Videos at Concerts: Yay or Nay?
I'm having one of those love/hate relationships, and I can't seem to decide which side of the fence I should be on. So I'd like to get readers' opinions on this hot topic: playing videos at live concerts. Do you love it? Hate it? Or could you care less?
The reason I cringe when a really good video starts to play on the jumbo screen at a show is that I never know where to look. At an Alan Jackson concert this weekend, he showed "Good Time" and "Drive," two of my favorites. So I found myself engrossed in the videos instead of Jackson himself. And my conscience was pissed. "You can watch that at home, for God's sake. Look at the man, not the screen," she yelled. When Trace Adkins had opened the concert, the exact same thing happened when he showed the "Arlington" video. It is really hard to look anywhere but the screen when you see Adkins with his long braid and some uniformed military guy walking among the headstones. Yet in doing so, you miss Adkins' real live reverence and the bowing of his head during the fiddle intro.
On the other hand, though, I love videos. They bring a song to life and tell the story you might not take away from the tune alone. And without them, it's possible that staring at the frontman (or woman) might get a little old after 90 minutes. If you've ever been to a show without a video screen, you know what I mean. You are glued to the artist initially, but then you start people-watching and watch-checking and, God forbid, texting.
Someone somewhere has probably done countless focus groups on whether or not country fans think videos make a good concert backdrop or not. But I'd like to hear what your vote is.
©2008 Country Music Television, Inc., a Viacom company. A division of
Jarod says:
I with you no and agree. It’s tough but no videos. The singer should bring the song alive in the performance rather than with the help of the video.
Kim says:
Amen Jarod, Alison. I don’t mind it when they put the artists on the jumbo-tron when they’re playing, just making the real artist bigger. If the artist is big enough (or their label has enough money to invest in them) that they have that kind of technology, they should be good enough to sustain an audience on their own. Lose the props!
I live in Texas, and go to a lot of live shows from local artists, the radio free Texas folks, and I never seem to have a problem looking at the artist from 90 minutes or more. the environment itself is entertaining. Without the jumbo tron and the toys that go with it the artists, the band, the people next to you, all become part of the act. I think its up to the artist as well as fans to make the concert fun.
I’m disappointed with a lot of mainstreamers because they can’t compare sometimes. smaller concerts seem to always be better for everyone. jumbo trons and all that don’t fit. you seem less isolated in a group pf 500 than a city of 10,000. (I live in a town of about 2,000, so my idea of a city is a little off probably.)
Another thing that gripes me: costume changes!!! enough already! pick one a stick with it! you don’t see me running out to my car during the show to get another outfit! again, lose the props!
brenda norris says:
I love going to concerts and can do without the videos i enjoy them at home on tv but not at a concert. I agree it takes away from the artist that is performing. We come to see our favorite artist perform so lets keep it real!
Ms. Feathers says:
I’m with you, Alison. If I’ve paid good money to see the ARTIST LIVE, then I don’t want to be distracted by a music video on the screen.
As Kim said, put the artist him/herself on the big screen so people in the nosebleeds can see what’s going on. Keith Urban’s 56′tall High Def screen (with a square footage larger than my first home) shows every detail for each of the 10K + in attendance. But Keith also uses “background” images on the screen - like fan-submitted videos for “Days Go By” - and sometimes shots of people in the crowd. That’s fine. But an artist like Keith can’t play “with” a video on the screen because he tweaks and changes and adapts each song for the live experience, so it would be off.
About Trace’s “Arlington” video, he could have used images that support the story, but weren’t distracting to his performance.
Bottom line, artists shouldn’t use their music videos at concerts. Not only is it distracting, but it comes across as “cheap”, like they don’t take the time to do something new and different and worth the fan’s money.
Steph says:
sounds like everyone is nay on this one. i am too. keep it real, please.
