2 posts tagged “arctic monkeys”

I was lucky enough to get to see the Arctic Monkeys at the Showbox in downtown Seattle last night. I had purchased tickets a while back so that Kirk and I could go.
 
THEY WERE SUPERB!!!!! They sounded exactly as I had hoped they would and did a great show. 
I was fortunate enough to have gotten the tickets pre-sale so I had been excited and anticipating seeing them for weeks!  It was so wonderful to actually see them play live.  I have been listening to (and watching) them on my ipod, stereo and TV for months.

I had some anxiety before the show that I would feel old and out of place, but there was a good mix of ages and quite a few people who appeared older than me—whew!

Alex of Arctic Monkeys

Most of the people in the crowd seemed to be huge fans. There were tons of teeny-bopper girls, a few talking in fake British accents.  How silly! Not one of them sounded in the least bit British. I remember back when I was totally in love with Queen as a teenager, but I never felt the need to try to sound like them. It was Weird.

The show could have easily been held in a larger venue because it had sold out—FAST!
On the other hand I didn’t like the Showbox at all!  I had never attended a show there before and thought it was over-crowded.  The floor felt like a trampoline, and considering that much of Seattle is built on top of Old Seattle because of a fire in 1889,this is kind of scary.  I was wondering if the floor was going to collapse because I am not sure where there are a couple floors below street level.  Alex even commented on the shaky floor. He said that it was all wobbly and felt like he was standing on a trap door. It’s kind of too bad since the place looks like it was really lovely in its day.

The only real problem, for Kirk and I at least, were two drunk guys and their totally drunk-totally psychotic friend. They seemed to have it in for me because they tried to push in front of me right before the Arctic Monkeys had come on stage. They acted as though they had come in and gone straight to the bar whereas Kirk and I had gone straight to the stage and had stayed in the same spot. Cuz darn it!  I wanted to SEE the Arctic Monkeys. I didn’t want them to totally push me out of my spot like I was just some sort of place holder for them until they had deemed it time to be in front of the stage. It didn't occur to me at first that they would become violent. At that point I hadn't realized that they were totally drunk jerks. I have never had total strangers try to physically hurt me before.  I have lived in Seattle and gone to many, many concerts.  Most places in Seattle where I have seen shows before were much more non-violent. It is sad that a few people can try to ruin things like that. Sure, people were excited and jumping around at other shows but in a non-violent, isn’t this music great sort of way.  They usually aren’t trying to hurt people around them to have more room. They weren't walking up and grabbing the two girls in front of them by the breasts to get them to move! Fortunately I was not the one who got her breasts grabbed.  It was bad enough to have them elbowing me and shoving me violently back and forth between them like some sort of twisted, violent 'A Night at the Roxbury' spoof.  When things had gotten out of control at other venues the security folks did a much better job of stopping it so that it stayed stopped.  I have to add that the one security guard by us tried to stop them from thrashing me numerous times.  But darn, those guys really should have been ejected.
 
So, that being said, hopefully the Arctic Monkeys will make it back to Seattle again in the future because even after the crowd hassle it was well worth it to see them and I would LOVE to see them again.  I just hope the next time I don't feel sore from my neck down to my knees the next day!