At Inverness Gigs we try to list and detail events but also endeavour to give honest reviews of performances and shows in the area. Recent shows by Cast and Johnny Marr have been given good reviews but we have all been to rubbish music gigs down the years. So what are the alternatives?
When you think of live music performances most people think of going to a gig or ‘a concert’ as my grandma would say. The modern gig goer expects a lot and should do at large events as there is usually a high entrance fee, booking fee and expensive drinks. As bands now struggle to create revenue via CD and streaming, touring and merch is now the only option for many so they have to recoup their costs. Gig goers now spend half their time filming shows on their phone rather than actually experiencing it and this is due to the audience feeling like they should have a concrete memory due to the significant cost and effort involved going to a gig.
For a change you could visit a local pub where there may be local bands performing, this gives you a chance to meet, and also get hit by a snapping bass string, or perhaps help with carrying the drummer’s kit from the battered Transit van outside in the car park. With the recent demise of many out-of-town club nights, pubs are creating their own scenes where customers can get involved and become part of a night. For example, Hootannanys in Inverness makes great use of social media to keep music fans informed with what’s going on, and what’s coming up in the future.
If you are not a band or DJ you could always create your event at home. Rather than rustling through your CD’s and hearing sighs when you spin obscure Papa Roach and Cradle of Filth album tracks you could jump onto Spotify as a subscriber. If you subscribe via a paid monthly service you can also cut out the awkward adverts for Kit Kat Chunky that is sandwiched between Rage against the Machine cuts!
There are many more music streaming sites and Apple Music currently has a three month free subscription for new customers. If that is a bit extreme you could stream or listen to music at home and maybe multi task with games, Betway for example have a wide range of games which can be played either solo or with friends.
If you can recall the game ‘Guitar Hero’ you could unleash your inner Slash by trying to keep up with the different buttons on the guitar to the sound of Slipknot, The Killers and the aforementioned RATM. Guitar Hero: Metallica is the best as the featured songs are all at least six minutes long, it’s just like real life without the legal battles and orgies.
On top of gigs and home music are the large festivals such as Belladrum and Brew at the Bog. These are now mainly consigned to spring and summer 2016 but they are a great opportunity to see a variety of bands you may be into. It also gives you the chance of discovering other artists that don’t fit into your usual genre.
So if you want to listen to and experience music, there is a wide range of places that you can visit or simply enjoy staying at home. The only decision you now need to make whether to spend a quiet night in with BBC Radio 3, or whether to get stuck in the heart of a mosh pit – the choice is yours!
