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The 'dancing' issue

Seriously now, why is it that barely anyone dances nowadays? Maximo Park at the Camden Crawl was pretty much ruined by the crowd's inactivity, and the twat standing next to me at Tom Vek was more interested in his cigarette and his phone.

can anyone give me a good reason as to why you'd go to a show and not actually DO anything? It's not as if it was a minority either, i spotted about 5 other people dancing at Maximo Park.
i-deserve-to-be-in-your-band | 11 Mar '05, 19:41 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

I saw a few people dance when I saw MP but mainly I was dancing to their stuff. I've always just assumed people were between shy/too cool and aloof to dance at gigs. How was the gig anyway?
Patricide | 11 Mar '05, 19:44 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

bit like dominoes i rekon, you need some ppl 2 start it
jazz_da_spaz | 11 Mar '05, 19:46 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

definitely.
dancing is contagious.
if you take enough people to make it seem like jigging is the norm, you can change the world.
alcxxk | 11 Mar '05, 19:47 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

I don't dance at gigs because:

1). I can't dance
2). I'm too old these days to be down with the kids moshing etc.
3). Being a bit of an anal twat, I like to see what's going on onstage.

However I do nod my head approvingly & sway about a bit too.
Kleeb | 11 Mar '05, 19:48 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

it was good, but it seemed really soulless due to the crowd. i was on the point of actually screaming "dance, you cunts" they were so immobile. i was surprised the singer didn't actually say something, it was depressing.
i-deserve-to-be-in-your-band | 11 Mar '05, 20:26 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

People don't have to dance if they don't want to. It's not as if the band is paying them to show up and dance.
Wiggles | 11 Mar '05, 19:56 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

but it sort of gives the impression your'e not feeling the music, but you may just be awestruck
jazz_da_spaz | 11 Mar '05, 19:57 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

Run, it's the gig police!
Wiggles | 11 Mar '05, 19:59 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

I'm hardly an experienced gig-goer (I'm still in single figures...boohoo) but I never dance. I usually find that rocking up and down on the balls of my feet, nodding and generally shaking about are enough.

And as someone else said, I like to see what the band are up to.
utm_usic | 11 Mar '05, 20:04 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

i cant dance, im so tall, and quite clumsy, tall people shouldnt dance
jazz_da_spaz | 11 Mar '05, 20:06 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

Excellent point.

Not dancing is for the benefit of those stood near you.
utm_usic | 11 Mar '05, 20:09 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

there's no need to have your arms flailing or whatever, but most people don't even sway or nod their heads now it seems.

i mean, surely the band deserves a bit of respect?

people just look bored, it brings me (and many other people i spoke to) down - fuck off somewhere else if you're not having fun.
i-deserve-to-be-in-your-band | 11 Mar '05, 20:30 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

You can't equate people not dancing or nodding their heads with people not having fun.

Perhaps people are introverted & cannot bring themselves to dance cos they're too self-conscious?
Kleeb | 11 Mar '05, 20:35 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

i can't accept that people are THAT shy. if you're that self-conscious you wouldn't leave the house.

there were so many expressionless faces at Maximo Park it was quite disturbing, and that suggests boredom to me. i'd understand it if it was a support band or something, but they chose to go see Maximo Park and there were loads of other bands playing if they weren't all that fussed.
i-deserve-to-be-in-your-band | 11 Mar '05, 20:40 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

My 'dance' involves putting my hands in my pockets, staring misty eyed at the band and doing a complicated form of toe-tapping in which the legs kind of bend in different directions, and the arms move about a bit.

Michael Stipe would probably look on in envy.
utm_usic | 11 Mar '05, 20:38 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

So surely the fact that they were actually there means they wanted to be there, regardless of whether they looked interested or not? I wouldn't go to a Fightstar gig just so I could stand around and look bored. People may well be introverted insofar as they don't like dancing as it may draw attention to themselves. That's not being overly shy & unable to leave the house. Half the population are probably introverted yet they don't all stay in do they?
Kleeb | 11 Mar '05, 20:44 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

Dancing is for girls.

Real men are too busy thinking about Fearne Cotton.
dctag | 11 Mar '05, 20:47 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

Fearne Cotton.

Mmmmmmm.

