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Comment by rob74 | Hacker News Reader

> you play on the doughnut itself and then the fans are in the doughnut hole. And then, well, where do the drums go? Then the concept of the four drum kits — one drum kit in each of the four different directions — came up, and then it sort of went from there.

Er, how does this work in a stadium? Some stadium concerts already have premium prices for the area closer to the stage, but the others can at least see the same thing, albeit from further away. If the "donut hole" is the premium area, what do the people outside the donut get to see? Guess I'll have to wait for a video of this. But this whole "360° stage" thing smacks of "using the stadium capacity as efficiently as possible to make moar money"...

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I've been to a stadium concert with a similar doughnut layout and the main problem was that at all times at least half the audience is looking at a band member's back, not their face. You get some connection by being close but that doesn't last when they walk over to the other side of the stage. For what connection you can get in a stadium gig I prefer to see people's front, plus a big screen, not the musicians' backs just a bit closer.

I’m with you on this analysis, I’m good going see a local band at a club with 150 others. It’s a different objective and experience, but stadium shows seem so sterile.

It doesn't have to be a local band, most concerts by less-mainstream acts (I hesitate to call Metallica mainstream, but I guess any band that can fill a stadium can be called mainstream) are in standing-place-only venues with a few hundred places - all tickets same price, and if you invest 1-2 hours to get there earlier you can get a place right in front of the stage.

For the opposite of a sterile stadium show see AC/DC in the River Plate stadium on youtube https://youtu.be/GCC8gWTOkEk

> You get some connection by being close

hold up - is this why people go to concerts? because they think they're connecting on some level with the band?

I've been to a few small concerts and not once was I seeking, or did I feel, any connection of any kind.

I may be too autistic or ADHD to understand concerts, I guess. I didn't like the few I went to and I won't go to one again. the music sounds far better at home and I get to control the volume.

I don't go to concerts for the music quality. Listening to a mastered studio recording is much better for that. I go (or rather used to go) for the atmosphere. Some bands really know how to perform and experiencing that as part of a crowd who are also fans is a great experience. Maybe connecting isn't the right word, at least how you're thinking of it, but it is experiencing the performance, appreciating how they love playing the music and that's better in person and in a crowd than via TV. But not everyone will get that.

I've been to one show where the lead singers microphone didn't work for the first song and he didn't realise but the performance he gave was such that the crowd was still entertained and captivated.

I rarely go to gigs now as the atmosphere has changed from when I first started gigging back in the 20th century. People increasingly seem to go for something to do and a place to be check in on social media, not to appreciate a band they love. People talk over the music, video pointlessly on their phones, heckle, etc... and I'm too old to put up with that kind of nonsense. Some bands though still get devoted audiences and then it's worth it.

yep confirmed I absolutely do not understand concerts.

atmosphere? what atmosphere? it's just a bunch of people standing or sitting around looking at a few celebrities and being in awe of that for some reason.

I truly don't get it. LOTS AND LOTS of people love concerts, though, so I'm pretty sure that I'm the abnormal one, and that part of my brain or social awareness or understanding is just not present.

>I rarely go to gigs now as the atmosphere has changed from when I first started gigging back in the 20th century. People increasingly seem to go for something to do and a place to be check in on social media, not to appreciate a band they love. People talk over the music, video pointlessly on their phones, heckle, etc...

I've been to a not-large number of various metal shows in the 21st century, including in the last 5 years, and this isn't my experience at all. except for the video part: some people are using their phones to record the show, or take photos. But certainly no heckling, talking over the music (pretty hard when it's that loud), etc. Generally crowds are very respectful in my experience, and are there to listen to the music (and remember it with their phone recordings too apparently).

Maybe this shows a big difference between genres?

There's some videos up:

https://youtu.be/yY4w-bIH3X4

Wow, the giant beach balls are just horrible.

I agree, what's this, rock concert and American Gladiator mixed up?

I mean, it makes sense that the artist wants to circulate, but a T shaped stage makes more sense on a first glance (though of course having the guitar means that you need a pedestal for the mic, so there's that)

I mean, this is Metallica. Goes without saying.

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