfish but I go to a gig to listen to the music not talk most of the way through.

I admit I haven't been a fan for long but I now own all the albums and probably know the words to most songs now! It's not all just about two songs!

Rant over!!!