The ten biggest concert buzzkills

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Noah Van Sciver

5. Sun Blocking Giant
This dude (again, mostly dudes) is the reason they invented big and tall stores. We're not talking a little tall here. We're talking Andre the Giant tall. Like, when he stands in front of you -- which, naturally, he will -- he blocks out the sun. You're very cognizant of this because, well, not only is he towering over you, he's essentially casting a shadow on the entire crowd. Somehow, though, despite all this, he's completely unaware of his giant status and chooses to stand in front of you -- all of five foot nothing who sits on a stack of phone books just to drive.


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43 comments
duuuuuuuuuuuuuuude
duuuuuuuuuuuuuuude

How about the Human Metronome? They stand directly in front of you and sway back and forth. The only way you can see the concert is to sway the exact oposite direction as them. 

akon83
akon83

people are too opinionated and sensitive these days. do whatever makes you feel good because you are you and dont worry about what your supposed to be or say. spread good energy rather than being focused on what someone else is doing that bothers you. focus on the music, be respectful and open to making a connection with your neighbor rather being a lame ass. you might just be surprised by the results if you follow the above. 

Cynthia Barnes ૐ
Cynthia Barnes ૐ

8 out of 10 illustrations are bros, Westword pics the nipple clip art. AGAIN. Nice work, 14-year-old boy interns!

jiptrahan
jiptrahan like.author.displayName 1 Like

The talker is the worst! And if the band is sitting down you can sit down, if not STAND THE FUCK UP regardless if you have a seat or not. You lazy bastards!

mario1296
mario1296

People who show up late and leave early--why did you waste all that money on a ticket if you didn't really want to be there?!!  Also, people who walk around half the show, totally oblivious to the band, either looking for their seats or their friends--usually some douche with his girlfriend in tow.  And finally, people in the balconies who insist on standing the entire show even when everyone else around them is sitting--GET FLOOR TICKETS IF YOU WANT TO STAND THE WHOLE TIME!!!

AgingScenester
AgingScenester

I'm married to a Wet Bulldozer.  As a short, reserved dude at the show, this has allowed me to bypass many Human Eclipses as I trail in her wake but I do always feel slightly guilty by association.  I am definitely in awe of how she's able to walk through the most crowded of clubs as if there aren't any people there.

whateverwhatever
whateverwhatever

because people can control how tall they are and should be discriminated accordingly...


donald.wygal
donald.wygal

It's as if you somehow read my mind to write this piece.  I've also had my buzz killed by the "Wet Bulldozer" suggested by shinstigator.   And I can't come up with a new and clever name for them, but crowd surfers are also a giant buzzkill for me.  I don't know how many times I've been kicked in the head or shoulder by some guy in heavy boots who's crowd surfing.  

shinstigator
shinstigator

Where's the wet bulldozer?  You know that girl that just plows through the crowd to get to the front and spills her drink (or your own drink) all over you as she indiscriminately body checks anyone in her way?  This is usually not guys because they would get a beat down for this.

likes838
likes838 like.author.displayName 1 Like

I always have the luck of being near the talker. Or a group of them. I've heard a riveting conversation on bananas, first dates with only one interested party, and while at the Jack White concert at Red Rocks, the mind-blowing information that Jack White is known for how he plays the guitar. Thanks Talker. I would have never known otherwise. 

albertgator
albertgator

Proud Karaoke King. I have a great voice too! I could be famous if they'd just let me up on stage, come on, just this once. I may be singing along, but at least I'm also dancing, unlike all of you boring people. Why are you here if you're going to do your best to act like you're not?

TheFestivalLawyer
TheFestivalLawyer like.author.displayName 1 Like

I have to say I can tolerate or at least be amused by almost all "types" on this list other than 'THE TALKER". I don't care if you scream, yodel, dance, or do a live webinar with your Ipad next to me. But when it's a quieter show and all I can hear is you talking stupidly over the musicians it is like nails on a chalk board. I was at a show once when this guy was loudly arguing with his GF about whether Coldplay or Radiohead was better. First of all, you need to get rid of that gal if she seriously arguing for Coldplay. Secondly, neither of these bands were playing so WTF are you doing?. I don't know of a good way to solve this problem other than moving. If you tell the person  to shut up you get the classic "It's a concert dude.!!" response. Although I did recently see an entire audience at Ben Folds Five publicly shame this one gal into shutting up who was talking during the bands  quietest and prettiest moments. 

pnohalloran
pnohalloran

Oh and 2nd most annoying person at a show.  One who is judging the people at the show and making comments about them.  "If you don't like the people around you, move!"  I know it's the young kids that usually drive me out of a spot cause I can't handle the 18+ shows where the kids get wasted before coming in and try to charge to the rail cause it's just soo cool!

pnohalloran
pnohalloran like.author.displayName 1 Like

The real most annoying person at a show? One who does nothing! I like standing and doing nothing or maybe holding onto my girlfriend cause I don't know how to dance and dancing just isn't cool bra.  My opinion is be yourself, dress up, get messed up, make new friends, hit on women, dance your ass off, stop talking, and at the end of the night get laid and play banjo in the hotel to just almost get kicked out.

