Who does he think he is? David Crosby? 😉

I'm one of the weirdos who attends concerts to actually hear the music. Chris' actions might seem a bit harsh to some, but I'm always glad to hear an artist cite the audience over their chatter.

I know! I get it! You're socializing! I get it, but your loud talking (you gotta speak loud to be heard over the band, right?) is disrespectful to fellow audience members and the musicians themselves.

Side note: There is a southern city famously associated with our favorite band. I have discovered (over time) that this is probably the most chatty venue for music. My last show here was a TTB concert. I had amazing seats (2nd row), but actually found it hard to hear the music because of the non-stop jawing coming at me from all sides.

I actually began to think that I was imagining this. But at a recent show in Savannah, I discovered about a dozen folks who had driven over from said city to be at (note that I didn't say, "LISTEN to ") this concert. These folks sat right behind me and jabbered non-stop the entire time! They were totally unaware of it, but they were drawing stares from other audience members. I'm actually not even a Black Crowes/Chris Robinson fan - but I sure wish that he (or the artists on stage) would have quietly admonished the talkers.

Too many people show up to concerts and treat the music as a background to their life vs attending the show to watch a concert. Seems to be a lot more talking during shows these days.

I always enjoy when an artist calls people out. Even the guy yelling back "We're sorry. We love you" was just yelling loudly to get noticed. Way too many people who just live in a world of their own.

Absolutely nothing worse than a talker at a concert period! Dancers really dont bug me, think talkers should be warned once, then ejected, maybe make it the other audience members to police? "Citizens Arrest"? Or club em? But I have been exuberant between numbers? Decided in June when I let a talker at an Allman/Betts Show adversely affect the show for the folks in n my area, will not go with that anymore...............Peace.......joe

What was Tim Lefebvre thinking, leaving TTB for this circus?

I have some amazing Mule shows where there is a constant " conversations" mumble all through the songs.

It always surprises me that some people will pay to see something and then talk all show long.

I blame alcohol to a large degree.

I have some amazing Mule shows where there is a constant " conversations" mumble all through the songs.

It always surprises me that some people will pay to see something and then talk all show long.

I blame alcohol to a large degree.

i'm always near the drunkest person in history at ever concert i'm at

Bet Steve Gorman is smokin' I told You So cigars

Cause there ain't nuthin' different about the Black Crowes ever sensitive
CRob.

Actually, if you watch the video.....he's 100% right. These are $50 tickets at small venues for an acoustic show. Shut the f*ck up. If not for yourself, out of the courtesy of everyone else who spent their hard earned money.

CR may be a money grubbing a$$….but he's not wrong here.

What was Tim Lefebvre thinking, leaving TTB for this circus?

Tim Lefebvre is thinking $$$. He's a total pro. And he's always working. Just saw him with in Nashville couple weeks ago with Wayne Krantz and Keith Carlock....holy hell that was mind blowing btw.

[Edited on 2/26/2020 by jparadise]

I saw the crowes open for ZZ Top in 1991, after about 2 or 3 songs there were 2 drunk chicks fighting about 4 rows from the stage, cops broke it up and hauled them both away, Robinson stops the band, and says " We aint playin anywhere where cops beat up chicks, man!. and the went off stage. they were kicked off the tour shortly after this.

2-3 songs? Sounds like Chris and the Crowes made it through more of their show than I ever did. 😉
I still honor him for challenging chatterers! I saw Richard Belzer on TV years ago (when he was still a comedian). He chastised a chatty female: "I don't stir your drink with my dick - how about not talking during my performance?" Best part of the show!

I have some amazing Mule shows where there is a constant " conversations" mumble all through the songs.

It always surprises me that some people will pay to see something and then talk all show long.

I blame alcohol to a large degree.

i'm always near the drunkest person in history at ever concert i'm at

Sounds like my luck. I get approached by a lot of them too. At one Wanee some hippie chick came tumbling down beside me and said Warren Haynes is the next Jerry Garcia. I replied Warren Haynes isn’t anyone but Warren Haynes don’t go tagging him.
Oh, at an ABB show front row and some guy was there with his daughter and asking Duane Betts if he wanted to sleep with her. Later on same cat happened to be in a seat that wasn’t his and pulls out this large knife on the two guys whose seat he took, lays the knife on the stage and said you’ll have to take my knife first.
I got Kirks attention and he kicked the knife across the stage and security grabbed the guy.
I gotta million of them!

What was Tim Lefebvre thinking, leaving TTB for this circus?

Tim was recently married, and was able to get off the road and the commitment it comes with being in the TTB and he gets a good amount of work in NYC. This Crowes tour is basically a higher paying part time gig for him. Not as high of paying part-time opportunity that Dead & Co ended up being for Oteil, but the situations remind me of each other.

Good for Chris for what he said.

One of the reasons I love Dave Rawlings/Gillian Welch beyond just how good they are live, is that their audience is so respectful. Quiet, except in between songs and may some applause or hoot/holler or two after an incredible solo. It gets self policed in the audience.

Bet Steve Gorman is smokin' I told You So cigars

Cause there ain't nuthin' different about the Black Crowes ever sensitive
CRob.

