Published on 12, July, 2020
I love to go to gigs and watch local bands play great music. Does anyone else?
Supporting your grassroots venue is important!
Got curious and want to know if any one else feels like venues could do better in accommodating neurodiverse music lovers - for example low sensory punk/rock/indie shows?!
Would such a thing encourage you to go watch more live music?
Would love to hear some more opinons as i've not really seen much discussion online about this <3
Music and especially live music is a really important part of my life, I try to see a band at least once a month.
I used to take my daughter, she is now an adult and an autist herself, she plays bass in an all girl heavy metal band, after studying music performance at university.
I have a favourite venue in Bristol, it’s big enough to develop great sound but small enough so I can find my favourite spot to stand. Usually to the front right of the stage, just beneath the monitor speakers. I wear earplugs but need to feel the vibration of the bass tones through my chest.tomorrow night I’m off to see Nirvana (uk)
it’s not sold out if anyone want to come along.
I love going to gigs. It's one of the only times I can be in a crowd without being unbearably anxious.
I do find that it's easier to handle if I've got earplugs in- I use Loops personally but anything that helps make the noise manageable will do.
Something that I find helpful about genres like prog and classical, which often have an older audience, is that they have seated concerts. Rather than getting bumped about in the mosh pit, you just sit down at a sensible distance from the musicians and from everyone else. I happen to LIKE the mosh pit, but I'm not always up to being in there, and I know a lot of autistic people would struggle with it far more than I do.
Would you enjoy the gig if the capacity was maybe cut by 10 or 15% of attendees, as well as having options to be seated or standing?
Stop Making Sense was incredible in the cinema, I also went twice!
I ask this as I'm thinking about ways to set up gigs that are sensory friendly by working with some sound and lighting engineers - but i'm just keen to get some input and feedback :) The only way I currently see the live music landscape changing to become more accommodating is if the idea of relaxed theatre or cinema performances are applied to gigs too... still fleshing this out though.
I hope you get to enjoy the Queen screening!!
I love live music too, I can tolerate or even enjoy some sensory stuff there that would in a supermarket have me fleeing asap. But what I do find tough are crowds. Don't like to be in physical contact with strangers - I stay well clear of the mosh pit.
I love music, but I hate gigs. Haven't been to one since The Stone Roses at Heaton Park in 2012. Inherently, gigs aren't going to be ASD friendly by their very nature - huge crowds, loud music etc. Other than providing a quiet zone for autistic people to retreat to, I don't see how they can do much about this.
Regardless, any changes wouldn't get me to attend gigs. I prefer listening on YouTube or going to the cinema.
I saw Stop Making Sense at the cinema twice last year and that was brilliant - minus the crowds. So yeah, maybe live streaming gigs in movie theatres (something I believe happens anyway) is a more ASD friendly option.
There's a showing for Queen's famous '81 Montreal gig shortly I might go to.