[insomniak123]

I've just got back from the Arctic Monkeys mini-festival at Lancashire Cricket Club - thought I'd share my thoughts on the day. I'll start with the crap bits so at least it'll end well

Only managed to get tickets to the Sunday and to be honest wished I hadn't bothered. Easily the worst gig I've ever been to. Been looking forward to seeing the monkeys for a long time, and come back seriously disappointed.

No way LCCC should be hosting any more gigs in the near future, security wasn't up to it, coppers weren't much better. Heard one security guard telling he'd got extra tickets and 'selling' the elusive golden pit tags - put simply he was more worried about his wallet than about the 16 year old girl in front of me gettin punched by a 30+ 18stone bloke (don't worry, some of us sorted it - but to be honest that's not the point)

We lost sound on Sunday 5 times, due to AM not being arsed to play to such a crowd - there was seriously groups of 15+ blokes all over 30 starting on 16 year old girls, it was out of order. None of em could've cared less about the band and it ruined it.

Too many idiots ruined what was in fact a perfectly good gig - the 'warm-up' acts were spot on, Amy Winehouse was spot-on but seemed a little "out of it" - Coral brought the place to life, and SuperGrass played some crackin tunes along with plenty of new ones - absolutely loved the day up until about 7pm, could tell the atmosphere got really heavy and moody, everyone was on edge waiting for some pill-head to punch them or their mates in the back. I was down front on the right (couple rows back) - and lucky I only got covered in beer (which I don't mind - typical weekend out for me ) There was more than the odd throwing of beer, there were people throwing shoes, full coke bottles, burgers, and security did nothing (lie, they pulled one young lad out coz he was getting squashed) - it was a mess to be honest. Absolutely crap organisation, security pretty non-existant, and oversold ticket allocation way too much.

I'd be well surprised if no-one got hospitalised or worse stabbed in that place, security didn't search any bags whatsoever and were more worried about one poor lad who brought one can of carling in his back pocket who was escorted away! Get your priorities right next time

(edit - since found out one girl got took out with a broken neck luckily they stuck a neck-brace on and she's ok)

Awesome to see AM live, just disappointed in the circumstances - I'll wait next time til it's at a venue I've been to before and trust

[daveaka]

Iam glad I didnt take the ticket offered to me on Saturday because that sounded like a bit of a sham...What is it with groups of blokes walking around gigs like they own the place and starting trouble, its happened loads at the recent gigs Ive been to, especially when you get a band with a bit of attitude...The AM have been lackadaisical for a while now and to be honest Iam kind of going off them, probably would have been more excited about seeing Amy Winehouse and The Coral.....How long was the sound dropping out during the gig ?

[insomniak123]

Apparently the Saturday was worse for sound dropping, it never full went on the Sunday, but the band did stop intentionally six times saying that the first 3 songs were quiet as hell, next song the bass overwhelmed it, then the rest was in and out, sounded like a toddler was doing the mix

all in all, pretty shabby

[Whiting]

Sorry you didn't have a good time on the Sunday. I went on Saturday and loved it. I had my doubts about the whole thing and in particular whether they'd pull it off having seen them in much smaller venues but they were great...jeez, did they hit the ground running with the opening 3 numbers.

The sound did cut out for one song but a couple of minutes later it was all sorted and on they went ; that was the only negative for me. Support acts were mostly great (The Coral were fantastic), the sound was fine for such a venue (apart from the above issue) and the crowd around us were fine and in good humour - I think the day's biggest gripe was the queue for the ale.

I dunno...perhaps the Saturday tickets sold straight away to those that wanted to see the band and the Sunday ones were picked up by those just going along for the experience (including the thugs). Sunday was a nicer day too; beer and sunshine does bring out the worst in a lot of people.

Like I said, shame you didn't enjoy the day.

[insomniak123]

Originally Posted by Whiting

I think the day's biggest gripe was the queue for the ale.

I dunno...perhaps the Saturday tickets sold straight away to those that wanted to see the band and the Sunday ones were picked up by those just going along for the experience (including the thugs). Sunday was a nicer day too; beer and sunshine does bring out the worst in a lot of people.

Like I said, shame you didn't enjoy the day.

I said that to my girlfriend, the fans must've got tickets for the Saturday night and it left the Sunday available for anyone else - (including several groups of lads who jumped over the fences - security was extremely rubbish )

I never once had to queue for a beer, I got there I think 6 times with no queue at all - wasn't beer causing the problems, it was drugs

Still really happy I got to see Arctic Monkeys, been waiting since last February when I missed them at Cardiff Uni - and like I said all the bands were awesome

[motr]

A work colleague (with a mate and his son and sons friend - got that ) went to the Saturday gig and his exact words were 'the biggest load of tosh he had ever seen' and he was referring to the crowd and teh security.

He said people were ******* all over the floor and everytime he got showered in something, they wondered if it was **** or beer.

The son and sons friend though loved it and enjoyed the crowd surfing until people started to try and nick his trainers

[redferret]

We went to the Saturday gig, enjoyed the music, but the venue was a joke. We've been to many a big gig, went U2 last year at Ciddys ground, there they had blokes going around with Fosters beer tanks on their backs, therefore queues at bar considerable smaller, unlike that rugby scrum that i saw, and thankfully didnt have to join in.

When we first got in, we were trying to find some mates behind the County stand, no idea where that was, so i asked a staff member from LCCC, who-
A - Couldnt be ar5ed and decided to light her fag and shrug her shoulders
and
B - When she could be ar5ed tried to send us in the wrong direction.

I thought all the acts were ok.

Sound did go off, first time i have ever known that at a gig, can't imagine why.... (i do know, but cant say...she will be a legend)...

[Whiting]

Originally Posted by insomniak123

I never once had to queue for a beer, I got there I think 6 times with no queue at all - wasn't beer causing the problems, it was drugs

On Saturday, the queues were an hour plus for the ale at one stage. Glad I was driving. In fact, I didn't eat either so didn't really need any of the facilities on offer

Anyway, the Manchester Evening News is reporting a huge volume of complaints - article here.

Guess we just got lucky.

[Whiting]

And this from the NME including a response from SJM.