Linda McKinney says:
I never been to a Trace Adkins concert, but I think that it would be great to be there. There is nothing like a live concert. They are the greatest, and I think that Trace would put on a great show. He’s a very talented performer, one of the greatest in Country Music today. I just wish that I had a chance to go to one of his concerts. I don’t get out of the house much because I have osteoarthritis, but if I were at a Trace concert, I believe that I would forget about my pain, and I do have severe pain, but just to be there at his concert would take my pain away, and that’s saying alot. There is nothing like being at a “Live Concert”. Maybe one day, I don’t know when, hopefully before I get too bad, I will get to go to his concert somehow, but I’d have to hit the lottery first, if you know what I mean. But I sure would love to go, and just to meet him would be a big highlight of my boring life. Love ya, Trace Your fan a very big fan, Linda 10-15-2008
Amanda says:
I LOVE music videos of course, but don’t really care for seeing them at the shows. Yeah sure it’s alright if you’re in the back where you can actually see them, but when you’re in the front and center where the screens are out to the side..you can’t see a dang thing and it makes me want to try to just see what everyone else see’s. Eventually I give up and get back to watching the show. You really can miss out on what the performer is doing when watching those videos you’ve already seen countless times or knowing good well that you’ll see it on tv or online. But I’m kind of straddling the fence as well.
Ken says:
I went to a Carrie Underwood/ Josh Turner show and found it to be very distracting. You are always watching the screens because you are afraid you will miss something. It is good for the nose bleed sections to show the concert on the screen because I noticed that even sitting up close you struggle to see everyting and it is nice to look up at the screen and see your favorite artist up close.
Cj says:
I say drop the props. Country music has always been a country star and there guitar. That is all we need. I think any star should be able to hold the audience without all the extras.There are so many these days you can hardly hear what there real voice sounds like.
jb says:
big screens yes videos not really big screens if you are showing the artist because yes if you are in the nose bleed section then if i have a big screen with the artist being showed on it i usually look at that to feel the full benefits of the concert videos are not necessay unless there is only one screen and it is behind the artist this one is not too distracting but would rather not see the video this is why we have cmt
MiaT says:
It all depends on what they are showing. I LOVED when Tim McGraw show small bits of home movies while he sand years ago. It brought the crowd to their feet! I am not so thrilled about random 60’s type images. Brad Paisley did his own cartoon strip a couple years back, that was great!
I can’t decide
Cricket on Froggy 104 says:
I saw the Good Time tour Saturday night in Memphis, and when James Otto opened with a four-song set (and NO JUMBO-TRON), he had the crowd in the palm of his hand based on just his performance. The best use of the screens all night was during Alan Jackson’s performance of “Where I Come From,” when they showed video footage of locations and landmarks around Memphis. The loudest the crowd got all night was when the Memphis Tigers’ logo showed up on all five screens. Those people went crazy! That’s when Alan really connected.
Brandon says:
Music videos can increase the effectiveness of a live performance, such as Martina McBride’s “Concrete Angel” and Reba McEntire’s “What Do You Say.” Other times, related video footage, like with Alan Jackson’s “Where I Come From” mentioned earlier, fits the situation better.
The “artist and their guitar” concert is fine, but it’s not that interesting visually. Video screens, props, effects, costume changes, and other proudction features serve to make a concert more of an experience. They give the fans more for their money, which is a good thing with current ticket prices.
Even at concerts with no video, there are multiple band members and singers that a fan can watch. Since focus is already split, music videos are just one more viewing option. Those who want to just watch the main singer can still do so, and those who want that something extra will have it.
Karen Rizzi CT says:
I had a meet and greet with Trace last month. I’m still reeling. I’m 5′6 and I swear he’d have to bend down to just put his chin on the top of my head. The girl after me came out in the hall and fell against the wall. She said she stole a kiss from him. Lucky girl. I am obsessed with Trace since then and was before. Having his arms around you just makes your mind go blank. (i’m smiling) Anyway with a guy like him the closer the better. To see it all does not hurt, believe me. In a interview with him lately he said he just started dancing on the stage cause the women seemed to like it. WELL YEEEAAHHH. I saw him (front row ) on New Years Eve at Mohegan Sun and same place last month just a few rows back. Anyone who does not have the opportunity to see him up close is crazy not to want to see him “stage live” up close with the use of the screens. Videos are one thing but the magnification of him on the screen just from the live stage show is not to be denied. Come on why squint when he can be there for you 25 30 feet tall. His wife is a lucky lady. And he is a huge presence. My left arm didn’t even wrap around his back. I live for the next time he comes back to CT and in the mean time I play his videos on the comp. every nite. He is so much like the guy who is my soul mate its uncanny. (I tell my soulmate to where a cowboy hat. Guess why? Hope everyone gets to see him. Bring your drool cloth. ha ha no really.