I'll be back shortly....
utm_usic | 11 Mar '05, 20:52 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

well, the people i was standing near barely clapped, didn't move AT ALL, and didn't interact at all throughout the show...

maybe it's just the crowd that Maximo Park attract, as there were no such probs at Art Brut and Le Tigre's shows, although the standstill trendy twats were out in force for Tom Vek at the back.

i just don't understand how people can just appear so detached, it's surreal when the band is jumping around and you're stood there with drool trailing down your chin like Phil Neville.
i-deserve-to-be-in-your-band | 11 Mar '05, 20:49 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

oh, and personally i am quite shy and introverted and it doesn't stop me.
i-deserve-to-be-in-your-band | 11 Mar '05, 20:51 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

It might be an MP crowd thing. At The Roadhouse there was a big space between the audience and the stage so Smith told everyone to move closer and slowly a few did, later people were actually dancing and visibly enjoying the gig.
Patricide | 11 Mar '05, 21:32 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

Is it an affliction affecting Britain too? Every gig I've been to in Toronto that has had a British band playing has been utterly motionless. Trying to dance in a crowd of statues with the Super Furries blasting out The Man Don't Give A Fuck would have been a horrendous experience had I not been utterly shitfaced. It seems to be an indie thing, all the hip-hop gigs I've been to round here has much dancing and all the metal/punk gigs are energetic.

DrFurry | 11 Mar '05, 21:53 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

Hmm, why don't people dance? I can't dance, but that doesn't stop me from doing so. (never on my own tho, which I spose negates the argument) I mean surely the whole Indie Boy/Girl Read: Introverted thing doesn't apply anymore? Or is it due to the lack of space to dance in at gigs?
Deltasound | 12 Mar '05, 17:34 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

i was at mars volta last night and really wanted to dance, but no one else was and i was too shy to get the ball rolling. i think thats the problem:shyness. its also quite hard to dance when some guy standing next to you is wasted and starts rolling what might have been a joint and the starts walking backwards into you whilst staring at the floor.
kidfromkibble | 12 Mar '05, 19:25 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

Just give them a shove if they walk into you. That usually starts the ball rolling.
mattk77 | 12 Mar '05, 19:27 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

no one wants to kick things off at indie shows, usually too busy trying to look cool ... thats deffinately how its felt at the ones iv been too. not a friendly community feel at all...kinda stand offish, everyone thinking they were better than the next person for one reason or another.
howver when i saw mastodon , people whod never met would start talking jus cos of the band shirt they were wearing or whatever. and everyone was really into all 3 of the bands.

maybe its an indie thing :s
soapy | 12 Mar '05, 19:36 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

It's people being too cool to move. Maybe their hair/cliched charity clothing might get messed if they break a sweat. I'm so used to seeing shop dummies at gigs. If you can't dance it's best to stay still.
Genji | 12 Mar '05, 22:11 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

maximo park are a new band who probably don't have legions of devoted fans. most people who were there presumably were there out of curiosity or on the knowledge of a few songs. no?

and dancing can fuck off anyway ...
JacobJones | 12 Mar '05, 19:56 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

Maybe as alot of people only know Apply Some Pressure.
Patricide | 12 Mar '05, 21:23 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

even then, the guy next to me's whole dance, literally, was tapping his index finger whilst he had his arms folded.

and to be honest i'm probably a rock and roll cliche and i still move. fuck my hair and stripy jumpers.

eh, maybe i'm in the minority, but i just like to be a bit involved when i go out, i try to get to the front etc., show my appreciation...and my dancing only ever gets positive responses :) who cares if you can't dance, let yourself go.
i-deserve-to-be-in-your-band | 13 Mar '05, 11:52 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

I've decided that what I do at gigs is dancing after all, so I escape your wrath. Sort of.

A question though. I'm thinking of going to see 65*daysofstatic. How does one dance to that kind of thing? I saw a post-rock duo supporting Fonda 500 a few weeks ago called 'Fuzzy Lights'. They were ok, and the rest of the crowd seemed to be enjoying it. The most anyone did was nod though.

Surely that's all you can do?

Yours,
confused dancer of grimsby
utm_usic | 13 Mar '05, 14:57 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The 'dancing' issue

I tried to dance the 65 DOS, it's kind of hard, I ended up shifting around a bit, moving the old legs. You have some of their hardcore flailing around but I think that's kind of inappropiate for 65 DOS.

I do like a good dance when I'm at a gig though, it's part of the fun and jolly good exercise even if you do sweat like a pig.
tom_from_sparks | 13 Mar '05, 15:05 | Send note | Report this | Reply