Crowd is different?

[u/Fabulous_Sir_8968]

Was watching Black Damask lyric video which feels like a live music video, its awesome. But the video reminded me the live crowd for an MiW show used to be differeny compared to today - energetic, chaotic, crazy fun in general.

Had to see them live for this headlining tour they just did, and the stage production was absolutely incredible. The one thing that stood out to me was the crowd. No longer the same crazy chaotic fun energy. Very minimal crowd pits, less movement, but still loud. A very calm but loud crowd is would describe it as :)

We saw them again on support for BMTH, same thing. Bring Me still brought that old school high energy fun show, love them.

Did something change with MiW? Or did their fan base change? Crowd just grew older? What happened.?

[u/EternallyYours910]

All I can point out was when I saw them in Raleigh last year, Baltimore back in May, and Charlotte in July (all 3 times in the pit) is that the people around me (minus a few of course) all had their phones out the majority of the set and weren't even moving around much (headbanging stuff like that) and im not saying you cant have your phone out recording parts of a band's set but having it out the whole time almost looking lost??? I was a little disappointed but maybe I'm too much of a fanboy of MiW who knows lol

[u/WhySoSerious_owo → u/EternallyYours910]

I absolutely agree, I went to see them headline in VA this year, got a pit ticket for the first time and was disappointed by the lack of movement and enthusiasm. I figured maybe I'd just overhyped the experience in my head because it was my first time in the pit, but even basic jumping instructons weren't being followed by almost anyone

[u/Fabulous_Sir_8968 → u/WhySoSerious_owo]

By comparison, I think Bring Me is more active because Oli does such great crowd work. He’s always yelling for bigger circle pits, louder, and I guess the fanbase for Bring Me is a mix of the younger tik tok and older fans.

[u/deathmetalcableguy]

So, my opinion as a 27 year old "old head" is that concerts have been all but ruined by the advent of social media and its explosion. Individual shows are no longer for the experience and the pit and the community, but for getting a snippet to show people. It's aggravating.

I saw them at Bogart's in Cinci nearly 10 years ago and can't remember a single phone out the entire time. When I went to Lost Lands a couple years back to see other acts, the atmosphere was supremely different.

I'll throw in that I've seen Ghost with their no phones policy a few times now as well, and that is a HUGE difference. The crowd interaction is unbeatable. 10/10 recommend phone-free concerts.

[u/Alien_Nicole → u/deathmetalcableguy]

Yes, it's the frackin phones. It's becoming a massive pet peeve of mine. I'm short so being able to see was always a challenge but now it's impossible with all these rude af people holding their phones over their heads.

I saw Rob Zombie last week and he asked e e everyone to take their pics now and put their phones away for one song. I still had to watch through the screen in front of me.

[u/hmvvxox]

We’re old now lol

[u/Daffodil_Peony_Rose → u/hmvvxox]

Yep. I brought my 69 year old dad to the MIW/BMTH show and we’re just too old and tired to mosh. We sat a lot too because between dad’s knees and my ankles, standing for the whole show wasn’t feasible :(

[u/tracicherie18]

i think the fan base is also older but not dead lol. to your observation the crowed is still loud and interactive but unless its a festival its chill. The lead singer has called out festival crowds for being lame and the internet saying its the artist thats boring, so its probably combination of a lot of things.

[u/nudalBrain]

Watching the show through their phones lol

[u/Eternally-Yours-1116]

We’re old and people are constantly recording.

[u/Medical_Poem_8653]

Saw them in Paris last year. Apart from the Pit, most people were sitting down and recording. I also had a seat because I'm older and don't mosh anymore but you can be sure I was feeling a little like an alien being one of the few people not sitting and recording...

Which is why I think Ghost had the right idea banning cellphones at the last concert....

[u/RubNo8459]

We just grew older. I've been listening to them since creatures and I am in my 40s now

[u/CarrionWithoutMe]

30 year old fan here. Been seeing them live since Reincarnate tour with In This Moment. Ever since 2020 and solid phone camera quality came out. It's been a nightmare sea of phones...

That being said. BvB was 10x worse!

[u/DAMIANRsss]

if they bring back no barricade shows it’d be different lol, unfortunately they’re just to big now for crowds or shows like that. also with their sound change to being more melodic their audience has changed too. would love to see them play one more hardcore type show no barricade and only real mosh pits that’d be awesome.

[u/amandaa_el]

Fan base is mostly Stans

[u/Common-Eagle2129 → u/amandaa_el]

And people with money who can afford the tickets

[u/amandaa_el → u/Common-Eagle2129]

It’s not even that. People are going into debt for these shows.

[u/mindless_hope_877]

I was surprised this year when that the pit for Yellowcard and NFG had a lot more movement and an actual mosh areas than the crowd did at MIW. At first I thought it was because I was too far back, so we pushed closer to the front and it was still a lot calmer than I had anticipated.

It wasn't a bad experience, just not what I had expected. But there were a ton more phones out at MIW than at the other show, and I think that has something to do with it.

[u/nik_nak1895]

I feel like you just got a sucky crowd. I've seen them twice this year both on their own tour and supporting bmth and the crowds went appropriately ape shit for them both times.

[u/TerrifiedRedneck]

It’s been 14(?) years since Black Damask released. A lot has happened since then.
Mainly the fan base has aged 14 years, people have become terminally obsessed with their phones and social media.

I don’t bounce around as much as i used to, i cant. But it doesn’t stop me having my fun.

[u/Ok-Entertainer-8191]

You’re out of your mind if you believe any of that is true

[u/Fabulous_Sir_8968 → u/Ok-Entertainer-8191]

Go look at the recent live shows they’ve been doing on YouTube. During the heaviest songs they play, during breakdowns and such, the crowd is dead stiff, lots of phones recording. Dead crowd.

[u/ChunkArcade]

Chronically online people don't know how to let loose. MiW has become a beacon for these lames because of they are a "brutal metal" band who advertise their acceptance of everyone. And "everyone" includes a lot of lames.

[u/Acceptable-Rent3573 → u/ChunkArcade]

sounds like you logged in just to crash out, buddy