The National

[Amy Lawn]

6 hours ago, Hugh Jass said:

Bitterly disappointed by tonight. 

Crowd made it impossible to enjoy.

Not quite this strong, but I'm definitely on this side of things. Far too many people in there, and a huge chunk of them either completely uninterested or examples of Manchester's world-class idiot element.

I did enjoy seeing a good few of the tracks, but it was seriously marred for me.

[Hugh Jass]

7 hours ago, Brownie30 said:

Magnificent form tonight, even if Matt can only remember about 60% of his lyrics! The new songs are fantastic, and what a setlist aside - probably the best I've seen them since their last Latitude headline set. Crowd wise we were about 5 rows from the front, stage left - right next to the group called out for their "bullshit" by Matt early in the gig. There were a fair few weapons on show tonight unfortunately, but not nearly enough around us to really get in the way of the show. I'd be interested to know where people whose night was ruined by the crowd were stood? 

We got there just as they were walking out in stage and were stood to the left as you look at the stage out by the arches. 

Surrounded by c**ts who apparently had paid 40 quid to have conversations with each other.

[chuckles07]

The crowd issues were not so bad near us ( centre right looking at stage about 10 metres back), usual chatterers but it was more than loud enough to drown them out apart from the really quiet new tracks.  Just why people need to lob empty glasses and bottles though at a gig like that is beyond me.  Lot of pissed up people. But, for me, one of the least distracting gigs for a while. The band were brilliant.

[nikkic]

Don’t feel so bad about missing the gig now, sounds awful. (Crowd not the band). 

[chuckles07]

It’s a shame that some folks had the problems they had. It really didn’t seem that bad at all near us, but I do understand if you are really into the band and there are chatterers/general knobs near you how distracting it can be. I was sober as well. Just had a couple of pints with @Losing my hair before hand. ( we got separated. sorry you got a shit part of the crowd, see you in a field/concert sometime soon ?)

[gigpusher]

9 hours ago, Divein said:

Easily one of the worst crowds I’ve ever been in. 

 

Band were unreal though. 

I went to Janelle there last week and came out vowing never to go to a gig at the Castlefield Bowl again. It just seems to attract drunk idiots who don't usually go to gigs. I refused to buy tickets for The National there because I assumed that for a band like them the chatters etc would be way too bad. I thought Janelle being a bit more dancey that it wouldn't be as bad. I was wrong. 

[crocodiles]

40 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

We got there just as they were walking out in stage and were stood to the left as you look at the stage out by the arches. 

Surrounded by c**ts who apparently had paid 40 quid to have conversations with each other.

I thought it was just us.  We were to left of stage about half way back . Dickheads talked loudly for first 20 mins saying wish they play something I know .

We moved forward and then were surrounded by even more pricks talking for the whole gig and I mean the whole gig .

They started jumping up and down for day I die and bumped into me few times no problem it's a gig just go with it but then one of them said sorry for bumping into you . I just had to say I'm not bothered about that it's the fact you've all talked for last 90 mins that's pissed me off .

As u say 40 quid to talk go the fucking bar .

Band were great it should have been better but crowd were shite 

[Brownie30]

There absolutely were a lot of talkers, which unfortunately seems to have gradually become even more of a norm at gigs in recent years from what I've noticed, and it pisses me right off. More low-key gigs I've seen in recent months like Bon Iver and Ben Howard would have been almost insufferable without moving elsewhere in the crowd. I guess we were lucky being down the front that the speakers drowned most of it out, and were near a decent bunch, but I'm sad to hear the experience was ruined for so many of you. 

Edited July 11, 2019 by Brownie30

[Amy Lawn]

19 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

I went to Janelle there last week and came out vowing never to go to a gig at the Castlefield Bowl again. It just seems to attract drunk idiots who don't usually go to gigs. I refused to buy tickets for The National there because I assumed that for a band like them the chatters etc would be way too bad. I thought Janelle being a bit more dancey that it wouldn't be as bad. I was wrong. 

Wow really? I found Janelle to be a world away from that National show last night, felt like everybody was in her thrall for the entire night, amazing atmosphere for me.

How people can afford to get tanked up at Castlefield is a wonder in and of itself.

[Hugh Jass]

Best part of the night for me was having a few beers and a catchup with mates who live up here beforehand. Should have stayed in the pub.

[Losing my hair]

50 minutes ago, chuckles07 said:

It’s a shame that some folks had the problems they had. It really didn’t seem that bad at all near us, but I do understand if you are really into the band and there are chatterers/general knobs near you how distracting it can be. I was sober as well. Just had a couple of pints with @Losing my hair before hand. ( we got separated. sorry you got a shit part of the crowd, see you in a field/concert sometime soon ?)

I ended up further back where the sound was much better but lots of people were preoccupied by talking to their mates and getting the next round in - point of information people, you can do this in pubs and they don't charge to get in! 

It seemed very full and security seemed to have their hands full. I heard rumours of people getting in on photocopied tickets but no evidence. 

In the right venue this would have been amazing. 

Edited July 11, 2019 by Losing my hair

[Jamesthedrake]

Agree with everything that's been said here. Band were unbelievable and put on a blinding show, but the crowd were absolutely abysmal. We started off behind a drunk couple who seemingly didn't know any of the songs and then started leaning back on us until we couldn't move (?!) 

