King of Leon: MEN Last Night

spoonz

spoonz

spoonz

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As an xmas present the missus bought me tickets to see the Kings last night in Manchester. For reasons which will become evident I thought I would provide a "review".

I remember when Only By The Night came out it became blatantly apparent to me, that although it is an excellent record, its definately a "pop" album in comparison to earlier work.

Sat there last night, feeling unmoved and unentertained I began to think deeper. The alarm clock went off when I saw the number of 50+ men and women arriving and loads of teenage girls. Welcomed by Caleb saying "Im feeling sad today, I got a lot of **** going down at the moment and I'm hoping this will cheer me up". Well, thanks pal Ive just shelled out £35 (read missus has) to sit here and listen to you moan about being a rockstar. He then continued to robotically play the standard set list without emotion.

Maybe its just the way of the world, three "niche" albums and smallish gigs meant it was time to earn some cash or give up the game. Write a mainstream album, rake in the arena tours and retire happy bunnies. But for the fans its not good, and for me the Kings of Leon look like they are hating what they are doing at the moment. I only hope one album is enough, they go home, re group and get back to the propoer KoL as per the first two albums and start doing what they love and writing for themselves because Only by the Night is certainly not their record, if it is then its a massive loss to music.
 
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Finally someone who shares my views!

If that's what they were like last night then I'm dreading seeing them at Leeds in August.
 
I've shared this view for a very long time.

It's the people who think bands turning 'mainstream' for money is a myth that deny this fact.
 
Bucket said:
I've shared this view for a very long time.

It's the people who think bands turning 'mainstream' for money is a myth that deny this fact.
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On the way back in the car we did some very very rough sums.

Approx 15,000 capacity @ average of £32 a ticket = £480,000
500 staff @ £100 a shift = £50,000
Hire of Venue = £200,000 (cant be more than that)

Profit = very roughly £200,000

Split this between the promotors, management, ticket outlets, marketing, band etc etc and I cant imagine the band get less than £50,000 per night.

Imagine what you get for doing Doncaster Dome and other small venues.......
 
spoonz said:
On the way back in the car we did some very very rough sums.

Approx 15,000 capacity @ average of £32 a ticket = £480,000
500 staff @ £100 a shift = £50,000
Hire of Venue = £200,000 (cant be more than that)

Profit = very roughly £200,000

Split this between the promotors, management, ticket outlets, marketing, band etc etc and I cant imagine the band get less than £50,000 per night.

Imagine what you get for doing Doncaster Dome and other small venues.......
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you're forgetting the far from inconsiderable amount made from merchandise, and I think overestimating the cost of hiring a venue like the MEN

Regarding KoL they seem to be one of a few bands which have risen to superstardom a bit too quickly, to put it in the perspective of the Manchester music scene there are a few bands in the past few years who have gone from unheard of (maybe playing academy 3 or the roadhouse or similar) straight to academy 1 or the apollo and then the next tour they're at the MEN. it just doesn't show a sustainability, obviously it makes them big bucks in the short term, but they're not going to keep going for years and the fans wont stay with them.
 
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Abraham said:
you're forgetting the far from inconsiderable amount made from merchandise, and I think overestimating the cost of hiring a venue like the MEN
.
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Probably am overestimating venue. Also, doesnt merchandise go to venue? My brother bought a Tshirt for his missus. £20 :eek:
 
I remember when they played at the Oxford Zodiac and got a 1 star review in the local gig guide when they had their first album (woeful in my book), and to my amazement they are now huge.

Even I have to confess, their most recent album is incredibly solid.
 
Nitefly said:
I remember when they played at the Oxford Zodiac and got a 1 star review in the local gig guide when they had their first album (woeful in my book), and to my amazement they are now huge.

Even I have to confess, their most recent album is incredibly solid.
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Album One and Two are by far their best work :D
 
Have all their albums but the only one I've listened to more than once is the first one. It was a fresh original album with a pretty unique sound and I still put it on in the car quite often. Same goes for The Strokes - it's only their first album I go back to occasionally.
 
went tonight, and while the audience seemed like the typical pop audience with some even left early!! i still think that they are top notch, awesome gig. not to my surprise few people in the place knew the song trani, kinda sums up the new fans they have.

i hope the next album is more like because of the times, because lets face it they arent going to make music like their first two albums any more.
 
spoonz said:
Probably am overestimating venue. Also, doesnt merchandise go to venue? My brother bought a Tshirt for his missus. £20 :eek:
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why would merchandise go to the venue? it's one of the biggest sources of income for bands, and would mean the venue buying the merch off the band to sell :confused:
 
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