Size Matters!

Don't kid yourself no matter what anyone says; size does matter! I am talking about the size of the venue of course. (Get your mind out of the gutter my dear friends)

Last week was a banner week for me. I was lucky enough to see two of my favorite bands; Sevendust at Starland Ballroom, and Staind at Best Buy Theater. Both shows were amazing; however what made them even better was that they were at smaller, more intimate venues. Probably the most interesting thing about my experiences last week was that I gave up BIG 4 tickets on the 14th to go see Sevendust instead. Now I am sure that most of you think that I am nuts for passing up such a show but I need you to listen to my argument.

Sevendust @ Starland

I love Metallica, love me some Anthrax, and of course Megadeth, and I would love to see all of them again soon, however just not at Yankee Stadium. First and foremost the acoustics in a venues such as Yankee Stadium, or any other stadium for that matter is just flat out horrible. The sound just goes into the air; nothing to bounce off of. Sound travels in waves and when it has a smaller distance to travel, it of course is going to sound louder, and cleaner.

Second; I have no desire to watch my shows on a big screen, or with binoculars. I enjoy being able to see my acts up close and personal; not so say that I run to the front either. I just want to feel like I can scream out the famous lines "PLAY SOME SKYNARD MAN", and that there is that minute possibility that they might abide.

Stiand @ Best Buy

Lastly when I go to a show I dont want to feel cheated. I did my time at festivals when I was younger. They are great for seeing multiple bands at one time for 45 min sets. With the BIG 4 I know that I would not get to hear songs that I would have probably heard if I had seen each act individually. Smaller headlining shows allow the artists to dig deeper into their catalog; and to me that is what makes a show special. That one song that you have never heard live before all of the sudden ringing in your ears.

So when given the chance to see one of your top bands in a smaller venue, I say jump all over it. Even if you have to go the extra distance.