I think even Gorman would agree that Chris was well within his right to call out people for talking. I wish more acts would do that from the stage when that happens.

Good job, Chris!!!

On this occasion Chris was right to raise some hell....There's nothing worse than audience members who babble on about bullshit during a show. Except maybe those who are so addicted to their cell phones they feel the need to constantly hold them high in the air and record an artist or band. Talk about rude and disrespectful to other audience members sitting near them...

Speaking of Steve Gorman, I just read his book and really enjoyed it. If what he says is true, Chris Robinson is quite a piece of work. And Rich isn't all that much better. Talk about a dysfunctional brotherly relationship...Wow!

I particularly enjoyed the section about their working with Jimmy Page back in the day. Specifically when Jimmy first saw Gov't Mule perform and his reaction to Allan Woody. Apparently he was blown away watching Woody laying down the bottom end...

I see it the other way around entirely.
If it was a hot show, people would shut up.

I think all he's gotta do is shut up n play his gitar.

I see it the other way around entirely. .

Having been a concert goer since my late teens and a musician before that, I see both sides. But, I have to side with the performer here, heart and soul out there and they take the stage firmly believing people have laid down their cash to see and hear them do their thing.

Wanna talk, go to a coffee shop. Want to catch up with an old friend, go to dinner.

Attending a concert, try listening and respecting others who are there for the music.

"I see it the other way around entirely.
If it was a hot show, people would shut up.
I think all he's gotta do is shut up n play his gitar."

I wish this were true. I've been to plenty of GREAT shows where people still can't STFU. Maybe in some cases they went to see a band that was not a fave; maybe they were a date. Maybe in some cases, they just don't understand the basic premise of a concert.

Heck, people yap during great movies too.

Please be quiet during the show. Period. There is no one side or the other. Its disrespectful to the artist, the people around you who paid their hard earned money to enjoy it. If you are not enjoying it, leave and let the other concert goers have their time.

I don't go to concerts to much anymore. Various reasons. A couple of summers ago we went to the Illinois State Fair when Mellencamp was supporting his Sad Clowns And Hillbillies with Carlene Carter. She was the opener and did a few tunes with him . During her set it was just her playing acoustic guitar and piano. Pretty cool ,I thought. The whole time she was up there, I heard CONSTANT chatter. THE WHOLE TIME. I thought it was pretty disrespectful and ANNOYING I get she may not be a household name. Fine, but go out and get another beer and stand out away from everyone else so we can enjoy the show.

I think Canadian Mule mentioned alcohol as the culprit. I agree. I am not above having a few drinks, but lets respect the artist and keep your cell phones down..... yuk!

The third time I saw Miles Davis was only maybe four months before he died. He looked and acted like his health was not too good.

He was doing his solo set at the front of the stage as he always did, fifteen minutes of just him and his trumpet, which to me was always the most stunning and beautiful part of the show.

A couple was chatting very loudly on the lawn and you could hear it ALL over the amphitheatre. Miles walked off and never returned. He played maybe an hour that night. I couldn't blame him, one bit.

WHAT THE F*** are you doing here? This man is an absolute LEGEND for Christ's sake!!

A painter paints his pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence. We provide the music, and you provide the silence.

- Leopold Stokowski

Thankfully, most audiences at London shows I attend are very respectful. Some visiting US artists even comment on how quiet they are between songs.

There will always be loudmouths who congregate around the bar, if there is one in the venue, so it's best to put some distance between them and you.

Worst shows are midweek when office types treat the show as an extension of their day's work.

[Edited on 2/28/2020 by Shavian]

I see it the other way around entirely.
If it was a hot show, people would shut up.

I think all he's gotta do is shut up n play his gitar.

I think you are giving modern society too much credit. Today for some the concert is just background music to the even they are having. Completely disrespectful to the artist and the people who paid to see the artist.

" Willin' "

At a bar in Vermont, DTB opening for Govt Mule. Derek has joined the Mule and all out insanity is taking place a few feet from me. These two couples are right up front and talked non-stop all night long through all the sets. One woman just getting louder with each drink and at a frequency that just filtered past all the instruments.

I later got a recording of the show and joked with a buddy before listening about hearing her.

Sure enough, you can hear her all through the sets. Why go at all? Why not listen? Why would they sit right up front? Not even watching.

If it is some hard rocking show and the singer is telling everyone to scream their brains out and jump up and down then have at it. Mosh pit and broken limbs at some rowdy show. Enjoy. Intimate setting with two brothers and one acoustic guitar. - Quiet time. Should be common sense.

Intimate setting with two brothers and one acoustic guitar. - Quiet time. Should be common sense.

AMEN!
You think it would be quite time, some people just don't get it.

What was Tim Lefebvre thinking, leaving TTB for this circus?

Money and a chance hopefully to be on a studio album. When the Black Crowes are on they are an explosive band.

[Edited on 2/29/2020 by fender31]

Cell phones may be the worst things to happen to concerts....ever. Remember when you were not allowed to bring in cameras to shows? There was a reason.

I just think the self-centered nature of our culture has produced a bunch of rude people.

I see it the other way around entirely.
If it was a hot show, people would shut up.

Miles Davis on the stage alone with his trumpet is not a hot show?