So we moved further back only to be surrounded by a bunch of absolute idiots - constantly talking, complaining about the band, whinging that they were playing slow songs and then drunkenly jumping and shoving when a more upbeat number came on. Spoiled the mood a bit, particularly after having a great time at Elbow the night before with a lovely crowd!

[gigpusher]

26 minutes ago, GETOFFAMYLAWN said:

Wow really? I found Janelle to be a world away from that National show last night, felt like everybody was in her thrall for the entire night, amazing atmosphere for me.

How people can afford to get tanked up at Castlefield is a wonder in and of itself.

I think the problem is they get tanked up before they get in there. I think I might have been in a bad position. It was fine until about 10 minutes before the start when suddenly a big group turned up. They did appear to like her and did sing along but were also chatting really loudly as well. During Pynk one of them started talking to my husband about how she couldn't identify with the song and whether he could. I think she may have been attempting to take the piss out of him.  I must admit I probably gave her daggers which I think she may have thought was because I thought she was flirting with him but it was because she was talking through songs. Sadly it was too busy to move especially as we were with some other friends as well and trying to move a larger group during a busy gig just isn't always possible. 

I've only been to a couple of gigs there but I've never had a good experience as we left there was some guys behind us having the same conversation and we put it down to the fact that it just seems to attract people who don't usually go to gigs. 

[Hugh Jass]

I had a great time at Arcade Fire a couple of years ago, don’t recall there being half as many utter trumpets around either.

[august1]

Did they play past half 10? I left towards the end of light years to catch my train. Gutted to miss Vanderlyle. 

[mynameismatt]

11 minutes ago, august1 said:

Did they play past half 10? I left towards the end of light years to catch my train. Gutted to miss Vanderlyle. 

Power got shut off at 10:30 on the dot, but powered through with Vanderlyle anyway even though all you could hear was the horns. I thought it was a nice moment, but would probably depend on how well people around knew the words

[august1]

7 minutes ago, mynameismatt said:

Power got shut off at 10:30 on the dot, but powered through with Vanderlyle anyway even though all you could hear was the horns. I thought it was a nice moment, but would probably depend on how well people around knew the words

Don't feel too bad then.

 

We started towards the back of the lower but the sound was awful so moved to the hill. Assumed people would stand at some point but they just sat and talked whilst I had to stand at a mad angle whilst they were on the flat.

From the back all the new stuff was flat for 95% of the crowd. 

12 new songs from an album that wasn't in the pipeline when tickets were sold wasn't the smartest move. 

[jyoung]

Where I was stood (centre back) it was a constant stream of people pushing their way out before coming back ten mins later with another pint and pushing their way back to the front. Literally nonstop. Throughout the whole gig. Love a pint and appreciate that everyone has a right to enjoy the gig in their own way but many seemed to have little interest in what was onstage and more interest in what was at the bar. The National were fantastic as you'd expect but the vibe in the crowd did make it difficult to really tune in and get lost in the moment. I had a few talkers around me but no more than usual. As mentioned earlier, this does seem to be more common in recent times. Incredible band but not one for the history books.

[kaytee...]

Heard a lot of people say the crowd was bad. I was there for Arcade Fire a couple years ago and The Wombats only last weekend and the crowds were great there.

[zeppelin]

For what it's worth I had an incredible time. We were stood about two thirds of the way back, left hand side, in line with the speakers. 

Sound was incredible, and there was a group of young scousers in front who knew more words than I did! Setlist was everything I wanted it to be and all I'm all was a great night. 

[nikkic]

3 hours ago, Hugh Jass said:

Best part of the night for me was having a few beers and a catchup with mates who live up here beforehand. Should have stayed in the pub.

Gutted mate. Thought it was going to be a belter.

Are you going to the Brighton gig? 

[mynameismatt]

36 minutes ago, zeppelin said:

For what it's worth I had an incredible time. We were stood about two thirds of the way back, left hand side, in line with the speakers. 

Sound was incredible, and there was a group of young scousers in front who knew more words than I did! Setlist was everything I wanted it to be and all I'm all was a great night. 

Was that the side Matt came to during Graceless? Think you must have been near me, maybe that was the one good spot. 

[Hugh Jass]

2 hours ago, nikkic said:

Gutted mate. Thought it was going to be a belter.

Are you going to the Brighton gig? 

Yeah I’m going to Brighton. Hopefully will be better, people will be more familiar with the new stuff and hopefully fewer idiots.

[Tuna]

Sorry to hear the crowd ruining it for loads. But you got Green Gloves AND Apartment Story, I've seen neither in 7(?) shows, so that's something eh.

[D-Low]

5 hours ago, jyoung said:

Where I was stood (centre back) it was a constant stream of people pushing their way out before coming back ten mins later with another pint and pushing their way back to the front. Literally nonstop.

It was like this where I was stood. It was as if someone stuck a “pathway over here” sign to my head. Wherever I moved to a path would develop which took me out of the moment. 

That aside after my first toilet trip I watched from the left just out from under the bridge and had loads of room. Lacked some atmosphere but no idiots and sound was loud enough to drown out any talking. I really like gigs at Castlefield and would probably be back next year line up dependent. No bar queues or toilet queues. Merch was really cool too, love the 2019 tour t-shirt. Perfect set list too. And the rain held off for most of it. Shame to hear of so much talking though. What “bullshit” did Matt call out? Must have missed that. 

Looking forward to the Cardiff date but fear there’ll be a lot of talkers there and can’t imagine it selling out which could amplify it.