Jen Stretch
Jen Stretch

Damn Sun blocking giants :( they always find me

David Kotzebue
David Kotzebue like.author.displayName 1 Like

Sunblock Giant should have been The Human Eclipse.

dave.herrera
dave.herrera moderator editor

@David Kotzebue Dang! So wish I'd have thought of that. :/

Tanya McAvoy
Tanya McAvoy

I'd say half to 2/3 of shows are filled with these "directors" and its fucking terrible.

d486ru
d486ru like.author.displayName 1 Like

you forgot the biggest buzzkill. idiots that bitch about other people at the show as if they are somehow better than everyone around them. i.e. you're the idiot that cant enjoy a show because you're too concerned with picking at individual personallities. go back to your coffee shops and snap to clap. judgemental fool.

dave.herrera
dave.herrera moderator editor like.author.displayName 1 Like

@d486ru Oh, no, I included myself in the intro. Takes one to know one, you know? Clearly you haven't seen me with my nipples taped. Sexy.

martineaddison
martineaddison like.author.displayName 1 Like

The talker!! This guy sat in front of us at a Stones concert in Phoenix - never. once. stopped. talking. And to top it off, he played big important man with a stinky cigar whose smoke blew into my face and into my lungs for the entire evening. I hacked up black crud all the next day.

Eddie Garza
Eddie Garza

All of these weird people ARE the concert. This is why people go... I have to say westword, you are losing it. Stop making fun of the people that make it possible for you to have a job. Jackass

jmpmk2
jmpmk2

I had an encounter with a variation of the Maniac a week or so ago.  This version was the nostalgic party animal version, not the brooding angry one.  He fondly remembers what it was like to see NOFX in 1998 and thinks this sort of crowd behavior belongs at every concert he attends.

I have conflicting emotions about this guy.  I mean, yeah, I remember jumping into a sea of thrashing people when I was 15 too, and now simply don't have that kind of pent-up aggression.  However, it made me smile to see how excited people were to see music.  I haven't seen that in a decade, and I can't help but think these actions have some merit.  Yeah, I could do without the part where he jumps into the group of hundred-pound girls I was trying to hit on between sets, but shouldn't we all be so exuberant while watching music actually be PERFORMED in front of us?

It's made me reevaluate this character, if only slightly.  Now crowd-surfers?  Death Penalty.

dave.herrera
dave.herrera moderator editor

@jmpmk2 That version sounds more like the latter described in that blurb -- somebody expressing themselves in the time-honored tradition rather than an adrenalized meathead.

Christian Allen
Christian Allen

Proud to say I have been both #7 and #6 at certain points in my life. I have no regrets.

DeathBreath
DeathBreath like.author.displayName 1 Like

I found this piece mildly amusing since it appeared to be fairly accurate.  However, I will have to disagree with the portrayal of "The Maniac" being specific to metal acts.  After seeing many outdoor metal concerts, I can honestly say one thing, "I've never observed or met this person" at such a gathering.  With the exception of Slayer fans, most Headbangers are fairly stoned & docile despite their more foreboding appearance.  When Slayer takes the stage, things go into overdrive nuts.  Bon fires are common in San Antonio.  Fights are also likely to break out.  However, I've never witnessed any violence at a metal concert.  Yes, mosh pits can get a bit unruly, but that is the purpose, isn't it?  If you don't want to be slammed, stay the fuck out of the pit. 

maniacalhatred
maniacalhatred like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

i've seen this dude at many shows (metal and other) in three guises:
1. dude in the pit who never once looks at the stage - this guy isn't there for the show, he's there to put the hurt on people. which is fine, he's where he needs to be, but if you don't actually care about the music, stay home and start a fight club.
2. dude who tries to start a pit where it doesn't belong - i've put in my time in pits, but i'm old and fragile now (partly because of time spent in pits), so i tend to stand off to the side and/or further back, but there is often some dude who is either too frightened to get in the real pit or thinks the whole venue is/should be a pit and tries to start a pit where it doesn't belong (in say the third level back from the stage at the ogden).
3. dude who tries to start a pit at a show that doesn't warrant a pit - i've seen dudes try to start pits at the most ridiculously inappropriate shows. there is no reason to mosh to white stripes, the eels or the decemberists, but i've seen people try to start pits at all three (and many others).
i will say that i think this particular asshole is a dying breed that peaked in the early 00's (there is a not-coincidental correlation with the heyday of numetal). i haven't seen this dude around much lately.

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