Disappointed in Frankfurt

I was so excited to enjoy my very first LP show, in Frankfurt. And I’m happy for all those thousand of fans worldwide, LP satisfied so far. But to say it right away: I’m disappointed. As a LP fan it’s hard to say that and it f hurts*.

It’s not about LP themselve. I suppose they gave their best. I intentionally say „suppose“, because I wasn’t able to see anything plus I hardly heard anything. But let me explain in detail:

Crowded:
I arrived at the venue about half an hour before the support band starts. At this time the hall was already crowded. I had no choice but to stand on the outer right site of he hall (near the entrance under the balconies). It was that far on the side, that we couldn’t even see the big stage monitors, just a little part of it. I really think, the show was overbooked. The venue was sold out since weeks and suddenly, a few days before the show starts, there were pit tickets available without a problem.
I don’t know if LP management is responsible for the decision of how many tickets are sold in each venue and how crowded every show becomes. I think they should care about it. But what I definitely know is, that the audience was to big for that size of concert hall.
The fact that I could hardly see anything what happened on stage was my first underwhelming impression that night. But of course I was still happy to see the band.

Sound:
Even worse: The sound was way to quiet and sounded so muffled. It feels like LP plays in an adjoining room. I had to prick up my ears to hear Chesters voice! Can you imagine that “bad surprise”?
I think the sound was good in the middle of the pit, I don’t know. But that is not enough. It’s the job of the FOH manager (Hi Pooch) to take care, that the sound is more or less acceptable for the whole audience and not only in the middle oft the concert hall. If you put so many people in a venue, so that they have to stand far on the sides, you have to adjust some speakers to the sides. But there were non. At least I didn’t see them and I didn’t hear them. If it’s impossible to guarantee this, because oft he structural conditions or whatever, than LP (and any band at all) really should avoid to play at those places. I saw a lot of bands playing live so far, and it hurts to say, that the Linkin Park show had one of the worst sounds I’ve ever experienced. At least from my position.

Stage show:
The stage was pretty low, so most of the time I couldn’t see any of the band members. Except Brad or Phoenix, standing on a box. Therefore I wanted to watch the stage monitors (at least the small part that was visible for me) to Chester and Mike singing. But most of the time, the monitors didn’t showed the band but some visuell effects. WTF? We want to see the band. The person who is responsible for that monitors should put his butt into the audience from time to time. If you’re standing there, you are not able to see the band members, except you are a giraffe, and you would be happy if you have a monitore as a compensation.

Conclusion:
When I bought the Tickets for LP (which cost around 70 Euros each, what were the highest prices I’ve ever paid for any band) I expected, that the audience is adjusted to the size of the concert hall, so that everybody has the chance to view the stage. And I expected, that the sound for everybody is good or at least acceptable. But sadly I was wrong.
If I could wish - it still hurts to say - I would not have visited the show. So that I could keep my imagination, that LP shows are perfectly managed and satisfy the whole audience.

Phew! It will take some time to digest my own disappointment. Writing down my frustration helps a little bit.

I don’t really know what to say about that… I had a total different experience… The show as amazing but the sound was in fact really bad…

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I have to agree with u. Ive already seen a lot of LP concerts. This one has been the worst.

So damn overcrowded, stage has been too low. Sorry guys standing at the enge of the crowd and havent seen anything.

But a tiny trick for your next concert: there has been a early entry for lpu members half an hour before official entry.

Ive been to a m&g again so i couldnt get in ealier…

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I’m sorry that you didn’t enjoy your show. The ones I attended were great. Oberhausen seemed a bit empty to me (for it being sold out), but that’s about it.

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I am Sorry for you, i was in Hamburg with M&G and in Bremen and everything was perfect.
But i understand that you are pissed about it.
Hope You will get a netter Show nett time.

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Aww, I’m sorry to hear that… As for me, I was in the French show, and it was good! I was unexpectedly at the front (Well, there were still like 20 rows in front of me, but yeah XD It was a good place.)

Actually, I came at about the same time as you, but I was lucky : the staff gave me a limited bracelet, so I could go at the front! I event had time to buy some goodies… Maybe our concert hall was bigger?

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Hi shoegaze4u, sorry to read that you had such an unexpected bad experience at the LP concert.

My experience was the exact opposite in Amsterdam, I had an amazing time. I managed to stand front row, could literally feel Chester’s sweat whenever he head-banged towards the crowd and Rob Bourdon almost threw his drumstick in my eye.

