Gigs are not so great outdoors (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Gigs are not so great outdoors

1:03pm Monday 2nd June 2008

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I’ve come to the conclusion that I may have gone to the last of those big outdoor stadium gigs.
Being of a certain age, I’m not one for venturing down into the mosher pit in front of the stage as I did of yore.
But being stuck way back up in the stands, as I was twice within the space of a few days this week, you’re very detached from the proceedings.
Despite all the high-powered sound systems and the mega-size screens enlarging the performers from tiny dots in the distance to something a little more discernable, it still feels a bit like watching television.
Add to that the price of the beer … £3.50 a pint for something only approximating to the real thing… and I come away feeling a tad disappointed.
First it was the Kaiser Chiefs, who do put an superbly energetic show, at Elland Road.
No complaints about them, their music, the spectacle.. all were great. But they still had to battle with a lack of atmosphere in the place until the sun went down.
Then it was on to Bruce Springsteen at Old Traffod. Again, no complaints about the man and his terrific band. But the sun took a long time to buzz off and the sound system got a bit of a buzz itself, echoing round the cavernous stands at the back of the Theatre of Dreams.
Shame, but I don’t think I got the best of Nils Lofgren and the rest of the E Street band’s brilliant musicianship.
I think I’ll go back to the intimate atmosphere of indoor gigs.