Why was I this close to the stage? A bit of luck, but also because I made sure to be at the concert venue very early. Call me nuts, because I am nuts, but I was there at the concert venue at least 8 hours before the opening act would start. I was there even before the street sweepers had cleaned the street in front of the concert venue. And I wasn’t the only one, there were people who actually slept there in front of the venue at least a day before.

It was my first LP concert ever, but I’ve been to other concerts before. And from what I’ve learned at other concerts I’ve been to is that when you have field tickets; showing up at the concert hall an hour before the show is too late when you want a good view.

See, I used to go to boyband concerts as a kid. And those were absurdly crowded too, I think even more crowded than the LP concert I’ve been to in Amsterdam, and that one was sold out. Back then, girls would set up camp at the concert venue a week before the show. Which meant that if you’d show up 8 hours before the opening act plays, you’d be too late to have a good spot… I’m just glad people aren’t THAT crazy anymore.

When more than 5000 people are going to a concert, you can count on it that the further in the back you are the less you will be able to see. Unless they’d have a very high stage maybe but even then it’ll be tricky.

My advice for future concerts, especially when you have field tickets; Make sure to be earlier at the venue. Cause with field tickets it’s a “the early bird catches the worm” kind of thing; The earlier you are there, the better your chances are to find a proper spot inside, you could even reach front row.

Or… You could try getting your hands on Early Entry tickets next time.

About the sound and the monitors;
I have to agree with you about the monitors. Even from very close to the stage I noticed that what they displayed on these monitors weren’t really beneficial for those sitting in the back. The monitors looked very artsy, but I think if they’d just used normal screens with camera’s following the band around on stage it’d be better for the entire crowd. And it’s plain old lame and sad when sound in a concert venue isn’t that good.

I can understand your frustration though, I’d be disappointed too if I were in your shoes.

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Wow, that was a long reply sorry :stuck_out_tongue:

Wow …you arrive half an hour before OM&M and expect to get a good spot? If you ever going to attend a show of such a big band again be sure to be there long before doors open (if you don’t have seats).
Another point is that everyone who arrived too late wanted to be as close to the stage as possible. So they ended up standing at the side and seeing nothing. I had seats and I saw that there was enough free space in the back. It was definitely not overbooked. They should just close the first area after a certain number of people so that everyone who arrives later has to go in the back like they did in Stuttgart.

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Sorry for you, really. But I was in Frankfurt too and I think it was a great show, although the sound was not very good in the beginning. I couldn’t hear Chester singing, and Mikes Rap on “guilty all the same” was lost in the crowd. Later on it was okay. I thougt, it was because I stood in front of the stage and nearby a big subwoofer, but later I’ve heard that the sound is not very good in “Festhalle” Frankfurt, maybe it is true. On the other hand I also was at the show in Stuttgart. There the sound was great and the show too. But there I had seatplaces near the stage and this was really relaxed. Perhaps next time you could use the early entry, this is a great thing for us from LPU.

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I expected to earn a shitstorm, but thankfully you had nice words for me :blush:

Early entry could have been an option, but I dont went alone. And someone else would have stood at the side spot instead of me with the same problems.

I went to the concert one hour before OM&M started to play. And I got myself a nice little place, where I saw almost everything.
If you’re going to the concerts more often, you’ll be able to figure out, how to get a place that suits you.

To criticize the visuals is a shame. I loved them and they fit perfectly into the show. A shame for those, who couldn’t see them.
The acoustics in the Festhalle are weak and everyone knows. But they kind of managed to make the best out of it.

Two tips for your next visit: Come early or go further to the back.Then you’ll have a nice little spot to overlook everything and freak out dancing and singing and screaming, like I did.

:wink:

I was at the Frankfurt Show too, first row in front of the catwalk and I have no problems with the view and the sound :stuck_out_tongue:
But to be honest everybody knows even if you have an EE you have to be early at the venue to get a good spot to look the stage.

I had been to Collogne and Oberhausen and both were Great! Sad that those two have been my first LP shows, but sadly all the time they have been here bevore something kept me from going … and so … exieted and already looking forward to the next time :slight_smile:

I was at the Manchester show on the second row and I could hear myself singing along, normally I never hear myself sing at gigs. Strange.

nah we are the lpu family :wink: I just feel sorry that you couldn’t have such an amazing experience as we had in the front row… but well I had an awful experience BEFORE the show when I got kicked out because I had no ticket or working pass…
besides:
the Festhalle is known for an awful sound at concerts!

I talked to thomas (blackchester) before the show about the sound and that hopefully pooch (LP’s sound master) could manage it…

oh and the screens sucked from the front aswell :stuck_out_tongue:

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